Ragusa Ibla is famous all over the world for the stunning baroque churches and the awesome historical alleys. This place is regarded as one of the most relevant tourist attractions of Sicily and Italy. If you want to visit it, maybe also to buy a property for sale, follow my travel guide and you’ll discover how to enjoy a wonderful holiday in the likewise wonderful streets of Ragusa Ibla.
Tourist Information
Ragusa Ibla is located in the South East of Sicily and in the Southern side of the Iblei Mounts. That is the baroque heart of Ragusa. It is also the brightest symbol of the baroque architecture in Sicily. I visited several times this magical place. Just think that some years ago I attended two weddings celebrated in the magnificent San Giorgio Cathedral. That day, I was very touched and was about to faint when I saw the baroque columns which surrounded the newlyweds while they say Yes each other.
As a matter of fact, the San Giorgio cathedral dominates just the hill where Ragusa Ibla is. For the impressive and unique architectural style, in 2002 Ragusa has been included in the Unesco World heritage list. The city became very famous in the world thanks to Inspector Montalbano movie series. If you are a fan of Inspector Montalbano, you’ll see the alleys and the landscape of Vigata while you are visiting Ragusa Ibla.
Starting from the square of the cathedral and from the club in Pola Square (Circolo della Conversazione), you’ll discover the most hidden and charming places you saw in the Television, namely the rich architecture in limestone, the shapes of the vaults, the columns, the statues and any kind of decoration.
What to see in Ragusa Ibla
The first thing you must see is the wonderful square dominated by the San Giorgio Cathedral with the magnificent staircase. The site of the cathedral is the heart of Ibla. This place is surrounded by many noble palaces. The most important one is Arezzi Palace. Another monument I advise that you visit is the church of Santa Maria del Gesù, built in 1636 and with a convent, alongside.
The most ancient zone of Ibla is the district of Saint Paul, where you can see the namesake church and some Sicilian graves. The district stretches along a channel. Over it, there are San Bartolomeo Church, Carmine Church, and the church of Santa Maria delle Scale, towering on the entire city of Ragusa. I talked about the city in a previous post, but that was dedicated to the whole province of Ragusa, also including Scicli and Modica. Here, instead, the true protagonist of your travel is Ragusa Ibla. It is really worth to visit this ancient zone of Ragusa, to dip into a maze of stairs, look at the picturesque alleys and the ancient houses piled on the rocky slope.
Among these picturesque lanes you will be led to another epoch, in a place where time stopped in the early years of the past century. Another place you must visit is the Ibleo Garden, located just at the center of Ibla. Created in 1858 on a hill towering the mouth of Irminio river, the garden is surrounded by many tree rows, stone benches, engraved columns and a terrace where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Iblei Mounts.
You can follow this itinerary, on foot, in a day tour. After your tour, you’ll have lunch or dinner in one of the restaurants I listed in the paragraph Ragusa Ibla restaurants.
But, in the meanwhile, I want to provide you with further details to visit the San Giorgio cathedral.
San Giorgio Cathedral
The cathedral of San Giorgio was an ancient church that before the earthquake of 1693 was in the south east tip of Ragusa, near the current Garden of Ibla. There, can still see the old gothic style entrance. This entrance is the only ruin saved from the awful earthquake that destroyed the entire Noto Valley at the end of the 1600. As you know, even Ragusa is included in the large Sicilian territory of Noto Valley, along with Syracuse and Catania.
Well, in 1693, a sudden and strong earthquake destroyed and razed to the ground all of the cities of this stunning Sicilian valley. After the dreadful event, many cities and monuments were rebuilt with a baroque architectural style, among these ones, there is also San Giorgio Cathedral. Indeed, in the XVIII century, the San Giorgio Church was rebuilt in the current position, namely, the Duomo square. The features of the church mirror a late baroque style, with lateral marble columns supporting the central dome and marble statues depicting San Joseph and San Giorgio.
Furthermore, the dome and the vaults are depicted with stunning and religious decorations and sculptures, turning it into a wonderful gallery made with the artworks by eminent artists. Up to here, I talked about the interior of the cathedral, but you must observe the exterior, first. It is at the top of Duomo Square, in the highest point, as if the church was watching over the city of Ragusa Ibla. To reach the main entrance of the cathedral, you must stroll a magnificent staircase.
It is as if you climb on a high hill. At the end of your walk, you’ll arrive in front of a magnificent Church with a likewise magnificent external façade supported by massive lateral columns and split into three separated floors that shrink toward the sky and take the shape of a large and monumental baroque triangle.
For this impressive magnificence, the San Giorgio cathedral in Ragusa Ibla is regarded as the most important baroque monument of Sicily and Italy. Here are the opening hours to visit it: 10 – 12.30 AM (until 13 in Summer) and 4 – 7 PM. When I visited the cathedral, I paid no entrance fee. You must pay a ticket of 3 euros, instead, if you want to visit the ancient museum near the church. The museum contains the artifacts saved from the earthquake of 1693. This small museum is daily opened from May to September and in the weekend only, in winter.
Local markets
In Ragusa Ibla, in addition to visit churches and monuments, you can enjoy very interesting local markets to buy typical Sicilian products. Every Monday, in Sergente Scribano street, you can ride the local market of Ragusa. There, you’ ll find fresh fruits, vegetables, clothes and other products. On Wednesday, instead, in Selvaggio street, you can visit another large and well supplied local market. Furthermore, in Ragusa Ibla, you can attend delicious food festivals. One of these ones is named Scale del Gusto (The Stairs of Taste). That is a picturesque food festival that is held just among the baroque alleys of Ragusa Ibla, usually in October. The event lasts two days and is enriched with cooking lessons, food taste, concerts, galleries and guided tours to better discover the territory of Ragusa Ibla and its traditional recipes.
Ragusa Ibla Restaurants
If you visit Sicily, I guess you are also searching for information about the restaurants. Indeed, it is just at these facilities you can taste the best traditional Sicilian dishes.
Here is a list with the best restaurants of Ragusa Ibla.
That is a polished tavern /wine bar with a stunning view of the historical downtown of Ibla. Here, you can taste the traditional food of this baroque zone of Sicily and the best local wine (see the image above)
That is an elegant and tasteful restaurant in the heart of Ragusa Ibla, in XXV Aprile street. The restaurant offers you traditional Sicilian recipes seasoned in a modern way. From this modern mix, you’ll taste dishes with potatoes and the famous eggplant parmigiana.
This restaurant is on Orfanotrofio street. The main feature of this facility is that you’ll eat only traditional recipes of Ragusa Ibla, such as the delicious and famous schiacciata, homemade bread and pasta with ancient Sicilian flour and, obviously, delicious fish recipes.
Il Barocco
A few walks away from the San Giorgio Cathedral, you’ll find Il Barocco restaurant/pizzeria. Here you can have lunch after visiting the cathedral. This restaurant offers you only traditional recipes, especially the Sicilian pizza of Ibla.
In the Duomo square, you’ll find also the bars to taste ice-cream, delicious Sicilian cannoli and the best of Sicily pastry.
Hotels in Ragusa Ibla
This ancient Sicilian district offers really many hotels that make the search and the choice fairly hard. Among the others, some of them are very expensive because of the fame gained through the movie of Inspector Montalbano. In this baroque destination, you can book suites, hotels, B&B and resorts. The prices depend on the season and go from 30 euros per night in low season to over 100 euro per night in high season. I searched hotels in Ragusa Ibla with the best value for money, to allow you to find luxury accommodations with a small price.
Here is my list
San Giorgio Palace. That is an hotel boutique located just in the baroque district of Ibla. Thank to the favorable position, the hotels offer a stunning view of Santa Domenica Valley and of Ragusa Ibla. In front of your eyes , from your room, you can admire the view of Ibla by night. The hotel is also 15 km away from Modica and you can take advantage to visit this second wonderful baroque city during your vacation in Sicily. The averaged price is 50 euros per night.
Iblaresort Boutique Hotel. Placed in the heart of the historical district, the hotel enjoys a terrace overlooking the baroque downtown. The building is only five minutes of walk from the San Giorgio Cathedral. If you book this hotel, you can visit the cathedral on foot. The average price is 65 euros per night.
Hotel Il Barocco. This hotel is always five minutes away from the cathedral. Hence, you can also visit it on foot. The average price is 50 euros per night.
Locanda Don Serafino. That is really a luxury accommodation, but when I visited it I couldn’t help but mention it because this hotel is located not only in the heart of Ragusa Ibla, but in a stone grotto. The building was built in a XIX century palace and the reception is housed in the above mentioned stone grotto. The complete name of the hotel is Relais and Chateaux Locanda Don Serafino ( see the image above) and is always at a short distance from the famous San Giorgio Cathedral. The averaged price is 130 euros per night.
If you find these hotels booked, you can find other beautiful accommodations in Ragusa Ibla, here.
Ragusa Ibla map
In this post, I published the tourist map allowing you to better understand where Ragusa Ibla is.
It is very important to know that you can easily reach this baroque district from Catania or Comiso Airport. Through a car or a taxi, you’ll arrive to your hotel and then, you can follow the path of the map to visit Ibla also on foot. On this image, you’ll see only the main roads of Ragusa Ibla. This baroque district is located above the downhill of Santa Barbara. In this tourist map you’ll see also the district of San Paolo I mentioned in my post, and the market square.
The streets in Italian are said Via. Follow these streets to reach San Giorgio Cathedral and visit the baroque landscape you see in the images of the map. If you follow this map by car, you’ll find a free parking in Piazza della Repubblica and another near the Garden. The latter is just in the center of Ragusa Ibla. Since these free parking could be occupied by many cars, I strongly advise that you book a hotel near the surroundings of Ibla so that to enjoy your tour in this baroque district on foot and with no stress.
And you? Have you already visited this mesmerizing place? If you did or if you want to visit it, share your thoughts here. Your opinion will be greatly appreciated.
Photocredits in order of appearance:
Jamie Tarallo
Gianluca Carnicella
Stijn Nieuwendijk
Dom Fellowes
Ndegnu
Andrea Shaffer
www.giornaleibleo.it
Tuttocitta.it
Rosalba Mancuso is a freelance journalist born in Sicily. Passionate about her loved island and with extensive writing experience, Rosalba worked as a contributor to the main Sicily’s newspapers and as a bilingual Italian – English writer. Thanks to her skills, she also founded four websites in English. On Sicilyonweb, Rosalba tells every corner of her beloved Sicily. Furthermore, she writes this blog thanks to your help. Rosalba, in fact, earns a small commission, with no cost for you, when you book your travel or buy products through the affiliate widgets or links you find in her posts.
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