First of all, let’s talk about food!
The best “Arancini” (fried rice balls – very typical and delicious!) you can find in Scicli are in Piazza Italia at the Caffé Sicilia (very close to home)
The best “Granite” (water ice – also very typical and a must on hot days!) are in Piazza Busacca at the Caffé Gritti. (also very close to home). We suggest the granita alla mandorla (almond) and gelso (mulberry).
Now some news about the city that develops in a short plain, from the steep slopes of the rocky hills of San Matteo, del Rosario and della Croce, divided from the quarries of Santa Maria la Nova and from San Bartolomeo
World Heritage Sites (UNESCO),
• Palazzo Benevento, near our house
• Via Mormino Penna, where you will find the Town Hall (Commissioner of Montalbano, an Italian fiction), three beautiful churches (San Giovanni, San Michele and Santa Teresa), Palazzo Spadaro and the costume museum, as well as bars, restaurants and all the ice cream shops you can think of!
Other Churches not to be missed are
• The Church of San Bartolomeo (nice crib of the '700 by Padula and paintings of good quality - Mattia Preti), in the "pit" of the same name, topped by the convent del Rosario (usually closed to the public): continuing the path of the quarry, on the hill to the left, you can see the old quarter of Chiafura (consisting of caves where people lived until the 50s)
• The Mother Church (San Ignazio) in Piazza Italia, with paintings of good quality and the sculpture of the Madonna delle Milizie on the horseback brandishing a sword to drive out the Saracens who wanted to occupy the city in 1091
• The Church della Consolazione and Santa Maria la Nova (with the wooden sculpture of the Gioia, The Alive Man (Uomo Vivo), The Resurrected Christ (Cristo Risorto) and a cute little museum down the stairs that will lead you to the bell tower), both along the hollow of Santa Maria la Nova
• The Church of San Matteo, on the hill, where there is also our home;
• The Church of the Carmine, in Piazza Busacca where you can find both the statue of the city's most important benefactor, Pietro di Lorenzo (called Busacca), a character who lived in the sixteenth century, and the building that bears his name, where they opened a small museum of wedding dresses, as his inheritance was donated to young couples who were getting married
Restaurants
• Amici Miei: Very close to home. Pleasant at an affordable price. They prepare typical dishes and good fish
• Galau: in a side street of Via Nazionale, the main street of the city: good fish, run by wife (Gabriella) and her husband (Luca)
• Satra: perhaps the most sophisticated, run by the ex-wife of Ciccio Sultano (the cook who has the restaurant Il Duomo in Ragusa with two Michelin stars) and the right arm of the same Sultano, situated in the alley opposite the Town Hall and also with tables on the square.
• Pomodoro: Not particularly nice the restaurant itself but good food. Run by two brothers, not far from Piazza Italia.
• I tre Colli: with a nice terrace in Piazza Italia
• La Grotta: along the quarry of Santa Maria la Nova
• In piazza Busacca there is also a very good Pizzeria
Seaside
• The closest to home is in Donnalucata (6-7km away). Not many equipped beaches but a lot of free beaches!
• On the coast to the west, over Donnalucata, you will find Plaja Grande and Marina di Ragusa; a little further, in the direction of Pozzallo, there are plenty of beaches.
• The coast to the east, stretching from Arizza, the beach of La Bruca, Cava d'Aliga, Sampieri (the "little beach" from the side of Donnalucata and the side to Ispica there are several beaches, free or equipped, towards the ruins of the furnace of Pisciotto) and, further away, after Ispica and Rosolini, and on the way to Pachino, the beach of San Lorenzo and the natural reserve of Vendicari (well worth a visit)
Art Towns. Among many without going far:
• Modica, Ragusa, Noto, Ispica, Comiso, Caltagirone, Palazzolo Acreide and Chiaramonte Gulfi, without forgetting, if you wish to go further, the amazing Siracusa, Piazza Armerina, with its Villa Romana del Casale, and Agrigento with its temples.
Just some reccomandations:
• Since all the houses have terraces, please do not smoke inside.
• The house is equipped with beach umbrella that you can use as you wish. It is however forbidden to open it on windy days to avoid damages.
I hope you will have an amazing time and will enjoy your holiday in this amazing place and our wonderful home.