Ortigia was the name given by the Greeks to the island south of the city of Syracuse, the greatest city in the Greek Empire after its capture in 415 BC. Situated on the eastern coast of the island, it is in the area of Sicily known as ‘La Sicilia Orientale’.

Throughout its history Sicily was fought over and colonised: Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Hohenstaufens, Angevins, Aragonese and Bourbons all left their mark. Examples abound throughout the island: in Syracuse one finds crumbling baroque façades of great splendour adorning earlier Catalan-Gothic buildings, while the Greek temple of Atena was simply transformed into the ‘Duomo’, the city’s cathedral, leaving the original columns intact.

Because of its proximity to Africa, this region of Sicily has an almost tropical climate. This is the only area where blood oranges are grown; cactus, eucalyptus, lemon and grapefruit trees are also cultivated, while almonds, pistachios, saffron, vines and olives thrive in the rich volcanic soil. Black lava is ubiquitous: in the soil and rocks, in the building material of the majority of the buildings in Catania, where even the cement of the houses is black. It is an omnipresent reminder of Mount Etna – Europe’s highest active volcano – both beautiful and sinister, realm of the God Vulcan, and home to the Cyclops.
The island’s history, reflected in the uniquely rich and layered culture that is found in Sicily today, has inspired the Ortigia range.
The company Ortigia features a range of toileteries inspired by this cultural wealth and natural beauty  – all of the colours, scents and aesthetics are Sicilian, and all of the plants used to create our range are indigenous to Sicily. All of our products are made from natural and traditional ingredients, such as olive oil, palm oil, almond oil, lanolin, naturally distilled lavender and vegetable dyes. Traditional products with a modern ethic.