Surroundings
Noto
Just 1km from the Baglio is the famous town of Noto, known as the 'Capital of Baroque'.
In 2002, its historic centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with other late baroque towns in the Val di Noto.
Inside the city you can admire a multitude of fine churches and palaces, but the Cathedral of San Nicolò, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, deserves special mention.
A national building since 1940, Noto Cathedral is the result of an eighteenth/nineteenth-century reconstruction in which the three greatest exponents of Noto Baroque participated: Rosario Gagliardi, Paolo Labisi and Vincenzo Sinatra.
Severely compromised by the collapse of the dome in March 1996, it was reopened for worship in 2007, after nine years of restoration.
Calabernardo
The seaside resorts of Noto Marina and Calabernardo, which have developed numerous tourist services and infrastructures in recent years, are within 5 km of the town.
The wide beaches of fine sand and the crystal clear sea make it one of the most beautiful coastlines in Italy.
Calamosche
A few kilometres beyond Noto Marina, in the direction of Pachino, is the renowned Calamosche Beach, which in 2005 was awarded the title of "Italy's most beautiful beach" by the Legambiente Blue Guide.
It is a sandy cove no more than 200m long, with a Caribbean sea that is always calm and crystal clear, thanks to the two headlands that enclose it, which block waves and currents.
Vendicari
A few kilometres further on, you can visit the Vendicari Reserve.
This fantastic oasis of flora and fauna is particularly famous for birdwatching: at certain times of the year, you can see an infinite variety of migratory birds that stop here to rest on their long journey from Africa to northern Europe.
The beach of the Vendicari Reserve is one of the wildest and most uncontaminated beaches in Sicily, awarded 4 Vele Blu by Legambiente.
In front of it is the islet of Vendicari, while looking north you can see the remains of the Antica Tonnara and the old fishermen's houses: a fascinating site of industrial archaeology that dominates the entire coastline.
Marzamemi
Continuing for another 5 km beyond the reserve, in the direction of Pachino, the small village of Marzamemi is certainly worth a visit.
Once the site of a large tuna fishery and tuna processing plants, in recent years it has become the liveliest and most popular summer nightspot in southern Sicily, with numerous nightclubs perfectly integrated into the picturesque alleyways of the old village and into what were once fishermen's houses.
Cavagrande
In the opposite direction to Vendicari, towards Syracuse, there is another jewel of south-eastern Sicily: the Riserva Naturale Orientata di Cavagrande del Cassibile and its lakes.
In this area, the Hyblaean Plateau takes on superb and spectacular aspects due to the presence of deep fractures called "caves" that deeply furrow its features. The most enchanting of them all is undoubtedly Cavagrande, now protected as a Nature Reserve with an extension of 2,760 hectares.
Embedded between the rocks of the Tavolato Ibleo, it opens out into an impressive canyon, with steep walls covered in dense vegetation, over 250m deep in some places.
Noto Antica
About 15km from the Baglio, towards the hilly area of San Corrado Fuori le Mura, past the stupendous Sanctuary of the Madonna della Scala, you can admire the Monte Alveria and the mighty 16th-century walls of Noto Antica.
The first human settlement dates back to the Castellucciana culture, i.e. the Ancient Bronze Age (18th - 15th centuries BC).
Before arriving at the 'Porta della Montagna', the entrance to the old town, you can stop and visit the Grotta del Carciofo, a Jewish catacomb with a seven-branched candelabrum, and the large Grotta dalle Cento Bocche, a Byzantine catacomb.
Once through the gateway to Noto Antica, on the right is a large room that was once the Hall of Arms below the stables, above which rises the castle with its Main Tower, built in 1431 by the Duke of Noto Don Pietro d'Aragona, feudal lord of the town and brother of King Alfonso V the Magnanimous.
Under the Castle you can visit a Christian-Byzantine catacomb (6th - 7th century) with arcosoli, dug into the rock; followed, again on the right, by the Greek-Classical tomb dug under the Castle.
At the top of the climb you can see the Carosello Valley, where the Asinaro river has its source, at the bottom of which are the famous Tanneries of the skins dug by the Arabs, immersed in a scenery of beautiful lakes, in whose uncontaminated waters you can find relief in the hot Sicilian summers.
Proceeding inside Noto Antica, we come to the palace of the Barons of Belludia with its numerous rooms on the right, while on the left we can see the pillars of the Jesuit Church and the ruins of the Jesuit College.
A pleasant walk then leads to Piazza Maggiore, the heart of the 16th-century town. From here, proceeding to the left, we come to the Hellenistic-Hieronian Gymnasium (3rd century B.C.), where young people from Neto practised gymnastic activities.
Finocchito Necropolis
At about 7km from the Baglio, along the SP "Noto - Testa dell'Acqua" road, you will pass a fine viewpoint over the Cava San Giuseppe, from which you can admire Monte Alveria with the ruins of Noto Antica. Continuing on, you come to the junction with the SP 'Testa dell'Acqua - Renna - Torresena', which descends towards Monte Renna in the Tellaro valley.
Taking the latter road, we come to a state-owned reforestation area and a small dirt road on the left, which leads to Monte Finocchito, considered one of the most important Hyblean reliefs in the province of Syracuse.
It is in fact a naturalistic and archaeological area of great interest: the finds from the late Neolithic pre-Sicilian period represent a unique heritage, as they give us evidence of the very first Greeks who landed in south-eastern Sicily, before the great colonisation of the following centuries.
On the steep walls of Monte Finocchito is the Necropolis of Finocchito, dating from the Sicilian period (600 BC), characterised by artificial caves and numerous niches in the inner walls, where the dead were buried.
In this important archaeological site various archaeological artefacts of considerable value were found, such as pottery, arrowheads in stone and bone, and metal jewellery, now on display in the beautiful Paolo Orsi Museum in Syracuse.
On the summit of Monte Finocchito, however, stood an ancient Sicilian village, of which today only the ruins of the massive perimeter fortification of the settlement remain, considered to be the oldest in all of Sicily.
Inside, there are a few remains, such as the ancient cart-tracks, that suggest the existence of a real town with stone houses: a clear example of a culture that went from semi-nomadic to settled. This Sicilian village is contemporary with the city of 'Hybla', the ruins of which are located in Pantalica, between the present territories of Sortino and Ferla.
Ddieri of Baulì
About 25 km from the Baglio, near the mountain hamlet of Rigolizia, are the wonderful Ddieri of Baulì, still little known.
The area is a Site of Community Importance (S.I.C.) not subject to protection, but subject only to certain legislative constraints.
It is an extraordinary complex of intricate cave dwellings on several levels, interconnected by tunnels dug into the friable rock of the quarry by a Byzantine community that came to live here, leading an ascetic life in harmony with nature.
During the Arab invasion, the Ddieri were held under siege by the Islamic army, which, having driven out the Byzantines, settled in the caves, making them a perfect military refuge. Later, with the Norman conquest of Sicily, the Muslims took refuge in the Ddieri and resisted the siege for a long time before surrendering.
Later, after the unification of Italy, the Ddieri became the hideout of a band of brigands opposed to the union of Sicily with the Kingdom of Italy; among them was the famous brigand Giovanni Boncoraggio.
Syracuse
The city of Syracuse is just 32km away from our hotel and can be reached in just 20 minutes by motorway. Situated on the south-eastern coast of the island, Syracuse has a history stretching back thousands of years.
It became the principal polis of Greek Sicily and a major metropolis in the classical period, competing with Athens for power and wealth, and playing a fundamental role in the development of culture in the ancient world.
It was the birthplace of great artists and philosophers, giving birth to what has been described as the greatest scientist of antiquity: Archimedes; and it was the destination of influential personalities of Ancient Greece: among them the Athenian philosopher Plato, who in his famous travels chose Syracuse to implement the model of his ideal state.
It was conquered by Ancient Rome in 212 BC and again in the 1st century BC. Cicero described it as 'the greatest and most beautiful Greek city'. An important centre of the Byzantine Empire, it became its capital in the 6th century, while the Arab conquest in 878 marked the end of its hegemony.
The city of Syracuse, characterised by a wealth of history, architecture and landscape, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
One of the most fascinating and popular tourist itineraries is undoubtedly the archaeological one, with the Greek Theatre and the Neapolis park as the main attractions.
Just how extraordinary the theatre of Syracuse was considered even in antiquity is shown by the fact that it is one of the very few Greek theatres for which historical sources record the name of the architect: Damocopo, known as Myrilla. However, its present appearance, which places it among the greatest theatres of the Greek world, is due to Hieron II, who ordered its radical reconstruction in the 3rd century BC.
The Neapolis Archaeological Park, located in the north-western part of today's city, occupies an area of approximately 240,000 square metres, and is an extraordinary testimony to the history of Ancient Syracuse: the result of a long and difficult preservation project in the 1950s, it contains not only the most monumental part of the city, but also a dense series of testimonies from various periods, from the Protohistoric to the Late Antique and Byzantine Ages.
A veritable open-air museum, it covers a wide swathe of the southern slopes of the Pipoli Plateau, finding its focal point on a rise known as Colle Temenite.
Syracuse also has an important architectural and military heritage. First, at the behest of Dionysius I, the Euryalus Castle was built in what is now the hamlet of Belvedere: a mighty military construction that even Archimedes was involved in, as Plutarch reports.
The castle was the junction of the vast city walls that surrounded the city, also dating from the Dionysian period; considerable sections of the walls and some of the southern and northern gates are still visible.
In the first half of the 13th century, the Maniace Castle was built, designed by Frederick II of Swabia in the Gothic style: used as a prison and to combat pirate raids, it played an important role in the city's military life.
Palazzolo Acreide
The baroque town of Palazzolo Acreide, a city with Greek roots, situated in the Monti Iblei and not far from the Necropolis of Pantalica, is 30 km from the Baglio.
In 2002 it was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with seven other towns in the Val di Noto. The town is also part of the circuit of the"Most Beautiful Villages in Italy".
There are countless churches and Baroque monuments to visit, although particular attention should be paid to the Greek Theatre, often attributed to Hieron II, although it dates from between the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC.
Unlike that of Syracuse, this theatre is not excavated in the rock by removal, but instead lies on a natural slope; moreover, it is directly connected by a tunnel to the agora of the city and to the bouleuterion.
Not far from Palazzolo Acreide is the Anapo Valley, crossed by the river of the same name: one of the highest syntheses of environmental, landscape, archaeological and cultural values.
Pantalica Necropolis
In this area, with its rich and varied flora and fauna, lies the Necropolis of Pantalica, the site, according to some scholars, of the ancient Hybla of the Siculs. It is the largest necropolis in the Mediterranean, with its 5,000 tombs in artificial caves.
In 2005, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The discovery of this area is due to the passionate research work carried out by Paolo Orsi and later by Bernabò Brea, two of the most distinguished masters of world archaeology.
The necropolis is located in an extremely evocative position: bordered by the two large quarries along which the Anapo and Calcinara rivers flow.
Modica
Just half an hour's drive from the Baglio, along the SS115 in the direction of Gela, you can reach the town of Modica, included in 2002, along with seven other towns in the Val di Noto, in the UNESCO World Heritage List for its historic centre, rich in Baroque architecture.
There are countless historic buildings and churches to visit, but the Cathedral of San Giorgio, often referred to as a monument symbolic of Sicilian Baroque, typical of this part of Italy, deserves special attention. The church of San Giorgio, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is the result of 17th/18th-century reconstruction following the disastrous earthquakes that struck Modica in 1542, 1613 and 1693.
Also worth mentioning is the home of Salvatore Quasimodo, where the poet was born on 20th August 1901. Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1959, Quasimodo lived in this house for only the first 14 months. The house can be visited and the room where the poet was born contains a wrought-iron bed, a kneeler, a bedside table and other furniture and fittings from the early 20th century.
Scicli
Scicli is a monumental Baroque town, shaped like an exquisite living nativity scene.
In 2002, its historic centre was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with seven other towns in the Val di Noto.
Via Mormino Penna, with its numerous 18th-century buildings and the Palazzo Beneventano, is a masterpiece of human artistic genius from the late Baroque era. Scicli is also the birthplace of the writer Elio Vittorini, as well as having become the film set for the successful television drama "Il Commissario Montalbano" (the town hall is the location of the Vigata police station in the famous series).
Ragusa Ibla
The city of Ragusa is 50 km from Baglio.
In 1693, a devastating earthquake caused the almost total destruction of the entire city, claiming more than 5,000 victims. The reconstruction, which took place in the 18th century, divided the city into two large districts: Ragusa Superiore, located on the plateau, and Ragusa Ibla, built on the ruins of the ancient city and rebuilt according to the ancient medieval plan.
The architectural masterpieces built after the earthquake, along with those in seven other towns in the Val di Noto, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
Ragusa is one of the most important places for the presence of Baroque art.
Most of the artistic heritage, with the exception of the Cathedral of St John the Baptist and a few eighteenth-century buildings, is to be found in the old quarter of Ibla: the Ragusa Ibla district alone contains over 50 churches, most of them in the late Baroque style.
Piazza Pola is the headquarters of the Montelusa police station in the TV series 'Il Commissario Montalbano'.
Montalbano Places
A day at Montalbano's places can start with a swim in Marinella, where Montalbano lives in a house by the sea with a large veranda, on which he often dines with his guests.
In reality, Marinella coincides with Punta Secca, a hamlet of Santa Croce Camerina, and Montalbano's house is right there by the sea.
The Villas and Masserie of the Iblei and the Castle of Donnafugata
In all the episodes of the Montalbano seriesthe villas and farms of the Iblei, home to landowners or rich bourgeoisie, dominate unchallenged. They are sober residences, opening onto the countryside in the bare landscape of the highlands, surrounded by dry stone walls.
Sironi chose the most beautiful neoclassical and neo-Gothic buildings for the settings of "Il Commissario Montalbano": Villa Denaro Papa, Villa Veninata and, of course, the Castello di Donna Fugata, the most sumptuous country residence in the Iblei, which was also the set of Luchino Visconti's film "Il Gattopardo".
Eclectic architecture mixes the neo-Gothic style of the loggias with the neo-Egyptian style of the sculptures and the neo-classical echoes of the Coffee House, set in a lush park. It is here that the horse race of the penultimate episode of Montalbano's new series, entitled "La pista di sabbia", takes place.
