Territory

Aruciméli Resort is situated in a truly unique environmental and cultural setting, as may be seen both by the surrounding area and the nearby villages. In fact, numerous archaeological sites distinguish the territory surrounding the Tenuta dei Margi, whether belonging to Sicily’s prehistory, as in the Grotta Castellucciana di Calaforno, or of the Greco-Roman era for the Roman Villa of Giarratana. But the extraordinary thing is that within the estate itself there is a Roman farm dating back to the Imperial era. The “Officina Mellis Hybleus” is where delicacies were produced and then sent directly to Rome. These included the renowned Ibleo Honey, which Cicero praised on his trip to Sicily. And his reference is to this very site and the extraordinary honey of the black bee that this estate was known for, precisely with the ancient Sicilian denomination of “arucimeli” (sweet as honey).
In the immediate vicinity of the resort, you can visit the cities of Ragusa, Modica, and the other cities of the Val di Noto, cities that are known as symbols of the Sicilian Baroque. Starting off from Ragusa’s center, places that are not to be missed include the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista, dating back to the eighteenth century and hosting the statue of the namesake patron of the city; the eighteenth century Palazzo Zacco, now home to the Peasant Museum and the Civic Collection of C. Cappello; Palazzo Bertini, characterized by its three beautiful masks that decorate the main balcony; and the Ibleo Archaeological Museum. Continuing towards the historic district of Ragusa Ibla, there are buildings, palaces and churches that represent art dating from the sixteen hundreds to the eighteen hundreds, such as the Cathedral of San Giorgio, the Church of the Madonna of Itria, Palazzo Cosentini, and Palazzo Arezzo. The Baroque tour continues to Modica, the “City of One Hundred Churches,” among which there is the absolutely unmissable Cathedral of San Pietro and the Church of San Giorgio, known for the incredible monumental stairways that must be climbed in order to reach them. Also, losing one’s way in the narrow alleys of the historic district of Modica Bassa and sampling its famous chocolate are two other worthwhile experiences. The excursion through Sicily’s southeast is very rich and varied. One might continue to Scicli, a Baroque village with a fascinating landscape full of steep limestone walls, carob trees, low walls, little churches and quarries, and then explore areas that are further inland in the Val di Noto, places such as Palazzolo Acreide and Noto.