Ragusa is a city in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ragusa, on the island of Sicily. It has 68,346 inhabitants (2001).

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By Bus
Frequent buses run to Taormina, Messina, Enna, Caltanissetta & Syracuse. Less frequent buses run to local destinations, Naples, Rome, etc. The main bus station is opposite the railway station and a 10 minute walk from the city center.

By Train
Frequent trains run up the east coast to and from Taormina (but the station is a long walk below the town) and Messina, then to Naples and Rome, etc. Trains also run to Enna, Palermo (slower than the buses) and Syracuse. A scenic route runs inland to Caltagirone and Gela. The railway station is a 10 minute walk from the city center.

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Built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica, the city has two distinct areas: the lower and older town of Ragusa Ibla, and the higher Ragusa Superiore. The two halves are separated by the Valle dei Ponti, a deep ravine crossed by four bridges. One of them, the 18th century Ponte dei Cappuccinni is particularly beautiful. In 1693 the city was devastated by a huge earthquake, following this catastrophe the city was rebuilt, with many magnificent baroque buildings dating from this period.

Ragusa Ibla hosts an impressive array of baroque architecture, including several stunning palaces and churches. The Cathedral of San Giorgio, built starting in 1738 by architect Rosario Gagliardi and framed in the front by a flight of 250 steps and massive ornate columns, is topped by a large Neoclassical dome.

On a narrow winding street that connects Ragusa Ibla with Ragusa Superiore is the church of Santa Maria delle Scale (Saint Mary of the Steps). This church is particularly interesting: badly damaged in the earthquate of 1693, half of this church was rebuilt in Baroque style, while the surviving half was kept in the original Gothic style.

Another fine building is the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista in Ragusa Superiore. Built between 1718 and 1778, its principal façade is pure baroque, containing fine carvings and sculptures. The cathedral has a high campanile in the same style. The ornate baroque interior is separated into three colonnaded aisles, where the columns are embellished with gold.

The Zacco Palace is one of the more beautiful baroque buildings of the city. Its Corinthian columns support balconies of amazing wrought iron work, while grotesques buttresses shock or amuse the passer-bys.

Ragusa is a small and quiet town, and one of the towns with the highest quality of life in Southern Italy. The economy of the surrounding province hinges mainly on agriculture (horticulture, olives), farming, tourism, light manufacturing and small oilfields.

Restaurants

Il Duomo
At this restaurant in the historic Baroque quarter of Ragusa, Sultano demonstrates a talent for resurrecting Sicilian recipes and ingredients that have once vanished, and reintroducing them into his modern repertoire.

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Marina di Ragusa
Modica

Note: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Metasyntactic variable" and Creative Commons by Commons Deed. This information was accurate when it was posted, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses/establishments in question before planning your trip.