Itinerary

1. Ragusa & Modica

   • Have a good breakfast and enjoy a drive through the countryside of Ragusa with its strata of white limestone supporting scrubland vegetation, steep gorges formed by ancient river courses, and characteristic low, dry-stone walls marking the boundaries of fertile fields. Enormous carob trees are also a characteristic feature of this area of Sicily.

   • Spend the morning in Modica stopping by the church of San Giorgio which stands in all its splendour on top of a majestic staircase of 250 steps, and boasts a sumptuous three-sided facade on the medieval alleys of the old town.

   • Be escorted to Modica Bassa to be shown the lively Corso Umberto I, with boutiques, cafès, pastry shops and different buildings with wrought-iron balconies, incorporating parts of pre-earthquake structures.

   • Along on this street is a monumental flight of steps with excellent life-size Baroque statues of the Apostles, that leads up to the post-1693 church dedicated to San Pietro.

   • Taste Modica’s traditional sweets, among which the very famous chocolates. You will have a chance to dive into it when visiting a local chocolate factory for a tasting and have access to the laboratory where you have the hands-on experience of the process of making this famous chocolate yourself.

   • Relish in lunch arranged at a local restaurant in the historical centre of Modica where you can taste a different appetizer with local cheese, the “Scaccia Ragusana”; you will also have the chance to try a speciality of this area: smashed dried fava beans soup.

   • Visit the nearby town of Ragusa, the main city of the area. Take your time taking pictures of wonderful panoramas from the little terraces among the 300 steps connecting Ragusa superior to Ragusa Ibla.

   • Walk through the narrow side streets where tiny alleys are connected with staircases and tunnels, for a unique taste of authentic Ibla.

   • Walk through the Giardini Iblei, the pleasant public gardens laid out in the 19th century and then, visit the iconic baroque St. George Dome located on a rise to emphasize its great height, deserves a visit.

   • Stop at the main square to taste a gelato made from Sicilian wines.

   • Don't forget to see the surviving portal of the pre-quake cathedral, Catalan-Gothic in style and with a delicately carved St. George slaying the dragon.