SCICLI AND MODICA - DAY 5

This morning we woke up to a cold drizzling rain, and still dealing with a cough, and being saddle sore from yesterday's long uphill rides, I decided not to bike.

But a wonderful breakfast spread awaited us all in the dining room.

 The younger members of our group all decided to bike and went over the directions with the guides.
It is always a fun and informative time.

From the van I grabbed a few photos of the countryside as we traveled up the hill.  Some areas were
lush green with the new rain.

 Some of the hills were covered with rocks and stone walls.

 We slowed as the van caught up with the riders - the rain had diminished and I snapped this shot of Cindy on her bike.

 From the top of the hill we could see Scicli, one of the towns in the Val di Noto listed since 2002 as UNESCO Wold Heritage site for the extraordinary importance and beauty of their late-baroque architecture, developed after the 1693 earthquake which devastated Sicily.

 While waiting for the bikers to arrive we had a chance to briefly visit the mausoleum cemetery. .                                                                        

                                                                

      

As  Mauro, our guide prepared snacks on the back of the van for the bikers.

 

Our next stop was Modica, another World Heritage town and home of Antica Dalceria Juto, the oldest

chocolate maker in Modica and one of the most famous in Italy.  Its ancient traditions go back to 1880 when they started processing cocoa seeds according to the old Aztecan techniques imported by the Spanish more than 400 years ago.

        We dressed in "cover-ups and toured the    kitchen, and got to sample some of the sweets.                     
                                            

Arriving back at our hotel where the late afternoon view from our room is below -

We were given a tour of the grounds before dinner. The Kallikoros Spa & Camp Resort is a restored small village set in fertile land which includes large areas of orchards, vineyards, olive and carob.  Because of its cleanliness and brightness of the sky it has been chosen by the National Astrophysics Institute for Astronomical studies.  And the lemon blossoms smell wonderful!!