5 Best Sights in Scicli, Sicily

For those seeking sea air, limpid and shallow waters, and fine sand, Sampieri's wonderful beach is a popular destination. There are a few bars, restaurants, and beach clubs at the west end; walking eastwards a pine-forest-and-sand-dune-backed free-access public beach leads to Punta Pisciotto's sculpted volcanic stone cliffs and picturesque ruin, Fornace Penna. This former brick and tile factory built in 1912 is a stunning backdrop in both reality and in the Montalbano TV series, although the fictional inspector's beachside pad in the show is up the coast at Donnalucata. Adventurous walkers and cyclists will enjoy the coastal paths from Sampieri to nearby Marina di Modica, while a westward rocky shoreline trail traces the Covo dei Contrabbandieri to another small beach town, Cava d'Aliga. Sampieri is a 6-mile drive from Scicli along the SP40, or 20 minutes via bus or train (getting to and from Sampieri's train station and beach involves a walk along the busy road without sidewalks, though). Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

The fabulously voluptuous facade makes a stunning contrast with the limestone cliffs soaring above the edge of the town's historic center. A dizzying fusion of the Baroque and rococo lies behind the lace grate doors of this single-nave church; your eyes eventually lead to the central altarpiece painting, Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew (1779) by Francesco Pasucci. Most enchanting is the Neapolitan wooden nativity scene conceived in the 16th century and remodeled by Pietro Padula (1773–76).

Founded in the 17th century by the Jesuits, Scicli's "mother church" was rebuilt following the 1693 earthquake. Housing the remains of the town's patron saint, Guglielmo the Hermit, a side chapel also hosts the life-size papier-mâché statue of the Madonna su cavallo (on a horse), also known as the Madonna delle Milizie. She is paraded through the streets on the last Saturday in May to celebrate her feast day.

If the other palazzoli in Scicli simply hint at the luxury of the town's golden age, then this is a full-on assault on the senses. The exterior is covered by stone-carved statues, including representations of mythical creatures and enslaved people that serve as an essential reminder of the town's role in the region's slave trade. The private residence's saloni cannot be visited, but there's an interesting contemporary art gallery and small printworks at the street-level Bassi Beneventano ( www.lomagnoartecontemporanea.it).

If you want to see how the high society of Scicli once lived, then this is the place. Belying the plain yet grand exterior, the interiors overspill with opulence that may not be to today's tastes: think ornate antique furniture, silk wallpapers, and frescoes galore. Apart from the marbled staircase bathed in blue and yellow light from its gorgeously grated windows, the highlight is the terrace overlooking the immaculate gardens. Over the road you can visit historic pharmacy Farmacia Cartia (1902) with original wooden cabinets, apothecary jars, bottled potions, scales, and cash register.