Noto is a small jewel of the Sicilian Baroque. A splendid village perched on a plateau overlooking the valley. An important Sicilian, Roman, Byzantine and then Arab center, it was destroyed in its full splendor by the earthquake of 1693, but thanks to the skilful reconstruction, Noto has become a magnificent city of art, together with Caltagirone, Militello, Catania, Modica, Palazzolo , Ragusa and Scicli.
In Modica which is a city of Neolithic origin, the capital of an ancient and powerful County, which boasts a rich repertoire of gastronomic specialties, as well as a great artistic and cultural heritage. Today it is known above all for the production of the typical Aztec-derived chocolate. The historic center of the city, entirely rebuilt following the earthquake of 1693, is divided into two large districts: Modica Alta and Modica Bassa. Today, walking through the streets of Modica means making a journey steeped in history among late Baroque palaces, churches with majestic steps and great masterpieces. The countryside of Modica, characterized by a dense network of “dry stone walls” that delimit the plots of land, are filled with majestic carob trees, olive trees and prickly pears and offer truly suggestive landscapes
Ragusa is located in the heart of the Val di Noto, in the south east of Sicily, and is the capital of the southernmost province of Italy. Immersed in an area very rich in natural and architectural beauties to visit, the city rises on the Iblei Mountains and is located next to the river Irminio, whose mouth is part of a nature reserve located between Marina di Ragusa and Donnalucata. Baroque architecture, which stands out for its flair and for the wealth of decorative elements on vaults, columns, capitals and facades, is the most popular artistic style in the Ragusa area, where it flourished following the earthquake of 1693.