Ragusa is the most southern capital province of Europe. Although rising 500 meters above sea level, it is so close to experience the scent of it.
Our visit to discover Ragusa and its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites starts from the top of the City, where the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake of 1693 began the reconstruction of the city.
Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista
Our first stop is the St. John’s Cathedral with its late Baroque façade. Nearby we find other stunning buildings protected by the Unesco, examples of that kind of Architecture, such as Palazzo Zacco and palazzo Schininà.
Just opposite the Cathedral, we find a Tourist Information Desk, where a very nice lady suggests us the best route to visit the most beautiful places of the city. A walking path that starts from the main Street leads us to Ragusa Ibla.
Getting down from the stairs of Santa Maria delle Scale, from which you can admire the most beautiful view of the city, with its 250 steps connecting the two parts of the city, you realize that this was built snatching every inch to the rock of the precipitous hills on which this city stands ,with its typical houses that almost seem leaning on each other.
Ragusa Ibla
This easy path leads into the heart of Ragusa Ibla, entirely rebuilt in Baroque style after the earthquake of 1693. such as the magnificent Palazzo Cosentini that welcomes us at the foot of the staircase and the nearby Chiesa delle anime del Purgatorio. Then, continuing along the narrow streets that lead us to the heart of the district and to Piazza
Piazza Duomo con il Duomo di San Giorgio
Duomo, we find another example of Baroque architecture, Palazzo La Rocca and its façade with figures decorating its balconies, just behind the Cathedral of St. George Cathedral which stands on the square below surrounded by buildings and palms.
A natural stage that has often been the backdrop to the adventures of the Inspector Montalbano, main character of the famous novels written by Andrea Camilleri. Here we can stop for a refreshing break in one of the many bars or tasting the fine iblean Cuisine of the many restaurants in the square and along Corso XXV Aprile which starts from the lower end of the square.
Corso XXV Aprile
Walking this street, we cannot help but notice the Club of Conversation, also used as the set of some episodes of Montalbano and the Church of St. Joseph in Piazza Pola. Finally we get to the Gardens of Ragusa Ibla, the so called Hyblaean Gardens, built on a sheer rock, where we can take a break under the shade of the palm trees adorning the boulevard or enjoying quick typical snacks such as Arancini and Vota Vota.
At this point we can return to the starting point by taking one of the buses, passing through the Portal of St. George,the only evidence of the medieval Church destroyed by the Earthquake.
We will certainly come back to Ragusa and its province wich definitely deserves a longer stay to enjoy its natural and architectural beauties and of course the flavors of its typical Cuisine.
Il portale di San Giorgio
Visualizza Visitare Ragusa in una mappa di dimensioni maggiori