La Casina

Sicily boasts five UNESCO World Heritage sites of cultural interest. The Baroque towns of Val di Noto, the Villa Romana del Casale, the Necropolis of Pantalica and of course Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples are a definite must-see.

The eight Baroque towns of the Val di Noto epitomize the culmination and final bloom of Baroque art in Europe. They owe their reputation to the earthquake of 1693 that devasted this corner of Sicily. They were all slowly rebuilt, one by one in the following century, a time when baroque architecture was the style of the day. This beautiful area is also known for being the set of the TV series of Inspector Montalbano from the best-selling books by Sicilian author Andrea Camilleri. To name just a few:

• Scicli (a 15 minute's drive from the house) is a fascinating town and, after Noto, the one that most exemplified the architecture of the area. Baroque features of the towns may be easily recognised on its churches and palazzi. The best are seen by walking along the paved Via Francesco Mormina Penna to the Palazzo Beneventano with its grotesque masks and rich decorations.
• Modica: The main street runs along the bottom of a ravine on which the town has been built. This divides the town into two parts. On the older part of the city, lanes and alleyways lead to the high part of the town. The town’s two baroque churches stand out amidst these beautiful buildings . The Duomo San Giorgio is the home of one of Modica’s patron saints, celebrated each year on April 23 with a joyful parade around the streets of Modica culminating with fireworks, whilst further along the main road, a set of magnificent stairs leads you to another, the Duomo di San Pietro. In the evening, join the locals for a « passeggiata » along the main street, Corso Umberto, and stop at the chocolate shops for which Modica is famous. When chocolate was discovered in the new world it was first brought back to Modica, where it was made cold so that the sugar did not melt. Northern Europeans later added heat and milk to the process but the old technique is still used here. Once you get over the initial graininess the chocolate has a rich, lingering flavour. Try the bars of the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto Ragusa. With few cars, stone streets and views over the hillside, the town looks like a film set and often serves as one – many scenes from the Inspector Montalbano series.
• Ragusa is another city built over two hills. Ancient Ibla dates back to medieval times whilst the new Baroque Ragusa was built after 1693. The San Giorgio Duomo, the Circolo de Conversazione and the San Giuseppe Duomo are just a few of these beautiful baroque buildings that you will see as you walk from the Duomo to the magnificent Giardino Ibleo with its stunning views over the valley.
• Noto is perhaps the most complete baroque town in the area. The stone used in it’s grand baroque style buildings, a soft tufa stone, has a unique pink colour giving it a special glow under the sun. The decorative details on the facades and balconies that line the streets behind Corso Vittorio Emanuele exemplify Sicilian baroque architecture at its best. Curved balconies, complete with wrought iron decoration and held up by grinning masks, lion heads or putti. Once a year, the Infiorata di Noto ensures the street is covered in flowers but at any other time, take a walk up this street to see some of the beautiful features that exemplify baroque architecture. Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata with its grotesque balconies is a prefect example.

Syracuse is nearly 3,000 years old and during Ancient Greek times was one of the centres of the Mediterranean. The city was all but destroyed in 1693 by an earthquake that shook the bones of the whole island, but was rebuilt soon afterwards in glorious baroque style that remains mostly untouched. This is particularly the case on Ortigia, Syracuse’s old town set on a teardrop-shaped island connected to the mainland by a couple of road bridges. In the summer the place must sweat and heave: its tiny cobbled streets and perfect square are the kind that make postcard-sellers plan a new kitchen.

The Necropolis of Pantalica, near Syracuse, contains no less than 5,000 tombs dating from the 13th to the 7th centuries BC.

Piazza Armerina is a charming town known for its Norman Palio, an annual summer pageant of medieval events, but the major attraction is its ancient Roman villa. Located a few kilometers outside town, the Villa Romana del Casale was built in the 4th century AC and is home to the richest, largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world. Depicting scenes from daily life, such as hunting, the mosaics are as remarkable for their sociological value as for their artistry.

And for visitors interested in Hellenic art and architecture, Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples are a definite must-see.

Of course, the absolute must for any nature lover is a foray into the Etna Regional Park, one of the largest and most bewitching in Italy. The undisputed landmark of the island and one of the most active volcanoes in the world, Mount Etna has been since the Antiquity an object of awe and veneration, as well as the subject of countless myths and observations by Greeks, Celts and Romans. A guided tour of this majestic and legendary mountain – now a UNESCO World Heritage site – is undoubtedly one of the most exciting experiences you can have during your Sicilian holiday.

Sports: Sicily is a real paradise for hikers, divers, sunbathers, mountaineers, bird-watchers and amateur botanists.