Finding a parking spot was close to impossible. It took my mother and I one hour driving around in our four-door Peugeot, trying to understand the little winding streets to figure out where our little quaint cave dwelling resided. After carrying our luggage up 3 daunting, steep hills, we were greeted by the super helpful and informative owner, Giorgio, who walked us through his 18th century ancient home, Casa San Giorgio, which lies in the heart of the historic baroque city of Modica, 50 meters from Duomo San Giorgio.
Stepping into the cave dwelling is like going back three centuries. The breath-taking abode is made of local stones, antique floors, black stone called “Pietra Pece” – a speciality of the Ragusa and Modica area – and decorated with 18th Century Majolica pottery from Caltagirone.
Casa San Giorgio features the typical architectural traits of ancient homes such as vaults, arches, stone walls and a stone staircase that leads to a wide panoramic terrace overlooking the town of Modica. The view is that of a picturesque and elegant town with astonishing views of San Giorgio Cathedral that almost resembles a model nativity scene lit up during christmas. It is this preservation of 18th century remains and charm that make this ancient city a UNESCO heritage site.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SVADORE
The cave dwelling is comprised of two double bedrooms, one single bedroom, two bathrooms and a kitchen. The furniture is refined and antique and the house is air conditioned, which is a must in the sweltering heat of Sicily. All of this was made available to just my mother and I, making it a very intimate and exclusive abode. We spent our days wandering the ancient town, flipping through Giorgio’s readily available guides and recommendations on what to do, see and eat, and enjoyed our evenings sipping wine on the terrace and relishing the view.
PHOTOGRAPHY NOT PROPERTY OF SVADORE
With rooms starting at $139 a night it is a must visit place for anyone in Sicily. Whether it is for a relaxing getaway in a cave dwelling or for an overnight stay in an ancient Sicilian baroque town, Casa San Giorgio will make you experience what Sicilian 18th century life was all about.
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