Enjoy Barocco promotes Baroque wonders, Inspector Montalbano magic, and five must-see towns in south-eastern Sicily
The five Baroque towns are deliciously marketable
Enjoy Barocco-Sicilian Experience is a fascinating journey into the heart of south-eastern Sicily, an ambitious project, promoted by the DMO Enjoy Barocco with the support of GAL Terra Barocco. Uniting five Baroque towns - Ragusa, Modica, Scicli, Ispica and Santa Croce Camerina - it celebrates the common identity and specific uniqueness of each of these must-see locations. From 21 to 25 July the DMO opened the doors of their artistic, natural and lifestyle heritage to a group of Italian media, and also organized a B2B workshop for international buyers, sharing stories of the towns through guided tours and meetings with local tourism providers. Set against a rich backdrop of Sicilian colours, history, and landscapes, the Terra Barocco tourism brand is Sicily at its most theatrical and deliciously marketable.
GAL Terra Barocca promotes the Enjoy Barocco brand
Right now the Terra Barocco area is riding a wave of success. Behind the growth (+31% visitors in 2024 and a further +10% so far this year) is the coordinated work of the stakeholders, and the promotional force of the Enjoy Barocco brand. Marco Platania, director of the Enjoy Barocco Tourism Observatory, offered the media delegates a clear and passionate perspective on the vision driving the project, adding that that an unexpected catalyst has been the immense popularity of the Inspector Montalbano TV series. This has given once-sleepy towns movie-set dazzle, bringing visitors in to visit the film sites and enjoy the local culture, architecture, beaches and seaside vibes. In nearby Scicli they can tour the real-life set of Montalbano’s “police station,” housed in the town hall, now a popular go-to spot for Instagrammers. Another popular haunt for Montalbano fans is the Punta Secca house with the famous balcony on the beach in Santa Croce Camerina where Inspector Montalbano used to take his morning espresso. From the nearby little marina, next to the 16thcentury Torre di Mezza tower and the 1859 lighthouse it is possible to set off for excursions along the coast.
The Sanbartolomeo Casa & Putia has four charming rooms
Looking out over the Mediterranean to the Tunisian coastline, the Terra Barocco area, which is also one of the island’s most productive agricultural regions, can be defined by the flamboyant contours and flourishes of Sicily’s late Baroque style, which is perfectly preserved. This architectural and artistic splendor is the result of a natural disaster that devastated the area in 1693 when a cataclysmic earthquake flattened the entire region, forcing an almost total rebuild. Today the town of Scicli is a jewel box of late Baroque artistry with sites like the Church of Sant’Ignazio which boasts a statue of a Madonna which is perhaps the only one in the world depicting the Virgin Mary as a sword-wielding warrior on a white horse. The little town also has small hotels of charm like the Sanbartolomeo Casa & Putia, which has four rooms with Sicilian ceramics and period furniture. Here guests breakfast on a panoramic terrace overlooking the handsome three-tiered façade of the Church of San Bartolomeo and the rocky ravine where, up to the 1930s, locals still lived in the caves that dot the steep canyon walls.
Gourmet chocolate and the Terradamare Resort & Spa Hilton Tapestry
Modica is famous for its heritage chocolate, and the artisanal shop Sabadì offers gourmet variations infused with everything from sea salt to Sichuan pepper to tobacco. It organizes tastings and guided tours that include the first chocolate-ageing cellar in the world. The town’s appeal goes well beyond chocolate to sites like the San Giorgio Cathedral with its theatrical stairway which can also be visited on the Grand Tour electric train which offers 60-minute city tours. Modica’s first lady mayor, Maria Monisteri, says they are betting on a year-round tourism model by expanding cultural events and promoting sport and cycle tourism. A recent welcome addition to the local scene is the Terradamare Resort & Spa in Marina di Modica. A member of the Hilton Tapestry collection it has 42 rooms and three suites, the latter with large terraces and Jacuzzis. It also has a meeting area, the extensive Ciatu Spa with a range of relaxation facilities, a private beach, and the ‘A Truvatura Restaurant which specializes in prime local seafood and wines.
Ragusa and Ispica pile on the Baroque glory
In Ragusa, the duality of the city, between modern Ragusa and historic Ibla, boasts aristocratic palazzi, the ornate San Giorgio Cathedral and the Relais Antica Badia, a boutique hotel in an 18th-century building with 16 rooms and suites where Baroque elegance meets modern comforts. Nearby the Donnafugata Castle has gardens with exotic plants and whimsical architectural follies, as well as a collection of evocative period costumes. Local pride also extends to the Ragusano DOP cheese produced by the Progetto Natura Consortium, and the cultivation of sesame just outside the town of Ispica (famous for its carrots) from where Salvatore and Simone Gambuzza export seeds around the world and produce spin-offs like tahini, sesame-covered almonds and cosmetic oils. From June to October it is possible to discover the secrets of its cultivation, and each visit ends with a tasting of sesame-based products. Ispica can wrongly be overlooked, as it missed out on UNESCO status, but it knows how to pile on the Baroque glory, from the votive-laden Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to the Loggiato del Sinatra. This semi-elliptical loggia designed by the architect Vincenzo Sinatra has 23 arches, and recalls Bernini's colonnade in St. Peter's Square in Rome.
The GAL’s Tourism Observatory provides data for operators
The recent press tour and buyer fam trip came under a project aimed at attracting new flows through storytelling and internationalization. Integral to this development plan is the Tourism Observatory which monitors the destination's performance and provides useful data to operators. Investments are also going into digital innovation on the portal with the introduction of an AI chatbot to support travellers, a business intelligence dashboard at the service of operators, new thematic podcasts and social media campaigns.
