Things to do in Province of Ragusa

If you want to discover the Baroque beauty secrets, this is the tour for you! An incredible full-day dedicated to the exploration of two fascinating UNESCO heritage sites: Ragusa Ibla and Modica. Departure from Syracuse in direction of Ragusa Ibla. Our Team will offer you time at disposal to keep the feeling with this section of the town, giving you direction to explore independently the old part of the city and an undisputed reality of Baroque art. Here you can admire numerous eighteenth-century churches and buildings and the Gardens. Soon after, you will discover another jewel of the Sicilian Baroque: Modica. Lunch is included in a typical trattoria to enjoy the food specialties of this side of Sicily, where a strong Spanish influence is still alive. Obviously, you will have the opportunity to taste the local chocolate made following the tradition that origined from the Aztec of Central America brought in Sicily from the Spanish in the 17^ century At the end of the tour, return to Syracuse.

The first stop on this 8-hour tour is Noto, the Garden of Stone, noted for its Baroque heritage. After the massive 1693 earthquake, Noto was rebuilt on Meti Hill. The town’s origins date to the Early Bronze Age. Continue to Modica and visit the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily. The city also has a rich history and a wonderful architectural heritage. See the cathedrals of San Giorgio and San Pietro and the Palazzo Polara and Palazzo Napolino-Tommasi Rosso, among others. Ragusa was added to the UNESCO World Heritage in 2002 for its monuments of the late Baroque period. Visit examples of this style including its cathedrals and palaces.

Le Cesarine is Italy's first and finest network of home cooks. Since 2004, Le Cesarine have been sharing the joy of regional Italian cuisine with thousands of travellers from all over the world. If you want to uncover the secrets of Italian family recipes on your travels, Le Cesarine will share their wisdom, which has been passed down in their families for generations. Visit the local market with your Cesarina. Enjoy the atmosphere of an Italian local market and learn how to recognize the best produce from the land. When you return to your Cesarina’s home, attend a private cooking demo where your Cesarina will share the secret of her family cookbook while preparing one of the dishes right in front of you. Sit at an authentic Italian table and enjoy a four course seasonal menu including starter, pasta, main course with side dish, dessert. Drinks included are water, a selection of red and white wines from regional cellars, and coffee. Feel the warmth of Italian hospitality as you connect with local people.

Learn the ancient history of Sicily on a full-day sightseeing tour that takes you to the archaeological park of Neapolis where you can visit classical monuments of Greek and Roman Syracuse at your own pace on a self-guided tour. Following a pick-up from your accommodation in Catania, transfer to the ruins of Syracuse, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During your walk, discover many old Roman streets, as well as monuments such as the Greek Theatre, whose cavea is one of the largest ever built by the ancient Greeks. Near the Greek Theatre, you will see the latomie, including the limestone cave known as the “Ear of Dyonisius,” as well as the Christian Church of San Nicolò ai Cordari. Admire the Amphitheatre of the Roman imperial age, and more. Then, continue to Ortygia Island to experience the historic heart of Syracuse. Located at the park’s eastern end, and separated by a narrow channel, Ortygia is filled with Greek temples, Christian churches, and Arabian streets. Visit the Arethusa fountain and Piazza del Duomo, where the baroque palaces, such as Beneventano del Bosco Palace and Senate Palace are among the most beautiful in Sicily. After lunch (own expense), go to the small town of Noto, noted for its unique style of Sicilian Baroque architecture, and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. Wander the open-air museum and beautiful Corso Vittorio Emanuele to admire the many palaces and churches that, grouped together, are known as the “Stone Garden.”

Immerse yourself in a private dining experience at a local's home. You will enjoy an exclusive show cooking and tasting authentic recipes which have been treasured in family cookbooks passed down by authentic Italian "mammas". You can feel the warmth of Italian hospitality, as you connect with local people. A 4-course menu including a starter, pasta, a main course with a side dish, and dessert will be served, with drinks included (water, selection of red and white wines from regional cellars and coffee).

Experience Southeast Italy through the perspective of the popular Italian television series Inspector Montalbano. This tour visits the places of Inspector Montalbano, the series main character, in Punta Secca, Ragusa, and Scicli. Meet your guide in Catania and head to the quaint villa of Punta Secca. Visit the inspector's seafront house, Marinella. Continue on to Ragusa to explore the many alleyways of its historic center. Take note as you walk through the backdrop of many scenes in the series. Afterward, go to the town of Scicli. As you wander through its historic center admire the many Baroque buildings and churches featured in the series, including the town hall, which served as the location of the Vigata police station.

Uncover the secrets of Italian animal husbandry with this farm tour in Ragusa. Watch the milking of the cows and find out how to make ricotta cheese from scratch with an an Italian-speaking guide. Finish your tour with a dinner comprised of local products. Meet your guide at a farm in the countryside and breath in the fresh air. Find out about the ancient techniques involved in processing milk. See and learn all the stages of the milk journey, from milking the cows, to the processing of 'tuma.' Learn how it is transformed into ricotta and other dairy products. Listen as your guide reveals the importance of milk in the 'food pyramid.' Cover milk production, processing and marketing. View the various characteristics of cows and learn how to make fresh ricotta cheese. To end the tour on a high note tuck into mouth-watering dinner that has been locally-sourced.

The guided tour of Ragusa in the historic center of Ibla following the style of the late Baroque with religious buildings and characteristic palaces that have made this place a real jewel. Let's start from the Portal of San Giorgio, the only architectural element that survived the earthquake that destroyed the entire town and also the ancient Cathedral of San Giorgio which was later rebuilt in another part of Ibla and which we will visit later. The beautiful portal, symbol of Ragusa, is made with light pink stones in the Gothic-Catalan style and in its central part the fight between St. George and the dragon is depicted. A few steps away we find the entrance to the Ibleo Garden, the oldest garden in Ragusa, built in the nineteenth century and overlooking the Irminio Valley and the Iblei Mountains, where you are welcomed at the main entrance by an avenue of 50 palm trees and an elegant balcony that borders the garden. Inside this oasis of peace and relaxation in the shade of ancient trees and exotic plants there are some fountains including one with the shape of Sicily, the monument to the fallen of the Great War and some churches. We will visit the Church of San Giacomo which stands on an ancient temple whose interior will amaze you with its wooden ceiling, Corinthian columns, statues and precious paintings. The tour continues walking through the historic center where we will visit elegant palaces from the outside with balconies supported by typical Baroque-style masks, Sicilian ceramics shops, artisan shops where the famous Sicilian carts are still made up to the famous Conversation Circle, called also Caffè dei Cavalieri, an elegant neoclassical building wanted in the nineteenth century by the nobles of Ragusa as an exclusive meeting point. From the outside you can see precious frescoes and chandeliers on the ceiling and mirrors that bring us back to a nineteenth-century atmosphere. On the main street leading to the Cathedral we also find the beautiful Church of S. Giuseppe with a facade similar to the cathedral, in Baroque style and with a beautiful floor of colored majolica inside. The guided tour ends with the symbolic monument of Ragusa, the Cathedral of San Giorgio, preceded by an imposing staircase. Visiting the church inside, we can admire the beautiful paintings of the eighteenth-century Sicilian masters, the large pipe organ and the statue of St. George on horseback with his reliquary.

Benefit from pick-up in Catania or Taormina, and then journey by air-conditioned vehicle on a locations tour of the TV series "Inspector Montalbano" in southeast Sicily. Discover the real locations of imaginary sites such as Mànnara, the town of Vigata where the TV drama was set and the small fishing village of Punta Secca where Montalbano lived in fictional Marinella. Get the chance to enjoy lunch at the Da Enzo a Mare restaurant, where many scenes from the series, adapted from the novels by Andrea Camilleri, were shot.

The Sicilian baroque is an icon in the area known as Val di Noto. After the devastating earthquake of 1693, these places were rebuilt with this style of decorations. Discover the rich of ghostly masks and elaborate stone carvings. First discover Noto, the capital of Sicilian baroque. Walk among the wonderful buildings of the Garden of Stone and admire the elegance and sinuosity of the architectural elements. The itinerary continues towards Modica, a city of ancient origins and with an excellent culinary tradition. Taste the different varieties of Modica chocolate, famous and known throughout the world. Ragusa Ibla completes the full immersion in the Baroque with its characteristic alleys, opulent buildings and Iblei gardens.