Modica
A Baroque hill town stacked up both walls of a gorge, famous for Modica chocolate with its grainy, cold-processed texture and St. George's Cathedral.
Modica is divided into an Upper Town and a Lower Town, with houses stacked in tiers along both walls of the gorge. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style after the 1693 earthquake and is listed as a Val di Noto World Heritage site. Its landmark is St. George's Cathedral, where 250 steps lead up to its ornate facade, and it is especially beautiful at night. Modica chocolate uses an Aztec-style cold-processing method that keeps a sugary grainy texture. The long-established Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (since 1880) lets you sample flavors such as chili and cinnamon. Modica is about 15 km from Ragusa Ibla and about 70 km from Syracuse. The old town is steep, so park and walk.
Opening hours
Open all day (chocolate shop approx. 09:00–20:00)
Nearby sights
- Ragusa Ibla
- Cava d'Ispica
- Scicli
- Donnafugata Castle
- Palazzolo Acreide
- Punta Secca
- Noto
- Vendicari Nature Reserve