Sicily, East, Modica
Situated in the south eastern of Sicily between Syracuse and Ragusa, Modica is a town that oozes opulence and culture . Situated in the Hyblaean Mountains, it has been inhabited since the 7th century BC and is now, along with Val di Noto, part of UNESCO Heritage Sites in Italy. Apart from the picturesque town which sprawls up the side of a valley, the Marina di Modica is blessed with beautiful beaches only 20km to the south. The TV series Commissario Montalbano was filmed there.
Description The town is divided in two sections: Modica Alta (upper Modica) and Modica Bassa (lower Modica) with buildings clinging over the two sides of the valley, making for a very picturesque townscape of narrow, tiny streets, squares and stairways, looking over the main street in between, the Corso Umberto ( once upon a time a river) which is the only flat street, where the Modica people shop and stroll. Modica has a predominantly baroque look resulting from the C18th reconstruction after an earthquake razed the old city, however, previously it was subject to conlonisations by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Normans. It is often known as the town of 100 churches and one cannot miss the magnificent and baroque Saint Georges Cathedral and the Saint Peter's Cathedral that embellished by its stairway with the statues of the twelve Apostles. Formerly a powerful county, incorporating most of Southern Sicily, Modica has a flourishing economy based mainly on agriculture and tourism. Cattle-breeding, olive, cereal and dairy farming are the most important activities. In addition it has a thriving chocolate industry which dates back 400 years and is still based on Aztec methods and recipes Apart from the architectural riches, Modica also boasts one of the best beaches of Sicily: Marina di Modica, absolutely splendid and relatively quiet outside August. In the immediate surroundings are places like Pozzallo, a town renowned for its sandy beaches, and Sampieri, a characteristic, old fishermen village, locations of the famous Commissario Montalbano series of books and movies (a character created by the Sicilian writer Andrea Camilleri).
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