In January 1693 an earthquake flattened much of south-eastern Sicily, and the towns that rose from the rubble were rebuilt in a confident, theatrical late baroque style. Scicli is one of the eight towns of the Val di Noto listed by UNESCO for that reason, and it may be the most charming. It sits at the meeting of three limestone gorges, with a rocky hill above crowned by the ruins of the old church of San Matteo, and a centre of honey-coloured churches and palaces whose balconies are held up by carved grotesque faces, horses, sirens and monsters.
Television fans will recognise it. The town hall and the Via Mormino Penna, a street lined with baroque churches and palaces, appeared in the series Inspector Montalbano as the police station of the fictional town of Vigata. The streets are quiet and elegant, especially in the evening when the stone glows and the locals take their passeggiata. The coast is a few kilometres away, with sandy beaches at Donnalucata and Cava d'Aliga, and the countryside around is a patchwork of dry-stone walls, carob trees and greenhouses.
The riding in the Ragusa area is a pleasure. The roads wind through the plateau between dry-stone walls, then plunge into the gorges with tight bends and climb out again. The surface is mostly good but can be dusty, and in summer the heat is intense. Traffic is light except in the towns and along the coast in August. The light is wonderful, especially in spring and autumn, and the countryside smells of wild herbs and orange blossom. Watch out for farm vehicles and stray dogs, and for parked cars on narrow town streets.
Scicli has fuel, shops and plenty of bars and restaurants. Sicilian food here includes cavati pasta with pork ragù, scacce, folded flatbreads filled with tomato and cheese, and sweets like cannoli and almond biscuits. Modica, nearby, is famous for its chocolate, made with a cold process that leaves it grainy and intense. Park near the centre and walk the Via Mormino Penna, then climb to the hill of San Matteo for the view over the rooftops and the gorges, especially at sunset, when the town turns gold.