Cava d’Ispica
Located in the southern province of Ragusa, the elegant and charming town of Ispica is situated 36 km away from the eponymous town. It is also situated on a hill 170m above sea level, with approximately 6 km proximity to the seaside. With 15 000 inhabitants, the town dominates the sea located less than 7 km away.
An archaeological and historical highlight, the town hosts the notorious Cava d’Ispica, an archaeological area sprinkled with important and various rupestral testimonials that sustain the continuity of civilizations from long ago, from Siculs to Greeks, from Romans to Byzantines, from Arabs to Normans.
The year of 1693 represented a turning point in the life of the town as an earthquake decimated the settlement which subsequently was recreated on the adjacent hill named Calandra. Prior to 1935, the settlement bore the name of Spaccaforno, until the institutionalization of a certain decree which consolidated the new (with ancient origins) name of Ispica.
The historic heart of the town preserves important edifices, such as Palazzo Alfieri, Palazzo Bruno di Belmonte, and Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Strolling on the Umberto Avenue one can witness the wonders of history. The avenue hosts the present Town Hall, which functions inside the Palazzo Bruno di Belmonte, which is rather a marvel than a construction. Project of Ernesto Basile, accomplished in 1910, the building is one of the most important Liberty examples of the entire Sicily.
The major archaeological objective, Cava d’Ispica (Cave of Ispica) gathers a collection of housing spaces carved into rock, which had actually been in use until the late years of the 19th century. The cave holds the highest importance of Eastern Sicily and its 13 km length reaches two other communes, Modica and Rosolini, this way enlarging the possibility of accessing it.
The town of Ispica is a rare example of unlisted UNESCO sites. Nevertheless it offers precious examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture, of which the greatest remains the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
In 2003, on 27th of October, the town of Ispica was officially united with the Romanian city of Slatina, an intercession initiated by the Town- Twinning 2001 Program.
Not only historic and cultural facts underlie Ispica’s calling for attention, but also the local cuisine. It is often the case when Sicily proves to be the heyday of Italian cuisine, and this specific town is not a stranger from this large picture. Especially during Easter and Christmas, the Ispicesi prepare traditional dishes that endlessly attract migrants, foremost food-minded ones.
Attach a heavenly mixture of golden sandy beaches and rocky cliffs and there you have it, picture perfect of your next quest.