With the creation of the park named after the writer, a profound connoisseur of contemporary American literature, his name is now synonymous with the ‘ambassador’ to the world of the culture of this province, understood in the broadest sense of the term. Syracuse, is the birthplace of Elio Vittorini, and the Journey ‘The Red Carnation’ draws inspiration from those places that saw him form not only as a man but also as a writer. His city, therefore, refers not only to Vittorini’s simple writings, but to everything that they tell about Syracuse and this part of Sicily: from its natural and historical beauty to its traditions and characters. The places in Syracuse that form the backdrop to Vittorini’s life and works are stops on a journey to make an ideal ‘Conversation in Sicily’. The island of Ortigia with the treasures of the historic centre, the walk to Ponte Umbertino to arrive at the scenic Piazza Duomo with its elliptical shape: a large eye on the heart of Syracuse with the splendid cathedral at its centre. In the interweaving of architectural styles, the thousand-year history of Syracuse recounted by Vittorini shines through. All this is Vittorini Park: a route traced following the author’s life and works, which becomes a valuable guide for tourists discovering Syracuse and its province. An itinerary where the places as the great writer saw them and experienced them become the protagonists of a sort of tale involving all the senses.
