The Thinking Traveller

Villas in Sicily near Noto

In 1693, an earthquake destroyed Noto, Ragusa, Modica, Scicli and other towns in the southeast of Sicily. They were rebuilt in splendid baroque style and today they form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area is not only home to architectural delights, however, but natural ones too, including sandy beaches, coastal nature reserves, deep gorges, and rolling hills of almond, olive, and carob trees.