Modica

Modica tumbles dramatically down the sides of a deep valley in southeastern Sicily, its houses, churches and palazzi seemingly stacked one above another. Much of the city was rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1693, creating one of the great expressions of Sicilian Baroque architecture and earning Modica a place among the UNESCO-listed towns of the Val di Noto. Monumental staircases lead to extravagantly sculpted churches such as San Giorgio, while narrow lanes, stone houses and hidden courtyards make the city feel considerably more intimate once you leave the grand façades behind. The warm local stone turns almost golden towards sunset, which does much of the decorative work without requiring an architect.

Food is fundamental to Modica’s identity, and chocolate provides its most distinctive obsession. Cioccolato di Modica is still produced using a grainy, low-temperature method traditionally linked to techniques introduced during Spanish rule, creating something quite different from conventional European chocolate. Beyond cacao, the surrounding countryside provides almonds, carob, olives, cheeses and exceptional vegetables, while nearby Ragusa is one of Sicily’s most interesting gastronomic territories. Nero d’Avola and Cerasuolo di Vittoria connect Modica with southeastern Sicily’s wine culture, and serious restaurants sit alongside pastry shops, old food stores and wonderfully straightforward trattorias.

Modica’s most interesting hotels make use of the architecture already here. Restored palazzi, stone houses, former farm estates and intimate guesthouses turn vaulted rooms, old courtyards and extraordinary valley views into something that needs little embellishment. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where architecture, food, craftsmanship and Sicilian history come together—hotels that make Modica worth staying in rather than simply visiting for Baroque churches and leaving with considerably more chocolate than intended.