THE TERRITORY
Along the ancient Strada del Vino, in the San Mauro district of Caltagirone, stands the Agriresort Judeka.
This is avery important wine-growing area for Sicily whereSicily's only DOCG is grown: Cerasuolo di Vittoria.
The soils consist of a mixed mixture of sand and clay, in which there are espalier vines, whose type of training system is guyot.
The location of the vineyards is strategic; a natural gorge favors ventilation from the Mediterranean. The winds come mainly from the Gulf of Gela (Libeccio and Ponente) and also at certain times of the year from the Iblei Mountains, which caress the vineyards, naturally warding off pests and insects.
The property is surrounded by centuries-old olive trees, peach, plum, cherry, orange, lemon, tangerine, almond, prickly pear, and fig trees.
The territory of Caltagirone, within the famous and beautiful Val di Noto, is known to have welcomed the ancient Greeks, who came through the then navigable rivers that bordered the vineyards. It was thanks to them that the grapevine and the techniques of its cultivation were exported to Mediterranean countries.
The Agriresort is located 40 minutes from Comiso Airport and 50 minutes from Catania Airport, within a precious Sicilian territory that includes Caltagirone and the Val di Noto, two jewels set in the beautiful setting of Sicily.
Rich places where colors dance on the facades of historic buildings and art shows up in every corner.
Caltagirone
Destroyed in part by the 1693 earthquake, the oldest portion of Caltagirone was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
The historic center of Caltagirone will transport you to a universe of Baroque beauty under the banner of majestic stairways decorated with Caltagirone ceramics, ancient churches, aristocratic palaces, and romantic corners that tell stories of a bygone era. Situated on three hills, Caltagirone overlooks the plains of Catania and Gela and is one of the oldest and most majestic cities in Sicily. Famous for its meticulously decorated stairways with vibrant and colorful Caltagirone ceramics, which make up the great heritage of Caltagirone Ceramics, among the best-known varieties in Italy and one of the most documented and stylistically varied.
What to see in Caltagirone: an itinerary between culture and beauty
Among the things to see in Caltagirone, if you are visiting the city, we offer a list of places not to be missed:
- the Steps of Santa Maria del Monte, built in the 1600s and adorned in the 1950s with today's majolica tiles.
- the Museum of Ceramics of Caltagirone, which houses exhibits of the prized ceramics from all over the island
- the magnificent Municipal Villa, consisting of a spectacular garden from English-style avenues with fountains and plazas decorated with beautiful majolica mosaics
- the beautiful Cathedral of St. Julian
- the Bourbon Prison, a building of extraordinary beauty built by Syracuse architect Natale Bonaiuto
- the Bridge of St. Francis, built around 1600 to facilitate the passage of the faithful between two of the three hills on which the city stands, finely decorated with beautiful majolica and ceramics, constitutes one of the city's best vantage points
- Villa Patti, in Venetian neo-Gothic style, restored to its former glory in the 1800s by architect Nicastro
- the Mount San Mauro (Sammòru in Sicilian) an archaeological site located in the municipality of Caltagirone, in whose acropolis containers for foodstuffs, numerous amphorae for transporting goods from all over the Mediterranean Sea, loom weights, and lava stone millstones were found
Caltagirone
Destroyed in part by the 1693 earthquake, the oldest portion of Caltagirone was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002.
The historic center of Caltagirone will transport you to a universe of Baroque beauty under the banner of majestic stairways decorated with Caltagirone ceramics, ancient churches, aristocratic palaces, and romantic corners that tell stories of a bygone era. Situated on three hills, Caltagirone overlooks the plains of Catania and Gela and is one of the oldest and most majestic cities in Sicily. Famous for its meticulously decorated stairways with vibrant and colorful Caltagirone ceramics, which make up the great heritage of Caltagirone Ceramics, among the best-known varieties in Italy and one of the most documented and stylistically varied.
What to see in Caltagirone: an itinerary between culture and beauty
Among the things to see in Caltagirone, if you are visiting the city, we offer a list of places not to be missed:
- the Steps of Santa Maria del Monte, built in the 1600s and adorned in the 1950s with today's majolica tiles.
- the Museum of Ceramics of Caltagirone, which houses exhibits of the prized ceramics from all over the island
- the magnificent Municipal Villa, consisting of a spectacular garden from English-style avenues with fountains and plazas decorated with beautiful majolica mosaics
- the beautiful Cathedral of St. Julian
- the Bourbon Prison, a building of extraordinary beauty built by Syracuse architect Natale Bonaiuto
- the Bridge of St. Francis, built around 1600 to facilitate the passage of the faithful between two of the three hills on which the city stands, finely decorated with beautiful majolica and ceramics, constitutes one of the city's best vantage points
- Villa Patti, in Venetian neo-Gothic style, restored to its former glory in the 1800s by architect Nicastro
- the Mount San Mauro (Sammòru in Sicilian) an archaeological site located in the municipality of Caltagirone, in whose acropolis containers for foodstuffs, numerous amphorae for transporting goods from all over the Mediterranean Sea, loom weights, and lava stone millstones were found
Val di Noto
The entire Val di Noto is a veritable hymn to the late Baroque taste: Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Modica, Ragusa Ibla, Piazza Armerina, Punta Secca, Aidone and Vizzini, splendid cities included in the Val di Noto territory, some of which were recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2002.
The Val di Noto has seen kingdoms and sovereigns of historical importance shine under the Sicilian sun, managing to absorb culture, traditions and beauty from each of them, yet always maintaining its own unique character.
If you are looking for what to see in the Val di Noto, a jewel of immense value, even before its characteristic beaches and crystal-clear waters, you must see its Baroque towns, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What to see in Val di Noto: the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage area
Listing what to see in the historic Val di Noto is a daunting task, as none of its beauty can be overlooked:
- Villa Romana del Casale, Symbol par excellence of Piazza Armerina, opulent residence of an important member of the Roman senatorial aristocracy, Unesco heritage site since 1997
- the Cathedral of Mary Most Holy of Victories in Piazza Armerina
- la Church of San Giorgio in Ragusa Ibla, a masterpiece of the Hyblean Baroque built between 1744 and 1775, considered the emblem of Sicilian Baroque architecture
- la Church of San Giorgio in nearby Modica
- the bell tower with the cobalt blue dome of the Church of Santa Maria dell'Itria of Ragusa Ibla, which stands in the city's old Jewish quarter
- the 8 noble palaces of Ragusa Ibla that belonged to the city's most prominent families, characterized by typical carved corbels supporting wide balconies
- the area Archaeological site of Morgantina in Aidone, developed on high ground in the Erei Mountains
- the magnificent Castle of Pietratagliata in Aidone, also known as Casteddu di Gresti
- the Adelasia Tower, also in Aidone, an original defense tower of the ancient Norman village.
- the City of Chocolate, also referred to as the city of "two cities," with Modica Alta and Modica Bassa connected by a series of beautiful, ancient staircases that allow visitors to explore the heart of the city, rich in Baroque treasures
- the Cathedral of St. Peter of Modica and its staircase with statues of the 12 apostles, which greets visitors in a majestic and striking manner at the entrance to the cathedral, reborn after the 1693 earthquake
- Birthplace of Salvatore Quasimodo in Modica
- the Chocolate Museum in Modica, a mandatory stop
These are just a few of the many extraordinary things to see in the beautiful Val di Noto.
