Ragusa Ibla
A Baroque old town built on a ridge, with the Church of San Giorgio and tiered stone houses. It is a filming location for the detective series Montalbano, and the view from the New Town viewpoint is most dramatic.
Ragusa is divided into two parts: the old town of Ibla on the ridge, and the Upper Town (Ragusa Superiore), built on the heights after the 1693 earthquake. The two are linked by hundreds of steps. Ibla is one of the core elements of the Val di Noto Baroque World Heritage Site. Above its narrow, winding medieval lanes stand 18th-century Baroque palaces and churches. The most spectacular is the Cathedral of San Giorgio, designed by the architect Rosario Gagliardi. It rises above a sloping square at the top of 250 steps, and its blue neoclassical dome is a landmark of the old town. The Santa Maria delle Scale church viewpoint in the Upper Town offers the classic panorama of Ibla's houses stacked along the ridge, especially after the lights come on at dusk. At the eastern end of the old town, the Giardino Ibleo is a free public garden overlooking the valley. This is also the main filming location for the popular Italian detective series Montalbano. The cathedral and the Circolo di Conversazione club beside the square appear again and again in the show. Ragusa is famous for food and has several Michelin-starred restaurants. Try the local Scacce pastries and Ragusano cheese. Ragusa is about 1.5 hours by car from Catania, or it can be combined with Modica (15 km away) and Noto in a day trip. The old town has a ZTL traffic restriction, so park near the Giardino Ibleo. Arrive in the afternoon and stay to watch the sunset and the night lights before leaving.
Opening hours
Open all day; St. George's Church 10:00–12:30 and 16:00–18:30