DK Travel : Sicily : Southeast Sicily

Southeast Sicily : Overview & Top 10

The landscape of the southeast is markedly different from the rest of the island, with its strata of white limestone supporting scrubland vegetation, steep gorges formed by ancient river courses, and characteristic low, dry-stone walls marking the boundaries of fertile fields. Yet this small corner of Sicily is rich in sights. Unmissable are the Greek and Roman remains at Syracuse, the most important city of Magna Graecia, while Caltagirone, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa and Scicli have all recently been declared World Heritage Sites on the merits of their Baroque architecture and innovative urban planning, the result of the rebuilding effort after the destruction of the 1693 earthquake. Of equal enjoyment is the current gastronomic renaissance taking place in the area, rediscovering both the seafood from the coastal zones and the meats, cheeses and wild greens of the interior. Young chefs, aware that old traditions, methods and even ingredients are on the brink of extinction, are returning to their roots and working hard to revitalize and preserve the authentic cuisine of the region.

In Scicli have a coffee on the terrace at Pura Follia on Via Nazionale, looking out at the tiled rooftops of the old village.

Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina

It is the remains of a Roman villa and has the richest, largest and most complex collection of late Roman mosaics in the world. The Villa Romana del Casale is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.