Once is never enough. In fact ten years is not enough. This is how long I’ve been travelling to Sicily and I’ve barely begun. Italy’s largest region has been shaped by centuries of invasion, conquest, catastrophe and rebirth.

Having read several books on the history of Sicily, this is perhaps the briefest history ever written, but it’s an important background to understand why Sicily is a melting pot of culture as far as its people, food, traditions and architecture.

In the 8th century BC, Sicily was colonized by the Greeks seeking new lands and trade routes. A brilliant culture emerged, with colonies at Giardini-Naxos, Catania, Syracuse, Agrigento and Selinunte. Fabulous temples and cities were built, rivalled by the Phoenicians who occupied the west of the island.

In the 3rd century BC the island attracted the attention of a rising power - the Romans, who founded their first province there in 241BC. Over the next 600 years they destroyed the Greek and Phoenician civilizations and Romanized the island. Then, during the time of Roman decline in the 5th century AD, the island was swept through and invaded by Goths and Vandals.

They were replaced by the Byzantines from Constantinople, who ruled for 300 years, until the arrival of the Arabs in the late eighth century AD. The Arabs brought revival to the island, making it tempting for the Normans who pushed into Sicily in 1061, but they ruled for little more than a century. I know, it’s worthy of a spreadsheet just to keep up.

By the 14th century, Sicily was controlled by the Spanish which lasted for 400 years, but the island became a neglected backwater plundered and bypassed by the Renaissance. The 19th century changed history again with the unification of Italy in 1861.

Sicily sits right along the complex collision zone where the African tectonic plate slowly pushes under the Eurasian plate, making it one of the most seismically active regions in the Mediterranean. There have been many earthquakes and tsunamis that have shaped Sicilian history. The 1693 Val di Noto earthquake and tsunami is the strongest earthquake in recorded Italian history with a magnitude of 7.4.

In the valley called Val di Noto in the south-east of Sicily, there are eight towns that have all acquired UNESCO World Heritage status, not because of art, culture or cuisine, but the tragic earthquake of 1693 that led to the region’s complete reconstruction. Every architectural structure was flattened from the preceding generations. The island was under Spanish rule at the time, so the Spanish Viceroy Marcantonio Colonna commissioned the rebuilding of the destroyed towns.

Spanish architects and engineers, influenced by the popular Baroque style in Spain at the time, incorporated elements of the architecture into the reconstruction, resulting in the birth of what is now known as Sicilian Baroque architecture.

The new towns of Modica, Ragusa and Noto, amongst others, were built from and into the local honey-coloured limestone, giving creation to a unique style: flamboyant, elegant, and theatrical thanks to Baroque flourishes, swirls and ornamentation.

Three days staying on the island of Ortigia, historic centre of Syracuse, allows us to visit Modica, Ragusa and Noto, all within close proximity.

Who doesn’t love a vertical town! Modica is as vertical as a town can be. Built directly into the limestone walls of a massive gorge where two rivers once met, the city is split into two distinct neighbourhoods: Modica Bassa (the lower town) running along the valley floor, and Modica Alta (the upper town) hanging dramatically off the cliffs above. This means a workout of climbing tight stone staircases between tightly packed houses and baroque palazzi.

However, what distinguishes Modica from other towns in the Val di Noto is not its architecture, but its chocolate, named Cioccolato di Modica. The story goes that when the Spanish ruled Sicily in the 16th century, they brought back a cold-processing technique from the Aztecs in which the sugar is not dissolved into the chocolate, therefore leaving a granular, crunchy texture.

Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, famous worldwide, is the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily, located in the main street of Modica. Founded in 1880 by Francesco Bonajuto, the business has stayed in the family for over six generations. The Bonajuto family has preserved the precise traditional technique - mixing the cocoa mass with sugar at temperatures never exceeding 40 degrees celcius so the crystals stay completely intact, and entirely skipping the use of milk or added cocoa butter. The wood-panelled shop feels elegantly vintage and their chocolate bars are packaged in matching paper wrappers and classic tins.

Another beautiful chocolate shop, Cioccolato di Modica Sabadi, is a more modern take on the ancient technique of chocolate making. Sabadi managed to refine the traditional cold-processing method so that the chocolate remains glossy and less crumbly while fully retaining its distinct sugary texture. The artisanal chocolatier has won Italy’s prestigious Tavoletta d’Oro (Golden Tablet) award for over a decade.

RAGUSA

Ragusa is also divided into two parts: Ragusa Superiore, the new part, and Ragusa Ibla, the old town where the Sicilian Baroque style is on full display. It is Ragusa Ibla that we visit.

The date was January 11, 1693 when the catastrophic earthquake struck the Val di Noto, killing over 5,000 residents in Ragusa alone and flattening almost all of the medieval town. Following the disaster, a fierce debate split the surviving population into two camps:

The Nobility and Clergy insisted on rebuilding on the original medieval site among the ruins to retain their historical properties. This old town became Ragusa Ibla, which was rebuilt according to its original medieval street layout.

The Working Class and Middle Class preferred to start fresh on a flat plateau higher up on the ridge, establishing Ragusa Superiore using a modern grid system with wide, straight streets.

It is the smaller Ragusa Ibla, that steals the show with 18 of its buildings protected by UNESCO. Seen from above in Ragusa Superiore, first glimpse of houses, churches and palazzi piled on top of each other, clinging to the walls of the gorge, is really quite breathtaking. It is a joy to wander the labyrinth of cobblestone streets and admire the Baroque splendour.

Considered the most beautiful town in Sicily, it’s hard not to be impressed by the number of baroque gems, incredibly elaborate balconies and beautiful 18th century buildings - all shining in golden sandstone.

The Porta Reale marks the entrance to Noto and leads directly into the main street, Corso Vittorio Emanuele. On the top of the arch there are three symbols of the people of Noto: a tower for strength, dog for loyalty, and pelican for self-sacrifice, according to Blue Guide Sicily.

Every May for a period of three days, Noto is transformed into a festival of flowers that has been held here for nearly 40 years. The festival transforms the entire 700 metres of Via Nicolaci into a tapestry of colour. Depicting various religious, folkloristic and mythological designs based around a specific theme, each artist is given their own section to work to create the carpet of flowers.

Sicily and Aeolian Islands Tour, 16th to 30th October 2026 - 4 spots still available

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb