Eastern Sicily - the 5 Senses 2026-27

Palazzolo Acreide is a Baroque town in the Noto Valley, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. Located in the heart of the Iblei Mountains, about 45 km from Syracuse, it represents one of the must-see stops on tourist itineraries in south-eastern Sicily. Its origins date back to 664 BC, when the Greek colony of Akrai was founded by the Syracusans on Mount Acremonte, between the valleys of the Anapo and Tellaro rivers. Over the centuries, the town was ruled by various peoples, including Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Normans. Today, several traces of these civilizations remain on Mount Acremonte, where the ancient city once stood. In this archaeological area stands the Greek Theatre of Akrai dating back to the 2nd century BC, and right next to it the Temple of Aphrodite. Also remarkable are the so-called “Santoni”, a group of statues forming a sanctuary dedicated to the cult of the goddess Cybele. Like many towns in south-eastern Sicily, Palazzolo Acreide was destroyed by the earthquake of 1693 and rebuilt in Baroque style. In the heart of the 18th-century historic centre stands the majestic Church of San Sebastiano, overlooking the large Piazza del Popolo entirely surrounded by Baroque palaces. The town is also famous for its lively Carnival, the oldest in Sicily, held in the main square with dances, fairs and parades of allegorical floats through the streets. During the summer season, in July and August, performances of tragedies and comedies by classical Latin and Greek authors take place at the Greek Theatre, along with numerous events that enliven the evenings of the historic village. When visiting a town in south-eastern Sicily, one cannot help but indulge in a few culinary pleasures by tasting the local specialties. In Palazzolo, the month of October hosts Agrimontana, an event where it is possible to enjoy tastings and discover the local food and wine culture.

Scicli stands where the three narrow valleys of Modica, Santa Maria La Nova and San Bartolomeo, known as caves, open onto a vast plain reaching the se, south of Modica and Ragusa. Since 2002, Scicli has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites together with the other seven late-Baroque towns of the Noto Valley (Caltagirone, Militello in Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide and Ragusa). Along the streets of Scicli’s historic centre you will witness, as if in an 18th-century fairy tale, splendid churches in golden stone and sumptuous palaces. Through panoramic ups and downs, the sea can be glimpsed in the distance, while the pale stone creates fascinating plays of light with the sun, in which beauty, wonder and harmony dramatically chase one another. Here are also some of the most important museums of the Iblean area and some of the most beautiful locations from the TV series of Inspector Montalbano, protagonist of the novels by Andrea Camilleri. A short walk just outside the centre reveals the traces of a millenary past. Beyond lies only the blue of the Mediterranean standing out on the horizon and filling the eyes with iridescent glimmers fading toward Africa. Finally, the Scicli coastline is outlined by beaches and coves, breathtaking cliffs and ancient seaside villages, such as Donnalucata, Sampieri and Cava d’Aliga. The heart of Scicli is Via Francesco Mormino Penna, the living room of the townspeople: a sumptuous street which, in front of the Town Hall, widens into a charming little square known as Piazza del Municipio. Inside the neo-Renaissance building, amidst Liberty-style interiors, stands out the beautiful Mayor’s room, which in the fiction of Inspector Montalbano houses the office of the police chief of Montelusa, Bonetti-Alderighi. The façade of the building, instead, corresponds to the entrance of the police station of Vigata. Adjacent to the Town Hall we find the 14th-century Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, with its striking concave-convex façade enlivened by a precious wrought-iron grille and placed at the top of a staircase following the same harmonious movement. Inside worth seeing is the 18th-century Spanish painting of the Cristo di Burgos. This curious work depicts the crucified Christ wearing a long priestly robe, and for this reason the painting has been nicknamed by the people of Scicli “the Christ in a skirt”. On Via Penna we also find the 18th-century façade of the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, Palazzo Bonelli-Patané, the Baroque Palazzo Spadaro with its eight wrought-iron balconies and Rococo geometric decorations, the Costume Museum with garments and fabrics from the Iblean tradition, and finally the Antica Farmacia Cartia of 1902. Piazza Busacca, the main square of Scicli, takes its name from the statue erected in honour of Pietro di Lorenzo known precisely as Busacca (1500-1569). The banker from Scicli contributed with his considerable inheritance, known as the Gold of Busacca, to support the town of Scicli until the first half of the 20th century.