Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Driving Tour
Baroque Towns
Distance 71km
Duration Two days
A land of remote rocky gorges, sweeping views and silent valleys, Sicily's southeastern corner is home to the
'baroque triangle', an area of Unesco-listed hilltop towns famous for their lavish baroque architecture. This tour
takes in some of the finest baroque towns in Sicily, all within easy driving distance of each other.
Just over 35km south of Syracuse, Noto is home to what is arguably Sicily's most beautiful street - Corso
Vittorio Emanuele, a pedestrianised boulevard lined with golden baroque palazzi . From Noto, head 12km south
along the SP19 to the Riserva Naturale Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari , a coastal preserve whose trails, wet-
lands and beaches are prime territory for walking, birdwatching and swimming. Next, head 23km southwest
along the SP56, SP11 and SS115 to Ispica , a hilltop town overlooking a huge canyon, the Cava d'Ispica,
riddled with prehistoric tombs. Continuing up the SS115 for a further 18km brings you to Modica , a bustling
town set in a deep rocky gorge. There's excellent accommodation here and a wealth of great restaurants, so this
makes a good place to overnight. The best of the baroque sights are up in Modica Alta, the high part of town, but
make sure you have energy left for the passeggiata (evening stroll) on Corso Umberto I and dinner at Osteria dei
Sapori Perduti.
Next morning, a short, winding, up-and-down drive through rock-littered hilltops leads to Ragusa , one of
Sicily's nine provincial capitals. The town is divided in two − it's Ragusa Ibla that you want, a claustrophobic
warren of grey stone houses and elegant palazzi that opens up onto Piazza Duomo, a superb example of 18th-cen-
tury town planning. Although you can eat well in Ragusa, consider lunching in Chiaramonte Gulfi , a tran-
quil hilltop town some 20km to the north along the SP10, famous for its olive oil and delicious pork.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Syracuse
POP 124,000
A dense tapestry of overlapping cultures and civilisations, Syracuse is one of Sicily's most
appealing cities. Settled by colonists from Corinth in 734 BC, this was considered to be
the most beautiful city of the ancient world, rivalling Athens in power and prestige. Under
the demagogue Dionysius the Elder, the city reached its zenith, attracting luminaries such
as Livy, Plato, Aeschylus and Archimedes, and cultivating the sophisticated urban culture
that was to see the birth of comic Greek theatre.
As the sun set on Ancient Greece, Syracuse became a Roman colony and was looted of
its treasures. While modern-day Syracuse lacks the drama of Palermo and the energy of
 
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