Fonte Aretusa in Syracuse reopens with new visitor path

The Fonte Aretusa in Syracuse, a freshwater spring on Ortigia island linked to the Greek myth of the nymph Arethusa and the river god Alpheus, reopened to the public on August 6. The site now features a new visitor path designed by Francesco Santalucia, Viviana Russello, and Domenico Forcellini, with scientific consultancy from Corrado Basile, president of the Istituto Internazionale del Papiro – Museo del Papiro. The project was developed by Civita Sicilia as concessionaire of the Municipality of Syracuse, in collaboration with the Fondazione per l'Arte e la Cultura Lauro Chiazzese and the Struttura Didattica Speciale di Architettura di Siracusa. Audioguides are narrated by Isabella Ragonese, Sergio Grasso, and Stefano Starna, available in Italian, English, French, Spanish, and Chinese. The spring, home to fish once sacred to Artemis, papyrus plants, and ducks, has been a symbol of the bond between Syracuse and its Greek founders. Mayor Francesco Italia called the opening a long-awaited milestone, while Civita Sicilia CEO Renata Sansone emphasized the public-private partnership as essential for cultural heritage valorization.