Places to see in ( Scicli - Italy )
Places to see in ( Scicli - Italy )
Scicli is one of the UNESCO-listed Baroque towns of south-east Sicily, but it is rather off-the-beaten-track compared with its more visited neighbours Noto, Ragusa and Modica. This overlooked town has a scenic location and charm that at least matches its rivals, though, along with an enjoyable sense of discovery for the visitors who explore its streets. It does have an up-and-coming feel about it, so future visitors may find more tourist development, though hopefully that will not detract from its pleasant aura of exclusivity.
Scicli shares its architectural heritage with other towns in the area, but it also has some unique attractions of its own, including a neatly-kept centre, fine clean stonework, and a dramatic situation in a basin overhung by churches and monasteries on high crags.
Scicli is one of the filming locations for popular Sicilian detective drama Il Commissario Montalbano, which is exported to several other countries, and viewers will enjoy spotting familiar scenes.
Scicli is an ancient town, which grew up around two valleys divided by steep ridges, emerging onto a wider vale. Early settlements were up on the ridges - the town's principal church, San Matteo, sat on a commanding position overlooking the smaller valleys as they opened into a wider vale. Around the church, on the slopes, were clustered cave-dwellings. Over time, as the defensive functions of the site grew less important, the town shifted down the hillside and nowadays the inhabited area fills the wide level vale like a grey flood of buildings below the old church on its headland. By the 1950s the final residents of the cave-settlement were rehoused in social housing at the far end of town, and the upper slopes were abandoned, along with San Matteo.
Some of Scicli's history may sound familiar to those who've visited Italy's most famous cave-dwelling site, Matera in Basilicata. Scicli has some of the same appeal - but without the effective, sensitive redevelopment which has made Matera a tourist attraction. Here in Scicli, the caves still lie overgrown. Down by the road, a partially done-up cave with a front door and windows had a fading 'for sale' sign in the window. At the time we visited, attempts to develop the cave-dwelling area as an archaeological site seemed to have stalled. This is a town ripe for discovery and investment... though its Sicilian location may be hampering progress.
The heart of Scicli, and the part of interest to tourists, still lies around the foot of the dramatic ridge dominated by the church of San Matteo, though the church, like the cave houses, now lies abandoned. On either side of the ridge lie the valleys of Santa Maria la Nova and San Bartolomeo, each containing the grand churches for which they are named. Beyond these valleys are other steep ridges crowned with religious complexes. Directly in front of San Matteo are the main streets and squares of the town.
Piazza Italia is the business-like heart of Scicli; a long square lined with (mostly) elegant palaces, with cars cruising by, locals stopping to chat and old men trading information and fresh produce. A pedestrianised strip runs down the centre of the square, where there are benches and a childrens' playground, and intercity buses stop at the bottom.
One of the oldest districts of Scicli, the abandoned cave settlement of Chiafura lies on the slopes of this ridge, accessible from a path close to the ruined fort. When we visited this footpath was overgrown, though a noticeboard proclaimed that EU funds had been spent on establishing a percorso archeologico, an archaeological route. The relevant monies having evidently vanished, attempts to maintain the path had been abandoned. Since this is such an obvious heritage attraction, perhaps future visitors will find improvements. From the ridge, winding green walled paths lead down and along the craggy slope, lined with cave dwellings; some mere entrances and others built outwards into semi-cottages, a couple of which were heavily restored. Although too overgrown for easy exploration when we visited, it Would be lovely to tour this area if it were slightly better-kept. Another access path, signposted, at the foot of the slope, in the San Bartolomeo valley, shows where some of the EU money went: a stairlift and big locked gates to bar access.
( Scicli - Italy ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Scicli . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Scicli - Italy
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