Scicli

Off the beaten track, this most southerly of Sicilian baroque towns is wonderfully authentic with its wooded hilly backdrop from its pretty historical centre

Scicli is a beautiful Baroque town is south eastern Sicily and forms part of the UNESCO Hertigage site Val di Noto alongside Noto, Ragusa and Modica.

An ancient town suffered like its neighbours from the 1693 earthquake and thus rebuilt in Baroque style, which grew up around two valleys divided by steep ridges and now sits on a gorge. The heart of Scicli and where most tourists end up is around the foot of the dramatic ridge dominated by the abandoned church of San Matteo, beneath here are the main piazzas of the town with bars for drinks and food line the streets.

The town throws a lot of parties throughout the year, including food festivals dedicated to tomatoes and fish, along with religious feasts that mark the easter holy week so if you are in the local area we recommend a visit for the day.

The beaches of Donnalucata and Sampieri in the Frazione Marinara are considered to be some of the cleaning on the island and are within easy reach. They consist of 18km of fine sandy beaches, clear dazzling blue waters and quaint little fishing villages.