Modica itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Modica, day by day: the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, the Chocolate Museum, San Nicolò Inferiore, the Duomo di San Pietro and the Castello dei Conti first, then San Giorgio, Palazzo Polara and San Giovanni Evangelista in Modica Alta, and the Museo Civico and the Pizzo viewpoint as you add a day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Modica in 1 day
Day 1
Antica Dolceria Bonajuto
Sicily's oldest chocolate maker, open since 1880 on Corso Umberto, known for its grainy Modica chocolate and tastings.
Museo del Cioccolato di Modica
Small museum on the history and making of Modica's chocolate, with sculptures made of chocolate.
San Nicolò Inferiore Rock Church
Small cave church carved into the rock in the lower town, with medieval Byzantine-style frescoes.
Duomo di San Pietro
Baroque church on Corso Umberto with a wide stairway lined by statues of the twelve apostles.
Castello dei Conti
Remains of the counts' castle on a rocky spur above the lower town, with a clock tower and views.
San Giorgio Cathedral
Modica's grand Baroque mother church in the upper town, reached by a long stairway, with a tall tiered facade.
Palazzo Polara
18th-century noble palace next to San Giorgio, with views over the rooftops of Modica.
Church of San Giovanni Evangelista
Baroque church at the top of Modica Alta, with a terrace near the town's highest viewpoint.
Santa Maria del Gesù
15th-century Franciscan church and convent in the upper town, with a Gothic portal and cloister.
Pizzo Belvedere
Viewpoint in Modica Alta looking down over the lower town and the valleys, especially good near sunset.
Salvatore Quasimodo Birthplace
Small house museum where the Nobel Prize-winning poet was born in 1901, with his furniture and study.
Santa Maria di Betlem
Church in the lower town known for its large Christmas nativity scene and a late-Gothic chapel.
Chiesa del Carmine
Church on Corso Umberto with a Gothic rose window and portal surviving from its medieval front.
Modica in 2 days
Day 1
Duomo di San Pietro
Baroque church on Corso Umberto with a wide stairway lined by statues of the twelve apostles.
Antica Dolceria Bonajuto
Sicily's oldest chocolate maker, open since 1880 on Corso Umberto, known for its grainy Modica chocolate and tastings.
Museo Civico Franco Libero Belgiorno
Civic museum of archaeology from the Modica area, including the small bronze Hercules of Cafeo.
Museo del Cioccolato di Modica
Small museum on the history and making of Modica's chocolate, with sculptures made of chocolate.
Chiesa del Carmine
Church on Corso Umberto with a Gothic rose window and portal surviving from its medieval front.
San Nicolò Inferiore Rock Church
Small cave church carved into the rock in the lower town, with medieval Byzantine-style frescoes.
Salvatore Quasimodo Birthplace
Small house museum where the Nobel Prize-winning poet was born in 1901, with his furniture and study.
Santa Maria di Betlem
Church in the lower town known for its large Christmas nativity scene and a late-Gothic chapel.
Castello dei Conti
Remains of the counts' castle on a rocky spur above the lower town, with a clock tower and views.
San Giorgio Cathedral
Modica's grand Baroque mother church in the upper town, reached by a long stairway, with a tall tiered facade.
Palazzo Polara
18th-century noble palace next to San Giorgio, with views over the rooftops of Modica.
Church of San Giovanni Evangelista
Baroque church at the top of Modica Alta, with a terrace near the town's highest viewpoint.
Santa Maria del Gesù
15th-century Franciscan church and convent in the upper town, with a Gothic portal and cloister.
Day 2
Pizzo Belvedere
Viewpoint in Modica Alta looking down over the lower town and the valleys, especially good near sunset.
Scicli
A UNESCO Baroque town near Modica, with a pretty main street, a rock-cut church-lined hillside and a film-famous town hall.
Cava d'Ispica
A long limestone gorge near Modica, full of rock-cut tombs, cave dwellings and chapels, best explored in sturdy shoes.
Watch: Modica
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Modica
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, warm enough for the stairways between the lower and upper towns without the summer heat. July and August are hot and busier, and winter is mild and quiet with some rain. Chocobarocco, the town's chocolate festival, is usually held in the autumn or winter months.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Modica on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Modica on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Modica on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Modica
- Modica is built on steep hillsides: the lower town, Modica Bassa, and the upper town, Modica Alta, are joined by long stairways, so wear comfortable shoes.
- Try Modica's grainy, cold-worked chocolate, made with an old method that keeps the sugar crystals; the historic shops offer tastings.
- Many churches close for a long lunch break; plan the big ones, San Giorgio and San Pietro, for the morning or late afternoon.
- Salvatore Quasimodo's birthplace and the small museums keep short and limited opening days; check before you go.
- Modica makes a good base for day trips to Ragusa, Noto and Scicli by car, train or bus.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Castello dei Conti: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cava d'Ispica: Leandro Distefano. Leandro Distefano Original uploader was Cypher84 at it.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
- Chiesa del Carmine: Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0
- Church of San Giovanni Evangelista: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Duomo di San Pietro: Gameworks, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Polara: Mboesch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- San Giorgio Cathedral: Tango7174, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Maria del Gesù: Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Maria di Betlem: Mboesch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Scicli: trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
