South-eastern Sicily has long been a well-kept secret among travellers and, despite Conde Nast Traveller naming it their destination of the summer, that hasnt changed. It still feels like a hidden gem.
This beautiful Baroque corner is one of the most enchanting places Italy has to offer and its still relatively untrodden.
This summer, while others fly into the capital of Palermo, the wise will fly into Catania on the Eastern coast of Sicily and discover all that this special spot has to offer.
From Catania, Mount Etna is an hour to the north – worth a first day or end of week pilgrimage – but an hour or so down the coast and down to the south-west, closer to Comiso, youll find beguiling Baroque towns, extraordinary cliff-side villages, monumental architecture, acres of vineyards and deserted, white sandy beaches.
Oh, and of course – trattorias serving incredible food and wine at every turn.
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This little corner boasts 14 UNESCO world heritage sites and countless film location credits among its nine Baroque towns – Caltagirone, Militello, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa, Ispica and Scicli.
The beautiful architecture came as a result of the devastating 1693 earthquake that led to the rebuilding of the entire Val di Noto at once, in the late Baroque style. This move was described as the final flowering of Baroque art in Europe and has left this part of Sicily as a stunning example of the period.
We flew into Catania with easyJet (2hr 30m flight time) and drove just over an hour to our hotel along practically empty roads through picturesque countryside.
To make the most of the region while still managing a relaxing, fun holiday, we chose a laidback, rural hotel away from town centres where we could enjoy pool days but have historical hot spots at our fingertips. Without a hub to relax, it can feel like youre always on the move.
We lucked out with Artemisia Resort, a pretty, serene agroturismo hotel made up of cottages arranged around an 1800s Sicilian farmhouse.
We arrived just before sunset and were checked in and relaxing with a glass of wine on the sun-warmed terrace in less than five minutes.
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Less than five minutes after that, my nine-year-old son had darted out the door to play hopscotch and table tennis with some Maltese pals he had already met from the cottage next door.
It was about as smooth a transition from Londons bustle to an idyllic rural retreat as you could hope for.
The beautiful eco-hotel, set in a pretty courtyard within acres of grounds, is perfectly placed for the combination of lazy pool days and short trips to Sicilys most beautiful towns.
Its 15 minutes to Ragusa, 20 minutes to Modica, 30 to Scicli. Noto is a little further, an hour away, but well worth spending a day there – so set out early and make a day of it.
Similarly, Ortigia, 1hr 30m from Artemisia – an island that merits the journey (more on Ortigia below).
Artemisia has well-executed rustic charm. Flowers in abundance, colourful dragonflies flitting over lily pads on a mosaic pond, swings hanging from trees, ping pong, table football, quoits, family bikes to explore the countryside.
A pool – peaceful and almost empty during the day, even in August – surrounded by Instagrammable painted walls, flowers and palms. A barbecue area for nights in that the staff will light for you, as well as lay the table and clear up afterwards.
Breakfast is included, served inside or on the pretty outdoor terrace overlooking the grounds and has a km0 ethos, meaning that the food has zero food miles.
We had traditional homemade cake, local cheeses, coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast, but you could find too local cold meats, eggs and fruit from local farms, pastries, biscuits, and jams typical to Ragusa.
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Depending on the season, youll be served oranges, figs, prickly pears, blackberries, peaches, almonds, walnuts, pomegranates harvested in the Artemisia gardens.
There is no restaurant for dinner, but guests can order from a long list of local restaurants who will deliver lovely food – think fresh burrata with olive oil and basil, handmade pasta, steak – to your farmhouse.
Its like having a gourmet version of Deliveroo on speed-dial in rural Sicily.
The staff come before the food does to set up a table cloth, wine glasses, candles and cutlery on the terrace as the sun goes down.
The idea of being able to eat restaurant food at our place without having to spend hours with a child in a restaurant is one of the biggest selling points of this hotel – it really does get family holidays right, but would be just as charming for a couple or group of friends.
The days we did go out, we drove to local towns for walks and dinner, to the sensational towns of Modica, Ragusa and Scicli, perched high on hills and carved into rock.
Everything about these towns is a feast for the eyes. Perfectly preserved picturesque towns with ornate buildings and churches that are artworks themselves.
Another handy aspect of this part of Sicily: You are immersed in beauty and history at every turn – meaning you neednt go in anywhere. If you are with children who think queuing, tickets and tours are a bore, this is a huge bonus.
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Surrounded on all sides by culture, they (and you) can soak it all in while sitting in the sun with a gelato. Its the perfect compromise.
We would set off before sunset and arrive at these beautiful Baroque towns, set into the cliff side and glowing pink in the dusk, at the golden hour. It was always easy to find somewhere spectacular to eat – often in the main square, in the shadow of the cathedral.
Most diners come out at around 9, so we would have our meal at 7.30, with the pick of the tables in town – bowls of fresh pasta, grilled squid and white wine – and be on our gelato hunt by the time restaurants got busy.
In Scicli we found Scicilli Street Food, an unassuming kiosk with a couple of tables in a side alley.
For a handful of euros we ate spectacular calamari followed by a very local speciality – deep fried pizza dough dipped in chocolate sauce. Sicilys answer to churros and worth the visit for these alone, but the town itself is magnificent too.
If its too hot to tour by day, in the last hour of daylight you can fit in a quick walking tour that takes in the caves – dwellings in the rock faces that were inhabited by the towns poor as recently as 1958 – and the main Baroque sights, lining the charming pedestrianised streets and seeming to glow pink as the sun sets. The town itself is sensational – visit it before it gets dark so you can appreciate it in full.
