Overview

We take you to the municipality of Scicli, a town of around 26 thousand inhabitants, in the province of Ragusa, Sicily.

History

Between the hills of San Matteo, the Croce and the Rosario, Scicli was founded. Its name comes from the Arabic 'sikla', meaning a milking receptacle, or from siclis, siculi. The first human inhabitation dates back to the Copper Age, then traces of Greek settlements were found, the Carthaginians, until the arrival of the Romans in the 3rd century B.C., who made Scicli a decuman city, and finally the Byzantines in the 7th century A.D. With the arrival of the Arabs, the town was strengthened, and experienced its first golden age. The Arab domination continued until the end of the 11th century when the Normans took control. They introduced the feudal system in Sicily, and ruled the island for around a century.

What to see

Among the streets of Scicli one can still admire the Sicilian Baroque art. From Piazza Busacca to Via Nazionale, by way of Via Mormino Penna, every nook and cranny is decorated with figured corbels and goose-breast railings, such as the Town Hall or Palazzo Beneventano, a source of inspiration for thousands of tourists and photographers. The 14th-century monumental church of San Giovanni Evangelista and the church of San Matteo, the symbol of the town, located on top of the hill of the same name from which a panoramic walk leads to the ruins of the ancient castle, are both well worth a visit.

The Sciclitano year is rich in events. It starts in February with the Carnaluvari ra Stratanova, the city event dedicated to carnival, held in the Stratanova district. This is followed by the traditional Teste di Turco (Turk's Heads) Festival, which celebrates the typical Sciclian cake, and is held on the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of the Militia, the town's patron saint, on the last Saturday in May. In summer, the Taranta Sicily Fest is staged amidst the music and rhythm of folk songs. Finally, another festival to mark in the calendar is that of the Cucciddatu Scaniatu - organised by the SS. Salvatore parish church for the celebrations of the saint - a typical oven-baked product, doughnut-shaped and made with flour, caciocavallo cheese, black pepper and sausage.

What to eat

Sciclian cuisine is unquestionably rich in flavours, as is Sicilian cookery. It is a perfect mix of sea and land specialities. Typical dishes include pasta with cabbage, ravioli or cavatelli al sugo, caturro, or Sicilian polenta, mpanate (clearly of Spanish origin, from empanadas), panzerotti made with chicken or turkey meat and baked potatoes, and scacce, a kind of stuffed pizza, typically with tomato, aubergine and onion.

Where to park

There is plenty of parking in the city, most of it free of charge.

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