holidays in ragusa, modica and ispica

Ragusa is the provincial capital for the area of Southern Sicily and is spilt into an upper town, built largely after an earthquake in 1693, and an older lower town, known as Ragusa Ibla.

The upper town was laid out on an octagonal plan, which was the result of detailed town planning in the 17th Century. The centre of the town is formed around the piazza San Giovanni that is dominated by the cathedral, built between 1706 and 1760. Running along the north side of the piazza is the upper town’s main street, Corso Italia, which descends quite steeply to the edge of the hill above Ibla. South of the cathedral is the Museo Archeologico Ibleo, which details the history of settlements around Ragusa, from prehistoric Bronze Age civilisations, through the Roman settlements, to the growth of the Byzantine age.

Holiday Accommodation in Ragusam, Modica & Ispica

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Ibla is situated on an isolated spur to the east of the upper town. It can be reached either via the winding Corso Mazzini, or by various steps that lead down from the plateau of the upper town. The area has been in steady decline in recent years as people move away, however, Ibla remains one of the best-preserved old Sicilian towns, with numerous examples of fine Baroque palaces and churches. At the piazza Duomo stands the cathedral, which was re-built after the earthquake in 1693. It is particularly striking for the three tiers of columns that dominate the façade, along with the steps that lead up to the entrance. The church of San Giuseppe is similar to the Duomo in that it also has an impressive façade dominated by imposing Corinthian columns.

Situated a few kilometres to the south of Ragusa is the town of Modica, which had its origins as a strategic settlement on a rocky promontory overlooking the Janni Mauru and Pozzo dei Pruni rivers. Like Ragusa, the town is split into two; Modica Bassa, which occupies the valley between the two rivers, and Modica Alta, which sits on a steep spur overlooking the lower town. The two parts of the town are connected by a series of steps, including the monumental 250-step flight, which descends from the Duomo San Giorgio. As with the cathedrals in Ragusa, the Duomo has a particularly impressive façade, made up of three tiers of columns, and is generally considered to be one of the best examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture.

Also worth a visit within the vicinity of Ragusa is the Cava d’Ispica, which can be found 15km to the southeast of the town. It is a deep gorge, about 13km in length, which follows the route of a usually dry riverbed. The sides of the gorge have numerous prehistoric tombs and caves, along with Christian catacombs, which date from the 4th Century. The area has now been enclosed to ensure the protection of the artefacts, but is open daily. At the southern end of the gorge is the small town of Ispica, which within the Parco della Forza, has more evidence of early cliff dwellings and tombs.

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