Fortaleza Charme House

The staff, led by Francesco, provides excellent support and recommendations. The location is convenient for exploring the city. Guests appreciate the clean, spacious rooms with modern amenities and harbor views.

It was a wonderful experience. The host Francesco was very kind and helpfull. The service was great. The apartment was very comfortable with a good bed, good shower, good working airco etc. A nice and ‘hidden’ functional kitchenette. Great design, very tastefull. To be short… the best place to be at a great location.

I stayed at Fortaleza Charme House for two weeks at the end of June/early July 2024, as a solo traveler. I was greeted by the hospitable and ever attentive Francesco, who will ensure your stay is comfortable and memorable. I initially stayed in the family room with balcony, which is in the front of the building and then switched to the triple room with sea view to have more of a sit down balcony (this room is in the back of the building). The building and rooms are newly renovated and stylishly decorated (true to photos) and are very comfortable. Rooms are equipped with kitchenette, fridge, nespresso machine and kettle. Laundry service is available and there's also a very convenient laundromat a block away that takes cash. I am a remote worker, so I needed to ensure high speed WiFi would be available; it is. There are several mini markets close by, but if you're looking for a more comprehensive selection I'd recommend going to Maxistore Deco which is a 10-minute walk. If you're looking for a non-sweets bakery (ie breads), I'd suggest going to The Bakery Fornaia that is 3 minutes from Maxistore Deco (they also serve pizza, pastries, etc.). I did a few tours, which is difficult for a solo traveler since there's usually a two person minimum. My first tour to the baroque towns was booked on Tripadvisor with Sicily in Travel, which I later learned is two minutes away from Fortaleza. They then helped me join a tour to Agrigento/Valley of Temples and Scala deli Turchi. It is a little longer (about 30 minutes) to leave for Valley of Temples from Siracusa, rather than Palermo (almost 2 hours) and Catania (2 hours), so it's not very often offered as a tour. Both tours were fantastic and the ride well worth it. There are lots of great restaurants in the area, but I often needed to get something to go because of my work schedule. For this, my go to nearby spots were Fari and PastaRun, both sell different types of fresh delicious pasta, with friendly staff. Oh and I arrived by train, which is an easy 10 minute walk to Fortaleza. There's lots to see and do in and around Siracusa, so it's easy spending a week doing activities both in Ortigia and outside of Siracusa. Don't miss the Catacombe di San Giovanni and the hidden subterranean tunnels at Chiesa di San Filippo. Both have such amazing history and sights; be sure to check hours since majority of places close mid-day. I hope you enjoy Siracusa and Fortaleza Charme House as much as I did!