Forty minutes drive from Ragusa or Noto, and nestled within a valley formed by four hills, lies the spectacular town of Modica. One of eight UNESCO Heritage ‘Val di Noto’ towns and cities in south-eastern Sicily whose architectural landscape changed forever following the devastating earthquake of 1693, the medieval old town once carved into rock has been replaced by stunning baroque facades, extravagant churches and beautiful palaces; the old and new connected by a maze of narrow streets and staircases.

It is a town whose geography can make on-foot explorations a little more complicated than simply following a map from point A to B, but with enough time and an acceptance that a wrong turn that leads to a new viewpoint over the valley and tumbling buildings below can never really be wrong at all, Modica will capture your heart like many visitors who have gone before.