Modica

Introducing Modica

A powerhouse in Grecian times, Modica may have lost its pre-eminent position to Ragusa, but it remains a superbly atmospheric town with its ancient medieval buildings climbing steeply up either side of a deep gorge that was cut in prehistoric times.

The multilayered town is divided into Modica Alta (High Modica) and Modica Bassa (Low Modica). A devastating flood in 1902 resulted in the wide avenues of Corso Umberto and Via Giarrantana (the river was dammed and diverted), which remain the main axes of the town, lined by shabby palazzi and tiled stone houses.

Aside from simply wandering the streets and absorbing the atmosphere, a visit to the extraordinary Chiesa di San Giorgio (Modica Alta; 9am-noon & 4-7pm) is a highlight. This church, Gagliardi’s masterpiece, is a vision of pure rococo splendour, a butter-coloured confection perched on a majestic 250-step staircase. Its counterpoint in Modica Bassa is the Cattedrale di San Pietro (Corso Umberto I), another impressive church atop a rippling staircase lined with life-sized statues of the Apostles.

Modica is also famous for its confectionary, a legacy of the town’s Spanish overlords who imported cocoa from their South American colonies. To taste some sweet crunchiness – flavoured with cinnamon, vanilla and orange peel – head for Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (0932 94 12 25; www.bonajuto.it; Corso Umberto I 159).

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009