Why this ride
155 km from Ragusa to Ragusa, about 3 h 01 of riding. The stops in between: Scicli, Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto and back through Scicli.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Ragusa and Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 155 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 3 h 01
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Ragusa
In 1693 a terrible earthquake destroyed much of south-eastern Sicily, and the towns of the Val di Noto were rebuilt in the baroque style of the time, creating a group of towns of extraordinary beauty, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ragusa is one of them, a town divided into two parts: Ragusa Superiore, the newer town on the ridge, built after the earthquake, and Ragusa Ibla, the old town on a lower hill, rebuilt on its medieval street plan.
Read the complete Ragusa write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Ragusa is where the day begins. Next is Scicli.
2. Scicli
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.
Read the complete Scicli write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Scicli comes up about 26 km into the recorded legs. Next is Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto.
3. Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto
On 11 January 1693, a catastrophic earthquake struck southeastern Sicily, destroying dozens of towns and killing tens of thousands of people. What happened next is one of the great chapters in the history of town planning. Noto, which stood on a hill some kilometres away, was abandoned, and a new town was built from scratch on a gentler slope, with a grid of streets, grand stairways, churches and palaces, all in the soft, honey-coloured local limestone that glows gold and pink at sunset. Together with seven other towns rebuilt after the earthquake, including Ragusa, Modica and Scicli, Noto was listed by UNESCO in 2002 as the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto.
Read the complete Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 79 km into the recorded legs you reach Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto. Next is back through Scicli.
4. back through Scicli
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Scicli write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Scicli, late in the day. Next is Ragusa.
5. Ragusa
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Ragusa write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Ragusa. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Ragusa to Scicli
Ragusa → Scicli is 26 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Scicli to Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto
Scicli → Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto is 53 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto to back through Scicli
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto → back through Scicli is 52 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Scicli to Ragusa
back through Scicli → Ragusa is 25 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.