3 Best Sights in Modica, Sicily

Chiesa di San Giorgio

Fodor's choice
This lovely Baroque church in Modica Alta, dating from after the 1693 earthquake, is reached by climbing 250 steps that crisscross in a monumental staircase leading up to the main doors. It's worth the effort for the amazing views over the old town.

Cattedrale di San Pietro

Statues of the apostles line the staircase of Modica's cathedral, which was originally constructed in the 14th century, then rebuilt in an impressive Baroque style following its destruction in the 1693 earthquake.

Museo del Cioccolato di Modica

There is an abundance of choice when it comes to indulgent desserts in Sicily, but the chocolate of Modica—cooked at a low temperature and possessed of a distinctive granular texture—is prized above all others. It feels only natural, then, to find a museum in the center of the old town dedicated to the local sweet. The small exhibits (with English translations) follow the history of chocolate in general, before describing the way cacao beans first arrived in Modica, and how they were traditionally processed by being ground on a board made of volcanic stone. There is also an eccentric collection of sculptures and celebrity portraits made entirely of chocolate.

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