We left early Tuesday morning for the eastern part of the island, destination is Syracuse. We drove along SS115 the main road along the southern coast. The road also crosses a few towns, such as Gela and Cormiso. But we are heading to make a stop in Modica. Modica is divided into Modica Alta, and Modica Bassa (upper and lower, that is) We stopped at a viewpoint and that gives us a superb panorama of the city. Of course, as we drove along later, we learnt that Modica is not only that part we have kept photographing , but it stretched its territory out way far to new areas and became the “new” Modica.

Modica is known as the city with hundred churches. And from this view, we could see the 2 out of the others renowned baroque churches. San Giorgio in Modica Alta; the most important religious monuments of Sicily with a flight of 250 steps, and San Pietro in Modica Bassa, with big statues of the twelve apostles lined along both sides of the steps.

We didn’t stay long in Modica, for it was near midday while we were there. We continue our drive till our next stop, Noto; a city certainly different from the other ones.

After an earthquake struck in 1693, famous architects and designers rebuilt Noto 8 km south of the old one (the ancient Netum). This new Noto city is packed with Baroque style architectures built with honey-colored soft tufa stones, also, it was designed with a grid system. The city is presently listed as one of the World heritage sites.

We arrived Noto not long after midday, ever so quiet only with a few tourists like us walking around. We strolled along the main road Corso Vittorio Emanuele from the west end, where shops lined on both sides – most of them were closed though ! We reached the square with the Teatro, and opposite, with the convent San Domenico. From here, there are coffee shops and restaurants along both sides of the corso, as well as souvenir shops, which are; funny enough, opened!

I stood in front of the municipal hall (Palazzo Ducezio, built in 1746) facing cathedral San Nicolo. I imagined neither the tables and chairs nor the souvenir shops are there. I wanted to feel how the city originally was like with all these grandiose baroque buildings around, I closed my eyes and found myself as an ant crawling in a vast planet…. (Sicily Six -- Syracuse, the old and the new)