Half an hour by car, an almost normal commute for those who live in the city and have to get to their place of work every morning. Half an hour to go from one side of a metropolis to the other, half an hour of traffic between houses, buildings and the usual sights. Half an hour is not much, but it is a time we consider almost mandatory to have productive days.
There is a town, Ragusa, that alone is worth a trip but, in addition, has around it seven places to visit, enchanting places that are half an hour or so away. This is how a journey that we consider the price to pay for living in the city becomes a voyage of discovery to admire the view and to reach fine beaches and hidden treasures of Baroque Sicily. Instead, a highly visible treasure is the Bummulo malandrino, an ancient jar that contained precious liquids such as wine and water. Revisited by the Ragusan company, Artefice Atelier, the Bummulo is called malandrino, or mischievous, because of the amazement it causes among diners when you bring it to the table: water or wine is poured from the hole underneath, turning it upside down, but when it is returned to the pouring position, the liquids do not spill out despite the fact that there is no stopper, thanks to an internal system of communicating vessels. The Bummuli handmade by Artefice Atelier, speak of Sicily, the one we want to show you through our little seven journeys that start right from Ragusa.
Modica...to taste chocolate!
Located about twenty kilometers from Ragusa, Modica is undoubtedly one of the area's first destinations to visit. The elegance of its Baroque palaces, its streets, and the historic center that unravels along Corso Umberto I are just a few of the reasons that made the town among the Sicilian municipalities a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. For those visiting here for the first time, a delicacy not to be left unexplored is chocolate, a true specialty that comes "au naturel" or in the various flavored formulas that make the best not only enjoyed alone, but also as an accompaniment to hot drinks such as coffee.
Ispica, for compulsive tourists
Ispica is one of the fascinating secrets hidden in the southeastern part of the province of Ragusa. This town is the right destination for a nuanced excursion because to best enjoy the exploration of Ispica one must see it in all its peculiarities. Specifically, the major points of interest are the archaeological trail that runs through the Cava and the Parco della Forza, to discover the ancient Spaccaforno and the Centoscale Cave; the tour to discover the Baroque, which runs through the three churches of Santa Maria Maggiore, San Bartolomeo and Santissima Annunziata to reach the monumental complex of the Convent of Santa Maria del Gesù; and the traces of Art Nouveau architecture such as Palazzo Bruno, in Piazza Unità d'Italia, and Palazzo Bruno Belmonte, now the Town Hall.
