Modica, Sicily, Italy Mar. 2, 2024

When Italy comes to mind, iconic cities like Milan, Rome and Venice often steal the spotlight. However, on the island of Sicily lies a less famous gem—Modica. It"s a city that has risen from the rubble of an earthquake in 1693 to become an architectural wonderland of Baroque-style buildings. With fewer than 60,000 inhabitants, this UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts cobbled lanes, echoing with powerful footprints—from prehistoric tribes to the ancient Greeks and Romans to the medieval Arabs and Normans. Landmarks like the San Giorgio Cathedral and San Pietro Church awe visitors with their grandeur, and Modica"s recognised chocolate, crafted with Aztec-inspired techniques, tempts the palates of food enthusiasts. So, the next time Italy beckons, how about taking the road less travelled to Modica?

© Sandro Bisaro/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Nature’s own canvas
Mar. 2, 2025Megalong Valley, Blue Mountains National Park, NSW, Australia
Mar. 2, 2026Harbour and longtail boats at Ko Samui, Thailand

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jun. 29, 2025International Day of the Tropics
Giants of the Southern Ocean
Nov. 27, 2024Tombeau du Géant in Bouillon, Belgium
Aug. 5, 2025Tide pools in La Jolla, California, United States
Jun. 3, 2025World Bicycle Day
Mar. 29, 2025Superbloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument, California, United States
Farewell, Ma’am
Jun. 1, 2024Pride Month
Celebrating the Scottish bard
Nov. 18, 2023Polar bear season in Manitoba
Dec. 26, 2025Boxing Day
Jan. 24, 2024Diamond Beach, Iceland
Colours of Colorado
May 6, 2025An ultralight aircraft flying over the sands of Namibia
Jul. 19, 2024A young jaguar on a riverbank, Pantanal, Brazil
When just a pinch of salt won’t do
A mountaintop cultural wonder
How sweet to be a star, floating in the blue.
In the tropics, land greets sea warmly
Sequoias of the sea
Jan. 5, 2026A herd of impalas, Londolozi Game Reserve, South Africa
May 18, 2024International Museum Day
You might be a red-necked grebe if…
Locals know this place simply as ‘the Met’
The worlds most exclusive beach?
Mar. 7, 2025Plum blossoms, China
Oct. 25, 2025Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
What are these unique creatures?
Apr. 29, 2025Garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France
Jan. 6, 2026Nuuk, Greenland