Travel Guide
These 4 Fairytale Towns In Italy Have Cheaper Prices & Authentic Culture
May
Home to iconic landmarks like the Roman Colosseum, the floating city of Venice, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy is probably at the top of your list if you’re flying across the pond in the next few months.
Just beware: that idyllic version of Positano your favorite Instagrammer sold you may not exactly apply, unless you’re up for getting out of bed at 5 in the morning, only to avoid the late-morning crowds, and you don’t exactly mind paying upwards of $200 per night on accommodation.
Fairytale summers don’t usually come cheap, but they can, if you’re open to going off the beaten path.
Located in a hilly valley in southern Sicily, these 4 small towns offer cheaper prices, Old World charm, and a lot more authenticity than the average tourist trap—and lucky for Americans, getting there this year has got a heck of a lot easier:
Ragusa
One of the landmark Baroque towns that make up the UNESCO-protected Province of Noto, Ragusa is an ancient queen risen from the ashes again following a devastating 17th-century earthquake, and what a glorious sight it is.
Bestriding a rugged hill in southeastern Sicily, it is split in two: Ragusa Ibla (the Old Town), a typically Italian maze of cobbled streets bordered by centuries-old stone houses, and Ragusa Superiore, the newer town (still fairly old by American standards).
A deep ravine sunders them, and walking the scenic bridges connecting both sides, you’ll find a plethora of richly decorated churches, a majestic Duomo sitting at the top of a grand set of stairs, and charming piazzas home to cafe terraces and artisan shops.
The best part is, Ragusa is nowhere as crowded as other Sicilian hotspots like Taormina or Cefalù, and as a result, local pricing is much more reasonable:
Ordering some pasta alla norma in a local restaurant will cost you $9–12, while 2 scoops of Italian gelato is around $2.50–3.50.
A single room in Ragusa Ibla will set you back by $53 per night in the peak of summer (La Corte di Ibla), and if you fancy treating yourself a little, overnights at a ‘matrimonial’ chamber with town views, at the 3-star Le Scale Sul Barocco are priced $78.
Modica
A short 24-minute drive from Ragusa, Modica shares many similarities with the former, most notably its Baroque townscape, which dates back to the post-earthquake reconstruction of 1693.
As part of the hilly Val di Noto, it is essentially carved into hillsides, with homes distributed in rows up and down the elevations, and connected by a series of staircases—getting to the very top is quite the workout, but you don’t want to miss out on this:
Towering above the timeless settlement, the sandstone Duomo di San Giorgio features an imposing front tower, looming over a flight of 250 steps, and its main attraction is the sundial pavement, best seen at noon, when the sunlight hits the meridian live carved into the church floor.
Modica is also famous for its rich chocolate-making heritage, and for all the culture buffs out there, you might be surprised that the Aztecs have something to do with it. Yes, Mexico‘s Aztecs:
The town’s special chocolate is made using an ancient Aztec method brought by the Spanish in the 16th century: instead of the usual melting techniques, the cocoa is cold-pressed, resulting in a gritty, richer texture. It is flavored with various condiments, from cinnamon to chili to orange to sea salt.
Founded in 1880, Antica Dolceria Bonajuto is the oldest chocolate shop in Sicily. It sells the famous Modica bars for as little as $5.
Speaking of food, you’ll be surprised by how affordable it is to eat out in Modica: for a quick snack, there are plenty of bakeries selling arancini (fried rice balls) for a standard $2.50, whereas a more elaborate meal in a restaurant (think rabbit stew and some wine), ranges from $12–18.
You shouldn’t be in a hurry to leave Modica, either, especially if you’re on a tight budget: a night at a B&B with Old town views (La Terrazza dell’Itria) costs $49, and even a 4-star hotel is inexpensive by Sicily standards, with Hotel Principe d’Aragona priced $80 per night.
Scicli
One of Val di Noto‘s hidden gems, Scicli is, once again, a Baroque gem boasting authentic culture, ancient history of the kind you wouldn’t exactly find easily in our neck of the woods across the pond, and breathtaking valley views.
Unlike the other towns listed previously, Scicli is set at the bottom of the valley, not on its hills. It’s a little more out-of-the-way, offering an even more tranquil, less-touristy experience than Ragusa or Modica.
You’d be coming here primarily for the stunning UNESCO-listed buildings, most notably Chiesa di Santa Teresa, with its iconic staircase, Palazzo Beneventano, a monumental palace often regarded as one of the centerpieces of Sicilian Baroque, and the labyrinthine Old Town itself.
All around Scicli, dramatic limestone cliffs rise above the evened-out sea of sloping, tiled roofs. At the highest hill, with its pieces clinging to it as a testament to the town’s former military importance, there’s Castrum Magnum, a dramatic Norman keep.
Of course, no visit to Scicli is complete without sampling the local cuisine, considering its status as an agritourism capital of Sicily:
Check out Colle del Sole for their extensive multi-course menus, including antipasti, pasta, meat dishes, a variety of desserts, homegrown wine and limoncello, starting from $20 per person, or if it’s a quick bite to eat you’re after, piadinas (flatbread sandwiches) average $3.39 in most panicotecas.
If you’re staying the night in Scicli, the best value is found in Casa di Hilde, a privately managed guesthouse in a historic building ($76-a-night). However, if you’re seeking a more exclusive experience nearer the ocean yet within short driving distance of town, Villa Giummarito has rooms starting from $96.
Noto
The crown jewel of the province and the town it is named after, Noto is remarked as Sicily’s capital of Baroque due to the meticulous care it took during its reconstruction after the aforementioned natural disaster and the sheer grandiosity of its monuments.
It’s no wonder it’s called ‘The Stone Garden’, with all of the buildings and churches that make up its historic center having been carved out of stone: one such example is the Noto Cathedral, which in classic Val di Noto fashion, sits at the top of a staircase and woos tourists with its impressive facade.
As a matter of fact, you might recognize Noto Cathedral from your favorite dramedy series of recent years: you’re not imagining things, you have seen it before on White Lotus.
Other landmark structures to be found as you explore the winding streets include Palazzo Nicolaci, donned with wrought-iron balconies and lush inner courtyards, and the impressive Town Hall, located directly on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Noto’s main street.
Trendy as it may be with tourists at the moment, following its feature on the HBO hit, Noto retains much of its neighboring valley’s authentic appeal and cheaper prices:
Expect to pay $15–25 for a pasta or meat-based main course in a no-frills trattoria in the Old Town, or even cheaper if you walk a few steps into the 17th-century, stone-paved maze, away from the buzzing main street, and around $2.50 for a slice of pizza.
When it comes to accommodation, Noto doesn’t have the bargain deals its counterparts do, and you can thank its White Lotus-spawn fame for that, but it’s still fairly affordable:
A triple room in the Old Town, only a few steps away from the cathedral, costs between $87–101 per night (La Casa del Barroco), and for those among us who don’t mind splurging a little, a 4-star stay at the Grand Hotel Sofia starts from $215 nightly in the high season.
Americans Can Fly Nonstop To Sicily From Summer 2025!
The good news is that this year, Americans will be able to fly nonstop to Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), the busiest airport in Sicily.
CTA serves Catania, the second-largest city in Sicily and a major urban center at the foot of Mount Etna, which is worth exploring.
Delta Air Lines will operate daily flights from New York-JFK from the 21st of May. From Catania, tourists can then take trains or buses to the Baroque towns of Val di Noto.
Visiting Sicily this summer? Make sure you check out these 6 other amazing jet-setting spots.
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