modica

Modica has a lovely history and still retains alot of its original elegance with Baroque churches, tiny little side street, old Jewish quarter and apparent signs of when it was flooded. It is also famous for its chocolate but I feel that the people and their friendly and helpful characters are not known enough - we went on more than one occasion and they have gone out of their way each and every time. Their desserts are divine, especially the cannoli and ice creams, and their food is also very good and much less that what you pay for in the touristy areas of Sicily. Beautiful - well worth a visit. Don't forget to go to Modica Alta and see the padlocks on the bridge, as well as the fascinating view of Modica Bassa beneath you.

It's easy to bypass the historic Baroque core of Modica, and drive on to Ragusa or Noto. But it's worth the time to work your way into Modica and explore it some. As with all towns in the region, there are steep hills, lovely Sicilian Baroque churches, and great restaurants worth enjoying. Work a half day or day of your time if you're in the area.

Modica is a typical Sicilian village were time seems to move slower than the rest of the world. Lots of interesting buildings, churches and monuments.

We arrived at 1 pm on February 5th just as the local parents were picking up their kids from the elementary school in Modica alta. Total Chaos trying to find parking. While waiting for the agency to show us to our apartment the situation quieted down and at 13:45 after dropping our stuff off we started looking for a restaurant.... well the 2 nearby the hotel Bandini were both close till mid February and mid March respectively. We then attempted to find a shop to buy some groceries but they all shut for lunch and siesta at 13:30 so after a good half an hour searching we decided to cut our losses and have a sandwich at the hotel bar. Lessons learned, don't expect to find an open restaurant in winter....

Modica is a beautiful boroque town, we hired a car for a day and drove to Modica and Noto.On arrival in Modica we went to the tourist information office for advice on what to do in town and they were very helpful and and advised us to catch the :"tourist van" up to Alta Modica and walk down which we did.Up at Alta Modica you can visit the Chiesa Di San Giovana and walk a little further to magnificent views down over Modica.There is plenty of things to do and see in town including the many churches and the chocolate factory and shops but beware every where closes at 12MD for siesta.Some restaurants remain open.

I really enjoyed the time spent in this place. The locals were friendly, and we really enjoyed eating chocolate from the chocolate factory!

Visit the chocolate factory and wander the back streets. Chiesa di San Giorgio is impressive. I didn't see much more

We spent a month here, and were fortunate in also experiencing the sounds, smells and colour of the chocolate festival. Modican chocolate is wonderful, and is worth going for alone, but the food of Modica is also very good, and you will be paying much less for it there than in tourist traps such as Taormina or even Siracusa. Needless to say, the gelati are wonderful too, I particularly liked the prickly pear sorbetto.There are many beautiful churches to visit and the Museums of Chocolate, Thomaso Campaillo and the house of the poet Quasimodo are all fascinating to visit. The houses cling to the sides of a limestone gorge and there are still cave houses which are inhabited and being modernised, although most have been abandoned.It's not all good. There are too many feral cats, and no excuse for all the dog poo on the paving . Transport is also a problem if you don't have a car. The train station doesn't really have any trains! There are buses but the system appears rather anarchic. For example there are no buses to and from Comiso airport even though it is much nearer than Catania. I've left the best for last though - the people of Modica are kind, proud of their citta, and they will look after you very well. Just expect to have to go on a diet when your holiday is over.....

Don't miss the baroque church, which plays a part in many an episode of Montalbano. Also make time for the chocolate manufactury. Mmmhh!

Wherever you go in the Noto valley you'll hear again and again names of well renowned restaurants or chocolate factories or bakeries.There seems to be a deep link between the majesty of this town cathedrals and its MAJESTIC Food .Don't miss the local chocolate with hot chilly!!!

Modica is a beautiful town full of wonderful little winding streets leading steeply up or dauntlying downwards. At the end of every street lies either another alley in the labyrinth or a beautiful baroque building. The church of St George really is exquisite inside & out. The little town below is bustling with plenty of local life - great restaurants, cafes & shops. It's a must see town on any sicilian itinery!

Picturesque views, wide streets and great shopping.Note: There are options for free parking in centro storico.

An attractive Sicilian city with plenty of sites and climbing up steps for fantastic views. Great ice cream, chocolate and restaurants with good prices

The old city was unspoilt and interesting with interesting architecture and wonderful churches. Litter is problem in all the surrounding countryside.

Modica was one of the towns rebuilt in southern Sicily after the earthquake in 1693. We chose this as the first place to stay at as it was conveniently near Pozzallo for our ferry from Malta. It is much bigger than I imagined, but seems to be rather seedy as many of the buildings could do with some tender loving care.Quite a few houses on the upper levels in the valley seem to be abandoned and in an advanced state of disrepair, which is a pity. I guess many families would find the steep climbs too much in this day and age or the families have long gone overseas.Although interesting, we did not find the place had any 'wow' factor which we found in the likes of Scicli and Noto.