When I told my good friend, Luis, from Paris Boheme, that we were going to Sicily he said we must visit Scicli. He spent many happy summers there when he was a child. So we made a point of looking for Scicli when we left nearby Noto.
We had no idea what to expect and were enthralled from the moment we made a dramatic entrance into the steep ravine where Scicli sits basking in the sunshine.
We could see ancient cave dwellings dotted around the cliffs edges. There was nowhere to stop so I had to take photos from the car.
The town grew up around 2 valleys divided by steep ridges. The same earthquake that destroyed Noto in 1693 damaged Scicli, so it has some Baroque buildings too. I think the setting is much more interesting in Scicli and there were no crowds at all.
The buildings are impressive and there are several lovely piazzas, perfect for enjoying the spring weather. Our eyes were constantly drawn up to the huge buildings above the town.
There were pretty balconies.
I absolutely love the quirky decorations that appeared everywhere we went.
I was most amused by this rooftop…old and new together.
Luis told us of his favourite pasticceria, Giannone, the oldest and most famous in town. We arrived at lunch time and caught it just before it closed for siesta. We bought a very delicious selection of pastries.
In the park in the centre of town I was surprised to see a huge poinsettia plant. It is the official flower of Brisbane and this one was a long way from home.
With everything closed it was time for lunch. Tre Colli was recommend by some locals and the location offered great views over the centre of town.
Our lunch was delicious. The pasta sauce was very local, based on fava beans.
The town looked very impressive from above as we drove out.
Get yourselves to Scicli while it is still relatively unknown. There are plans to restore some of the cave dwellings. As well as that it is one of the film locations for Montalbano, so it is bound to become busier. We loved it…thank you Luis.
There are sandy beaches on the coast nearby, but we didn’t go there, we headed off to Ragusa, which will be the subject of the next post.
I so enjoyed this post Debra as I have been watching the Montalbano series lately and am fascinated to visit these towns where the show is filmed! My fall trip will definitely include Scicli! Thank you for the preview!!
By: margieinitaly on July 27, 2016
at 11:53 am
We loved Scicli and I’m sure you will too.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:51 pm
I am writing about Sicily these days and I can so relate. Debra, this is a fabulous post that took me to my trip to Scicli. Stay tuned 🙂
By: Ishita on July 28, 2016
at 4:44 am
I look forward to your take on Scicli.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 28, 2016
at 9:25 am
Great photos Debora!
Hope to get there one day soon!
By: Lyn Weston on July 27, 2016
at 12:23 pm
We will return one day for sure, and take a look at the beach.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:52 pm
Looks like my kind of place, Debra!
By: Sue on July 27, 2016
at 12:29 pm
It is a great place to explore.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:53 pm
Absolutely beautiful and amazing pics! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
By: Tony on July 27, 2016
at 12:37 pm
Scicli is stunning…so many interesting things to see.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:54 pm
What an amazing village tucked into the valley and hillside! Very impressive.
By: Kerry & Jim on July 27, 2016
at 1:06 pm
I wish we could have stopped on the way in to get more photos. It was incredible.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:54 pm
Yes….such a shame there aren’t more ‘truck bays’ to pull up and enjoy the scenery from.
By: Kerry & Jim on July 28, 2016
at 4:17 am
Will put it on my list next visit Gracie Debra.
By: Anonymous on July 27, 2016
at 3:16 pm
Not sure why I became anonymous Roz
By: Roz MacAllan on July 27, 2016
at 3:18 pm
Who knows why these things happen. Scicli is a must if you visit Sicily.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:55 pm
Looks like a good place to explore; especially the caves
By: Mallee Stanley on July 27, 2016
at 3:33 pm
We were only there for a few hours. I would love to go back and explore further.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:56 pm
It is a treasure of a small town for waljing and exploration.
By: Seattle ciclista on July 27, 2016
at 5:17 pm
It is full of treasures, we loved it.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:56 pm
Beautiful place! Added to the list….
By: Mulino Dominillo on July 27, 2016
at 6:46 pm
It’s great, you will love it.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:57 pm
Beautiful photos and another place in Sicily I want to visit! Next trip for sure!
By: Paula on July 27, 2016
at 8:46 pm
We were very pleased Luis suggested it.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 27, 2016
at 8:57 pm
I’ve said this so many times but I love how you bring us these towns that we have never been to or heard of before!
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on July 28, 2016
at 6:25 am
This was not on our original list of places to go in Sicily, but we are so glad we went there.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 28, 2016
at 9:24 am
This has been on my must do list for when I finally make it to Sicily.
By: paninigirl on July 29, 2016
at 2:52 pm
There is much to enjoy in Sicily.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 31, 2016
at 12:49 pm
Bello! I think Sicily might be one of those places you could never get to the end of exploring.
By: apollard on July 30, 2016
at 12:08 am
The possibilities are endless…like all of Italy.
By: Debra Kolkka on July 31, 2016
at 12:49 pm
Fabulous images, Debra. Love the gargoyles. 🙂
By: anotherday2paradise on August 5, 2016
at 5:49 pm
[…] Scicli was an unexpected delight. Our good friend Luis from Paris Boheme had suggested and and we were so glad he did. It is one of the Baroque towns in southern Sicily including Noto and Ragusa…Scicli was our favourite. […]
By: 2016 travels | Bagni di Lucca and Beyond on December 27, 2016
at 7:55 am
[…] […]
By: GOOD LUCK on February 5, 2017
at 7:18 am