Ragusa (province) Voyage Tips and guide

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Ragusa is a former province in Sicily, Italy, that shares the southeastern tip of the triangular island with Syracuse. Its Baroque towns are a World Heritage Site, and it offers coastal resorts, too.

36°54′16″N 14°44′15″E

Map of Ragusa (province)

• 36.919314.71911 Ragusa (Rausa) — impressive baroque architecture ( UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• 37.03111114.7027782 Chiaramonte Gulfi (Ciaramunti)
• 36.78472214.5502783 Marina di Ragusa (Mazzarelli) — fine golden sand with blue waters
• 36.8514.7666674 Modica (Muòrica) — Baroque town (World Heritage)
• 36.73333314.855 Pozzallo (Puzzaddu) — quiet south coast port
• 36.78805614.6977786 Scicli — another of the eight Sicilian World Heritage Baroque towns

• 37.11611114.8202781 Hyblaean Mountains (Monti Iblei) — the highest peak is Monte Lauro (986 m), Parco degli Iblei
• 36.87166714.44752 Kamarina (Camarina) — Greek city dating to 598 BC, built by the Corintian-Syracusans, 25 km from Ragusa

Ragusa stretches from the Sicilian south coast, with its often flat beaches, into the hilly hinterland. The Iblean plateau lies at an altitude of 400–600 m above sea level, with the highest elevations, at around 1,000 m above sea level, in the north, where the province borders the province of Catania.

In the southwest of Ragusa (toward Gel), intensive agriculture is practiced in the hinterland, often extending almost to the coast. Vegetables are grown in winter and spring under kilometres of simple greenhouses covered with plastic sheeting; the tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, as well as table grapes and flowers, are shipped by truck to Central Europe. These cultivation areas, as well as remnants of plastic sheeting from abandoned farms and debris washed into the sea during autumn storms, tarnish the image of the region from the tourist perspective, especially in the southwest.

The Province of Ragusa was replaced in 2015 by the Free Municipal Consortium of Ragusa.

The region has an arid Mediterranean climate, with unbearable heat in midsummer (swimming can be enjoyed to the fullest, but city sightseeing and shopping should be postponed to the morning or early evening; it's not for nothing that the siesta is "sacred" in Sicily). Temperatures are often pleasant in spring and autumn, and freezing temperatures rarely reach the winter (Sicilian houses are generally not very well heated, so you can freeze in winter).

From the Messina–Syracuse motorway, which ends at Rosolini and is planned to be extended to Gela, Ragusa can be reached via the Sud Occidentale Sicula, which heads away from the coast via Modica-Ragusa-Comiso-Vittoria and then, from Gela, heads west along the south coast via Agrigento. Partly built as a dual carriageway, it connects Ragusa with the coastal town of Marina di Ragusa.

Connections to the north include the SS194 via Francofonte-Lentini to Catania, and further west, the SS514, which heads north. To the west, the SS514 branches off to Caltagirone, and to the east, it also joins the Sicilian coast.

Railway connections exist only via Syracuse; the Siracusa-Gela-Canicatti line runs via Ragusa.

The Aeroporto Civile di Comiso is near Comiso, approximately 15 km from Ragusa. It has some low-cost carrier flights.

The baroque towns can be reached by the Siracusa–Gela railway line; for all other connections, you have to rely on regional buses; the easiest way to get around is by car or scooter.

The province was left behind by the devastating earthquake of 1693, which led to the towns being rebuilt in the Sicilian Baroque style. The Baroque towns in the Val di Noto, which were declared a World Heritage Site in 2002, include Ragusa, Modica and Scicli, as well as other towns in the neighbouring province of Syracuse. In addition to the towns already mentioned, the Cava d'Ispica gorge, which was already inhabited in prehistoric times, and the Castello di Donnafugata are also popular destinations. As the Baroque towns were built in the hilly hinterland and people avoided the coast for centuries because of malaria and the risk of pirate attacks, the coastal towns and seaside resorts are generally more recent: Marina di Ragusa, Marina di Modica.

The most important towns are:

• the provincial capital Ragusa,
• the baroque cities of Modica, Scicli, Comiso, Vittoria,
• the seaside resorts of Marina di Ragusa, Marina di Modica, Scoglitti,
• the baroque town of Ispica with the Cava d'Ispica.

During the warmer months, the coastal towns are bustling with bathing activity, and hiking and cycling are best planned for spring or autumn.

Sicilian cuisine near the sea relies on fish and seafood, while in the mountain regions dried meat, sausages, cheese and dairy products are also served.