Background
The eight towns of south-eastern Sicily, Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa and Scicli, were all rebuilt after 1693 on or beside towns that existed at the time of that year's earthquake. UNESCO calls them a considerable collective undertaking at a high level of architectural and artistic achievement, with distinctive innovations in town planning within the late Baroque style of the day.
Catania, the largest of them, sits under Mount Etna and has been destroyed many times; its lava-stone elephant fountain and the cathedral of Sant'Agata stand on Piazza del Duomo. Noto, Modica, Ragusa and Scicli are the honey-coloured hill towns to the south.
- 1669Lava from Etna strands Castello Ursino inland
- 1693The earthquake destroys the towns of the Val di Noto
- 18th c.The eight towns are rebuilt in late Baroque
- 2002Inscribed as World Heritage
Find Your Way Around
The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them
- 1NotoThe honey-coloured Baroque town and its cathedral.
- 2Catania's Piazza del DuomoThe elephant fountain, the cathedral and Via Etnea.
- 3Modica and RagusaHill towns of stairways and churches, with Modica's chocolate.
- 4ScicliThe smallest of the towns, in its gorge.
- 5CaltagironeThe ceramics town with its tiled staircase.
- 6Via dei CrociferiCatania's street of Baroque churches.
Know Before You Go
From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides
Baroque Catania
From the GoGo Catania guide · Open the Catania Guide ›
- 09:30Elephant Fountain and Cathedral45 minPiazza del Duomo.
- 10:30La Pescheria Fish Market1 hrThe loud morning market.
- 14:30Via dei Crociferi and San Nicolò90 minBaroque churches and the monastery.
- 16:30Castello Ursino1 hrThe castle stranded by lava.
- 19:30Arancini and Street Grills90 minStreet food evening.
Best Time to Visit
Best months: Apr–May, Oct–Nov.
Typical highs
Climate: NASA POWER
Pair It With
Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance
