Ortigia sunset cruise with aperitif: which boat trip should you book?
Updated October 22, 2026 · 5 min read
Book the two-hour sunset cruise at €60 if you want the caves, a swim and a sunset in one trip. Book the 2.5-hour tour at €65 if you want more time in the water. The €60 cruise has 386 reviews at 4.8 stars, far more than any other sunset boat trip in Syracuse. The €65 tour has 129 reviews and the other three have seven or fewer, so the first two are the ones to compare.
The five trips compared
| Tour | Price | Length | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ortigia Sunset Cruise with Aperitif | €60 | 2 hours | 4.8 stars, 386 reviews |
| Ortigia and Sea Caves Boat Tour with Sunset Aperitif | €65 | 2.5 hours | 4.8 stars, 129 reviews |
| Ortigia Island and Sea Caves Tour with sunset aperitif | €75 | 2 hours | 4.9 stars, 7 reviews |
| Sunset Boat Cruise to Ortigia with Spritz | €60 | 2 hours | 4.8 stars, 4 reviews |
| Ortigia Sunset Experience with Drinks Included | €63 | 2.5 hours | 4.2 stars, 5 reviews |
All prices are per person.
The two to compare seriously
The €60 cruise sails north along the coast first. According to the booking page it visits the Coral Caves, the Grotta dell’Amore and the Grotta delle Stalattiti, which it calls the largest cave on the Syracusan coast. On the way back there is a platter of local products with prosecco and a swim near the Castello Maniace. The sunset comes last, and the trip ends under the Umbertino Bridge. Photos taken by the operator are included.
The €65 tour gives you half an hour more, with swimming stops and a Sicilian aperitif with prosecco, and you can book it as a private trip. The group is up to 12 people. Water and safety equipment are included, and the booking page tells you to bring a jacket.
One thing to know about this one: the onboard menu is fixed. The listing says it cannot accommodate allergies, intolerances or dietary requests. If you have any, this is not the boat for you, or you need to eat before you go.
The three small ones
The €75 trip has tastings of Sicilian products and prosecco DOP and, according to its listing, suggests swimwear and a towel. It lists pregnant women, people with mobility impairments and wheelchair users as not suitable. Seven reviews are too few to judge a price that is €15 above the most-reviewed one.
The €60 spritz cruise is a small-group trip, up to eight people, around the island of Ortigia with one spritz each. The listing mentions no caves. It is the quietest idea in the list, with four reviews.
The €63 trip has the lowest rating, 4.2 from five reviews. One reviewer says the operator called to say that wind was forecast and moved the trip to 3 pm, so there was no sunset. It is one account, but it is the kind of thing to ask about before you book: what happens to the sunset slot if the weather turns?
When the sun goes down
Sunset in Syracuse is roughly 8:20 pm in late June and July, about 7:30 pm in mid-April and a little after 7 pm in mid-September. In mid-October, before the clocks go back at the end of the month, it is around 6:20 pm, and in mid-November it is before 5 pm. Those are our own calculations for Syracuse, so check the exact time for your date, and compare it with the departure slot you are offered on the booking page.
Syracuse is on the east coast of Sicily, so the sun sets behind the land and not into the open sea. One listing describes the old buildings of Ortigia turning golden against the sea, and that is a better thing to expect than a sun dropping into the horizon.
What the listings do not tell you
If the sea is rough, the trip may be changed or cancelled. The €65 listing says so, and the €75 one offers a new date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before is shown on all five booking pages, but read the conditions for the date you choose.
How good the swim is. It is a stop, not a beach afternoon. If swimming is the point, look at the Pillirina and Plemmirio boat tours, which are built around it.
Seasickness. Ask your pharmacist before the trip, not the skipper on the quay.
Without a boat
The Greek Theater and Neapolis sunset tour costs €29.90, lasts 1.5 hours and is rated 4.8 from 23 reviews. There is also a sunset stand-up paddleboard trip with an aperitif at €70 and an e-bike ride at sunset at €90, both without reviews so far. The page for sunset cruises in Syracuse lists 13 sunset experiences starting at €29.90.
Which one for whom
First time, caves and sunset together: the €60 cruise.
More time in the water: the €65 tour, unless you have food restrictions.
A quiet evening for a small group: the €60 spritz cruise, knowing it has very few reviews.
You only want to see the caves in daylight: the guide to the Ortigia sea cave boat tours is cheaper and shorter.
