Italy
Ragusa is a city built twice. After a catastrophic earthquake leveled much of southeastern Sicily in 1693, killing over sixty thousand people, the survivors of Ragusa split into two factions: those who rebuilt on the original hilltop site (now Ragusa Ibla) and those who started afresh on the adjacent ridge (now Ragusa Superiore). The result is a city of remarkable visual drama—two urban centers connected by a steep, winding staircase and a bridge, each crowned with Baroque churches and palaces that represent the finest flowering of Sicilian Late Baroque architecture. UNESCO recognized the entire Val di Noto Baroque ensemble, including Ragusa, as a World Heritage Site in 2002.
Ragusa Ibla, the older and more atmospheric of the two, is one of the most beautiful small towns in Italy. The approach from Ragusa Superiore—descending through the Santa Maria delle Scale stairway with the panorama of Ibla's domes, bell towers, and golden limestone houses unfolding below—is one of the great reveals in Italian travel. At the center of Ibla, the Cathedral of San Giorgio rises above a monumental staircase, its convex facade—designed by Rosario Gagliardi and completed in 1775—considered the masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque architecture. The town's streets are a pleasure to wander without purpose: every turn reveals a new church, a hidden garden, a palazzo with wrought-iron balconies supported by grotesque stone figures, or a tiny piazza where old men play cards in the shade.
The cuisine of Ragusa reflects the agricultural richness of southeastern Sicily—a region of carob trees, olive groves, and the Ragusano cheese that has been produced here since the fourteenth century. Ragusano DOP, a rectangular cow's milk cheese aged in natural caves, ranges from mild and creamy when young to sharp and crystalline when aged—a versatile ingredient in the local kitchen and a superb table cheese. The region is also known for its chocolate, particularly the cioccolato modicano made in nearby Modica using an ancient Aztec technique brought to Sicily by Spanish colonizers—a grainy, intensely flavored chocolate unlike anything produced elsewhere in Europe. Local restaurants serve pasta with fresh ricotta and fried eggplant, rabbit braised with local herbs, and the extraordinary small tomatoes of Pachino, which concentrate the Sicilian sun into each sweet, intense bite.
Beyond the town, the province of Ragusa offers a diversity of experiences. The Baroque cities of Modica, Scicli, and Noto—all within easy driving distance—form a constellation of architectural masterpieces that together constitute one of the greatest concentrations of Baroque art in the world. Fans of the Italian television series Inspector Montalbano will recognize Ragusa Ibla and the surrounding landscapes as the settings for the beloved detective's adventures. The coast south of Ragusa provides beaches that are among Sicily's finest: the Marina di Ragusa offers a lively resort atmosphere, while the Riserva Naturale della Foce del Fiume Irminio preserves sand dunes, wetlands, and a wild beach that feels untouched by time.
Ragusa is accessible from Catania airport (ninety minutes) and can be included in Sicilian coastal cruise itineraries, typically as an excursion from the ports of Syracuse or Pozzallo. The best time to visit is April through June and September through October, when the Mediterranean climate delivers warm, sunny days without the fierce heat of midsummer. The Festa di San Giorgio in May fills Ibla with processions, fireworks, and communal celebration. Summer evenings, when the Baroque facades are illuminated and the piazzas fill with diners, are magical despite the heat.