Ragusa, a jewel of Sicilian Baroque, is an unspoiled place to be discovered both for the richness of its artistic heritage and its splendid coastline and beaches.

The city is divided into two distinct nuclei, Ragusa Inferiore (the ancient lbla) and Ragusa Superiore, separated by the “Valley of the Bridges,” a deep ravine crossed by three picturesque bridges, which also earned it the nickname “City of Bridges.” Internally, the city has an atypical urban structure, reflecting the disastrous earthquake that literally razed it to the ground in 1693.

Reconstruction began in the 18th, dividing the city into two large districts. The older part retained the ancient medieval layout called Ragusa Ibla. The center was enriched with Baroque churches and palaces, until it almost reached a degree of aesthetic saturation. The new part, Upper Ragusa, on the other hand, is less rich in structures of artistic depth and is laid out on a modern urban grid with wide, mostly asymmetrical streets.

Ragusa is certainly one of the most important places in Sicily for Baroque evidence. Its masterpieces have been universally recognized so much so that they have been declared, along with all those in the Val di Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Scicli is a baroque town in the Val di Noto that lies in the southeastern part of Sicily, in a valley nestled between three hills about 25 km from Ragusa. Named a UNESCO heritage site in 2002, it is a must-see for those visiting the south of Sicily and for all fans of the TV series Il Commissario Montalvano, who will find here the most famous locations of the set. The town boasts ancient origins, as shown by the late Byzantine settlements in the archaeological area of Chiafura, and was rebuilt in Baroque style following the 1693 earthquake.

Visiting Scicli means taking a dip into the past, among palaces, Baroque churches and ancient narrow streets, and immersing yourself in the lively atmosphere of its historic streets. But that’s not all: in Scicli you can easily combine a cultural vacation with a relaxing swim in the crystal clear waters of its seaside resorts, located just 9 km from the center.

Noto is certainly one of the must-see stops on a trip to eastern Sicily. Described as a “garden of stone” by Cesare Brandi, and regarded as the “Sicilian Baroque capital,” the great artistic and historical heritage it holds has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1693, the new part rises downstream from the pre-existing town, called Noto antica, and was founded in 1703. The reconstruction involved prominent artists and architects, who chose precisely the Baroque style.

Modica (Muòrica in Sicilian) is divided into the historic urban cores of Modica Alta (around the Castle) and Modica Bassa (along the now-covered streams), to which the new residential neighborhood of Sacro Cuore, traditionally called Sorda, has been added since the 1960s. This name derives from the presence in the area of a tavern, the owner of which was, in fact, deaf.

Many dwellings in the old part of the city, leaning on each other, are often the extension of ancient caves, inhabited since prehistoric times.

The urban fabric, lying on the sides of the two valleys and on the plateaus of the hills above, is an intrigue of small houses, narrow streets and long stairways, which cannot fail to recall the medieval layout of the old town.

Among the personalities associated with the town is the poet Salvatore Quasimodo (1901 – 1968), who won the Nobel Prize for Literature on December 10, 1959; his birthplace can be visited in Modica.

The city is also known for the Cioccolato di Modica( or Modican chocolate), obtained by a special ” cold ” processing of chocolate that excludes the conching stage.In 2002 it was included , along with the Val di Noto, on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its historic center, rich in Baroque architecture.

The town of Modica can be reached in less than an hour by transportation from Mediterranean Sunset.