Lùme

Ortigia, the historic heart of the city of Siracusa, is the setting for Lùme, a six-bedroom boutique bed and breakfast owned by a Parisian hotelier that nevertheless showcases this Italian city in as flattering a light as anything by a local. At this size, it’s a relatively simple matter to furnish a hotel with the warmth and intimacy of a private home; what’s more remarkable is to combine that feeling with the sophisticated stylishness that’s on display at Lùme.

The rooms are packed with an improbable density of characterful details, spanning the range from homespun textiles to carefully displayed seashells to chic modern furnishings and, in a couple of cases, freestanding bathtubs; the top-floor Attico is a proper apartment, complete with a full kitchen and a terrace.

Also unusual for a lodging of Lùme’s size: a small but lovely wellness area featuring a hammam and facilities for massage. There’s no restaurant per se, as the B&B designation might suggest — don’t worry, Ortigia is full of them — but there is a very thoughtfully assembled breakfast spread, as well as the opportunity for an aperitivo on the rooftop at the end of the day.