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  "description": "Ragusa has quickly become one of my absolute favourite places in Sicily and, honestly, if I would ever have to leave Terrasini, it would probably be for this place. Why?\n\nOf course, it is a great functioning city. You are close enough to Catania and the airport, close enough to the sea, but still surrounded by all the charm of a mountain city. You have everything you need here without the place losing its atmosphere somewhere along the way.\n\nBut honestly, it is not even really about the practica",
  "path": "/blog/ragusa-sicily-a-city-with-an-artists-soul/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-25T18:09:07.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.sparkofsicily.com",
  "tags": [
    "https://youtu.be/Jmfp8t0zoHI?si=KRvhn73tgE6atkvs",
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  "textContent": "Ragusa has quickly become one of my absolute favourite places in Sicily and, honestly, if I would ever have to leave Terrasini, it would probably be for this place. Why?\n\nOf course, it is a great functioning city. You are close enough to Catania and the airport, close enough to the sea, but still surrounded by all the charm of a mountain city. You have everything you need here without the place losing its atmosphere somewhere along the way.\n\nBut honestly, it is not even really about the practicality of Ragusa. And it is definitely not only about beauty either, because, let's be honest, Sicily is full of beautiful places.\n\nThere is just something about Ragusa that, ironically, is strangely difficult to explain.\n\n### Our first visit wasn't what I expected\n\nThe first time we visited Ragusa was in winter and I can honestly admit we were not immediately impressed.\n\nWe started in the newer part of the city during absolutely terrible weather. Rain everywhere, grey skies, tired from travelling and, honestly, already slightly overstimulated from constantly moving around Sicily filming videos.\n\nNot exactly the dreamy cinematic introduction. And yet, I am so glad we stayed and decided to experience Ragusa properly.\n\nBecause once we slowly made our way towards Ragusa Ibla, the old town, something its atmosphere slowly revealed itself, or rather its magic. Even from that winter trip came one of my favourite TikToks I have ever made. Ever.\n\nBut once we returned to Ragusa in summer... Wow. That was the trip where Ragusa properly stole my heart.\n\n### A city with an artist's soul\n\nThere is definitely a difference between Ragusa in winter and in summer, especially in Ragusa Ibla which, naturally, becomes more lively during the warmer months. But even in summer, it never felt overwhelming to me in the way Taormina sometimes can.\n\nRagusa somehow keeps its balance. What stood out to me most though was the atmosphere. There is this incredibly creative energy everywhere around you. That is why I keep calling Ragusa a city with an artist's soul.\n\nAnd I know that sounds slightly dramatic or even cheesy, but I genuinely do not know how else to describe it. Even the tourists somehow seem just a little more creative here.\n\nYou walk through streets filled with ceramics, paintings, tiny artisan workshops, old bookstores, galleries, little cafes, strange interior decor shops, even the souvenirs here seem, honestly, less like souvenirs and more like peaces of art themselves.\n\nHonestly, if I ever redecorate our house one day, I am coming back to Ragusa for most of my decor.\n\n### Sicily in Decay\n\nThe atmosphere of the entire day actually started with an exhibition we found almost by accident.\n\nOutside one of the churches in Ragusa Ibla we noticed a photograph advertising an exhibition called \"Sicily in Decay\". Sitting outside was the artist himself, Carlo Arancio, who somehow looked as if he was a part of the exhibition itself.\n\nHe kindly allowed us to enter with Mailo and I am very grateful for that, because the exhibition was genuinely incredible.\n\nI did not take many photos inside unfortunately, but we filmed parts of it for our YouTube video, and even now I still think about it quite often.\n\nThere was something very quiet yet incredibly powerful about it. After travelling all across Sicily, the photographs almost felt personal to us. You could feel the beauty of the island in them, but also the abandonment, the decay, the forgotten aristocratic buildings and places that once carried enormous wealth and importance.\n\nIt made me think a lot about Sicily itself. About how many places here were once at the absolute centre of culture, trade and power and how time changed them.\n\nBut then afterwards you walk back into Ragusa Ibla with all its art, cafes, conversations, ceramics and life everywhere around you and you realise something important. Maybe Sicily is not decaying at all. Maybe it is simply changing, and for the better, dare I say.\n\n### Giardino Ibleo and the slower side of Ragusa\n\nOne of my favourite places in Ragusa was probably Giardino Ibleo, the famous public garden at the edge of Ragusa Ibla. Palm trees, old stone pathways, benches facing the valley below, even musicians casually playing there, turning an atmosphere that was already good to begin with into pure magic.\n\nIt felt calm in that very specific Sicilian way where nothing is really happening and yet your heart is full and the simplest day stays in your memory forever. Even (or especially?) there, the same artistic feeling followed us around.\n\n### Suddenly the sea\n\nOne of the coolest things about Ragusa is that after spending the day surrounded by stone streets, churches, art and mountain views, you can drive a relatively short distance and suddenly end up in Marina di Ragusa.\n\nPalm trees, beaches, summer atmosphere, people walking around eating gelato late into the evening. Same city, completely different world.\n\nThat contrast is part of what makes this whole area so special. You can spend the morning wandering through quiet streets filled with art and finish the evening by the sea.\n\nVery few places manage to combine those things so naturally.\n\n### Ragusa and Modica\n\nYou might have noticed a change in my tone for the last two posts - Modica and Ragusa. The pair that is so often put together and yet, in my opinion, quite are so very different.\n\nSo close together and yet distinct in their soul.\n\nWhich one is better? Here, as you might already know, mine and Lukas's opinion differs quite a lot, so you will probably have to see it for yourself.\n\nFor me it is Ragusa. It has stolen my heart, forever I am afraid, and is now proudly standing on the list of my favourite cities (yes, ever, not just in Sicily) alongside Palermo and Terrasini.\n\nFor Lukas it is still Modica and I completely understand him too, because Modica has a very different kind of magic that should definitely not be ignored.\n\nI think that is what makes this part of Sicily so interesting in general. Places here can sit only a short drive from each other and still feel completely different emotionally.\n\nModica feels romantic and mysterious to me somehow. Ragusa to me is a wild, slightly chaotic though insanely talented artist (and I mean chaotic in the best possible way).\n\nAnd maybe that is the closest I can get to explaining why Ragusa is just so special for me. There are many beautiful places in Sicily. But every now and then there is a place that feels difficult to categorise properly and Ragusa became exactly that kind of place for me.\n\nIf you have ever visited Ragusa or Modica, we would love to hear which one stole your heart more. For us the debate is still ongoing, though I suspect Ragusa quietly settled the debate for me already.\n\nIf you wish to see our experience in Ragusa, you can find the video here: https://youtu.be/Jmfp8t0zoHI?si=KRvhn73tgE6atkvs\n\nAnd if you’d like to read more of our stories and everyday experiences here, consider subscribing to the blog. We truly appreciate every single one of you.\n\nAs always, tips are never expected, but always appreciated https://spark-of-sicily.ghost.io/#/portal/support\n\nThank you for reading, and see you in the next one.\nCiao.",
  "title": "Ragusa, Sicily. A City With An Artist's Soul",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-25T18:09:08.286Z"
}