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With an official announcement on July 31, 2024, the Territorial Office for Siracusa of the Regional Department of Agriculture and Forestry announced the reopening to visitors of the "Scala Cruci" trail in the Cavagrande del Cassibile Nature Reserve, starting from August 3, 2024, when the official inauguration will take place at 10:00 AM in the presence of the authorities.
At the same time, it was announced that starting from August 5, 2024, the new entrance ticket to the nature reserve will come into effect with the following rates:
- Full ticket: € 2
- Reduced ticket: € 1 (law enforcement members, environmental associations, students, and scouts)
- Free ticket: for children under 8, disabled persons with a companion, and individuals authorized by the managing authority
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With a notice published on the official website of the Pantalica and Anapo Valley reserve, the regional department of rural and territorial development, who manages the naturalistic area, has communicated the new rules for access to Pantalica from the Ferla side, which will be in effect from July 15, 2024.
In recent months, along the SP11 road which allowed access to the plateau, the "Cugniarelli" access gate has been created. Starting from July 15, 2024, access is forbidden to all vehicles (cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, etc.) that previously could reach and park in the area of the Filiporto necropolis, near the anaktoron (the so-called Prince's Palace) or at the descent to the Calcinara stream. A minibus service will be active from the checkpoint to Pantalica. We are awaiting more details on the service and timetable.
Access with the aforementioned vehicles will only be possible through prior written authorization, which must be requested well in advance and justified by email to
The entrance gate will be closed during evening and night hours (in summer at 8:00 pm). For more information and clarifications, you need to contact the responsible authority directly.
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It has been announced that an entrance ticket will soon be introduced (probably starting from Monday, July 8, 2024) for some of the major monumental churches in Modica.
The churches that will see the introduction of the entrance ticket are:
- The Church of St. Peter: one of Modica's two mother churches, characterized by the statues of the apostles along the monumental access staircase. For the summer of 2024, it will be open from 10 am to 6 pm but, probably, in August also until the evening.
- The Church of St. Mary of Betlehem: containing a beautiful historical nativity scene and the so-called "Cabrera Chapel". Opening hours from 10 am to 6 pm.
- The Church Carmine church, distinguished by a characteristic rose window on the facade. Opening hours from 10 am to 6 pm
- The Church of St. John, located in the upper part of the city of Modica. Opening hours from 10 am to 6 pm
The expected cost of entrance tickets for each of these churches will be:
- €2.50 per person for each church. For groups of 10 to 30 people, €2 per person (children 11-14 years reduced €1). For groups with more than 30 people, flat rate of €50
- €6.00 per person. Cumulative ticket for the 4 churches. €4 per person, cumulative for groups of more than 30 people
- Free admission for residents, disabled persons and their companions, clergy, and tour guides.
Visiting Modica with a guide
Are you visiting southeastern Sicily and looking for a guide in Modica for your group/company/family? The professional guides at Hermes Sicily Tours offer various itineraries to discover the "city of a hundred churches", from the classic private tour of the historic center of Modica that covers the main monumental churches, UNESCO heritage, to experiential tours for small groups to discover the secrets of Modican chocolate. Contact us by email at
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After several years of closure, one of the oldest sites of underground Ortigia reopens to the public. It is the Artemision, the Ionian temple of Syracuse dedicated to Artemis, the great goddess of the hunt. This temple was located at the highest point of the island of Ortigia, in the area that today corresponds to Piazza Duomo and stood next to the other great temple in the same area, the Athenaion, the temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, on which the cathedral of Syracuse was later built. While the remains of the Athenaion are still visible today from the square and the nearby Via Minerva, from which it is possible to admire the mighty Doric columns incorporated into the cathedral's walls, the same is not true for the Artemision.
The Ionian temple is located below Palazzo Vermexio, the current seat of the municipal building of Syracuse, and was discovered by archaeologist Paolo Orsi in 1910. A few years ago, a new architectural arrangement by Vincenzo Latina allowed the use of the basement and at the same time the view of the columns of the nearby Doric temple thanks to a specially designed pavilion. Then came the long closure, which will end on May 26, 2024, with the reopening to the public.
Underneath Palazzo Vermexio, you can admire the foundations of the temple and various other testimonies of ancient Syracuse. Artemis was one of the most beloved deities in the Corinthian colony and is closely connected to Syracuse in its most famous myth, that of Alpheus and Arethusa. Although Syracuse was founded by Dorian settlers, this slender and elegant temple was commissioned with elegant Ionian-style capitals.
The management of the monument is entrusted to Civita, and the site will be open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm with entrance from Via Minerva n.4. The admission fee for adults will be €5, with a reduction to €3 for several categories, €2 for residents and students, and free admission for disabled persons, tour guides, journalists, and accompanying teachers. The admission ticket also includes an audio guide in Italian and English. For more information, you can contact Civita at +39 335 7304378.
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photo credits: S.Leggio/Clicksfromsicily.com
