Page 155 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

SOUTHERN SICIL Y  153

6 Scicli
Road map E5. * 25,200. V from
Syracuse (892 021). @ from Noto.
n Town hall (800-221-678); Palazzo
Spadaro (0932-839 608). _ Festa
delle Milizie: last Sun in Jun.
∑ comune.scicli.rg.it
The town lies at the point where
the Modica river converges with
the valleys of Bartolomeo and
Santa Maria la Nova. Scicli, a
UNESCO World Heritage site,
once played a major role in
controlling communications
between the coast and the
uplands. It was an Arab strong-
hold and then became a royal
city under the Normans. It was
totally rebuilt after the 1693
earthquake, and Baroque streets,
façades and churches emerged
from the devastated town.
For visitors arriving from
Modica along the panoramic
San Bartolomeo valley, the first
stop is San Bartolomeo followed
by the new town centre, built on
the plain after the old hill town
Byzantine fresco in the Grotta di San Nicola, in the Cava d’Ispica gorge was abandoned. In the centre
is the church of Santa Maria la
5 Cava d’Ispica have made Cava d’Ispica such a Nova, rebuilt several times and
world-famous attraction for now with Neo-Classical features;
Road map E5. Access from SS115
from Ispica to Modica, right-hand decades. While the Larderia Palazzo Beneventano with its
turn-off at Bettola del Capitano, Necropolis is an impressive Baroque motifs, the former
follow the branch for 5.5 km (3.5 network of catacombs (there is Convent of the Carmelites
miles) as far as the Cavallo d’Ispica mill. also a small museum), not far and the adjoining Chiesa del
V Syracuse–Ispica (892 021). from the entrance you can visit – Carmine. The Chiesa Madre in
Tel 0932-771 667. Open Apr–Oct: on request – the Grotta di San Piazza Italia is worth visiting for
9am–7pm Mon–Sat, 9am–1pm Nicola, a cave with a Byzantine its papier-mâché Madonna dei
Sun & hols; Nov–Mar: 9am–1:30pm fresco of the Madonna, or the Milici and the Baroque street
Mon–Sat. small Byzantine church of San Via Mormino Penna. Higher up
Pancrazio, in a claustrophobically are the ruins of San Matteo,
An ancient river carved the Cava narrow enclosure. Despite the the old cathedral, at the foot
d’Ispica out of the rock and the difficult terrain, the unfenced of the ruined castle built by the
gorge has developed into an part of the gorge is also well Arabs. The town is often used
open-air monument. The sides worth visiting. Every step of the as a film set; Marco Bello cchio’s
of the canyon are perforated with way you will be well rewarded II regista dei matrimoni had
the tombs of a necropolis, places for the strenuous climb. scenes shot here.
of worship and cave dwellings
where religious hermits went
through mystical experiences.
It was an Egyptian hermit,
Sant’Ilarione, who initiated the
monasticism in the canyon,
which was used only as a burial
site in antiquity.
Improved access has made
it possible to visit the Larderia
Necropolis, although since
the establishment of a new
enclosure, it is much more
difficult to gain an overall idea
of the complex of caves that Santa Maria la Nova, at Scicli, rebuilt in the Neo-Classical style

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