It’s hard to resist the charm of Sicily; this great island, where the beautiful season seems never to end. Among its many splendid corners is the province of Ragusa, shaped by wild nature and wonderful baroque towns.
Places like Puntasecca, Marina di Ragusa, Donnalucata, Scicli, Noto, Pachino, Capo Passero, and Ispica, besides having served as the location for the popular television series Commissario Montalbano (a character born from the pen of the very Sicilian Andrea Camilleri), offer welcoming beaches and a thousand opportunities for holidays for both adults and children.
They are also convenient bases for discovering the architectural treasures of the area, starting with the capital Ragusa, which, after the 1693 earthquake, was rebuilt in baroque style in two separate parts: the older, eastern, and lower part, heir to the millenary Hybla, and the upper part, on the plateau, developed in a grid. The first, superimposed on the medieval town, reveals spots of great architectural and visual appeal. Dominating it is the Church of San Giorgio, with its grand baroque facade and central bell tower, accessible via a monumental staircase.
A visit to the Cathedral from the first half of the 18th century and the Iblean Archaeological Museum, divided into sections from prehistory to the paleochristian era, should not be missed. Like almost all Sicilian cities, Ragusa also boasts gastronomy as its pride. Famous are the cheeses: provola ragusana, ricotta iblea, and caciocavallo ragusano Dop. Traditional dishes are always present on the tables: pasta ‘ncasciata, with cauliflower sautéed; tripe alla olivitana, first cooked in a pan with eggplants, boiled eggs, and primo sale cheese, then baked in the oven; coniglio alla licordiana, cooked in a stew of tomato preserve and herbs; and stuffed turkey with meat and pasta. Typical and irresistible are the almond blancmange sweets, nuncàtoli, biscuits made with dried fruit, honey, and citron marmalade. And, naturally, the indispensable cassata.
