The“Baroque” Towns UNESCO Heritage
The late baroque cities of Val di Noto (South East of Sicily) included in 2002 in the list of the word Heritage Cities are 8: Caltagirone, Catania, Militello in Val di Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa e Scicli. After the earthquake of 1693 these cities were rebuilt in the late-baroque style now commonly called “the baroque of the Val di Noto”.One of the things that characterizes them is the “Mascheroni” classical baroque allegories in the balconies. In the picture, an example of the late Baroque architecture, “Saint George Cathedral” in Ragusa Ibla.
Our most beautiful beaches
The coast of the District of Ragusa that runs for over 80 Km boasts several beaches free or equipped beaches, with golden fine sand or with low cliffs. Scicli territory has 18 km of coastline and many beaches: Pozzallo, Sampieri with the ancient Fornace Penna real example of industrial archeology, Punta Corvo which is part of the extra-urban park of Costa di Carro nature reserve, Cava d’Aliga, Bruca, Spina Santa, Arizza, Donnalucata an ancient fishing village where you can buy fresh fish and taste delicious ice creams and handcrafted citrus-flavored “granite”, Playa Grande with the Macchia Foresta nature reserve of the Irminio River. Marina di Ragusa with the tourist port, Punta Secca, famous for the Commissario Montalbano’s home, appreciated tv fiction set.
Piazza Armerina and Caltagirone
Caltagirone, the town famous for the production of the precious colorful pottery and for its nativity museums, with the great stairway of Santa Maria del Monte, made up of 142 steps, built in 1606 to connect the ancient part of Caltagirone to the new city in the upper part, it is a wonderful stop. The staircase flanked with buildings with balconies, which has become the emblem of the city is annualy lit on 24 and 25 July by over 4000 lanterns so that the visual effect is like a lava flow. The Roman villa del Casale of Roman times, 4 kilometers from Piazza Armerina, is an important tourist destination, a UNESCO site since 1997, for the wonderful floor mosaics unique in the world. The most famous room features ten girls in bikini depicted in different gymnaste competitions: disc trow, game with the ball, exercises with weights in hand and country race.
Siracusa and Noto
The Polis of Syracuse, an ancient Greek city which develops on the mainland and partly on the island of Ortigia. Siracuse is among the mayor cities of art in Europe, rich in valuable monuments and places of historical and archeological interest. The most interesting archeological sites to visit are the Roman Amphitheater, the Greek theater, the Ear of Dioniso and the Archeological Museum. Ortigia redeveloped is now a favorite destination for tourists for its charming atmosphere in its squares and in its streets rich in shops and tourist facilities.Just half an hour driving from Syracuse you’ll find Noto ” the capital of Baroque” full of impressive aristocratics palaces, churches in late Baroque style of picturesque squares, united by the use of the local stone. Do not miss Saint Nicolò Cathedral, located on the top of a wide staircase, totally rebuilt “how it was, where it was” after the collapse in 1996 and the famous “infiorata” a beautiful and fascinating event held every year in May when many artists decorate with flower petals via Nicolaci in the hearth of Noto.