Modica, Sicily, Italy Mar 2, 2024

Modica, Sicily, Italy

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 rose 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 famous chocolate, crafted with Aztec-inspired techniques, tempts the palates of food enthusiasts. So, the next time Italy beckons, how about taking the road less traveled to Modica?

© Sandro Bisaro/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Mar 2, 2018Satellite image of sand and seaweed in the Bahamas
Mar 2, 2019You won’t see this on Mulberry Street
Mar 2, 2020And to think that I saw it in Cappadocia
Mar 2, 2021Fall for Chile
Mar 2, 2022Mount Rainier National Park
Mar 2, 2023Negratín Reservoir, Granada, Spain
Mar 2, 2025Megalong Valley, Blue Mountains National Park, Australia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 7, 2022Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, Canada
Jun 30, 2020We re gonna need a bigger birdhouse
Feb 28, 2024Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England
Aug 27, 2020Rocks on the move
Jun 20, 2023American Eagle Day
Aug 21, 2024Nazca boobies, Wolf Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Oct 26, 2019 FOR FOREST by Klaus Littmann
Oct 18, 2020Sitka shines on Alaska Day
Dec 1, 2018A treaty for science
Oct 11, 2019Art in the high desert
Dec 24, 2023Christmas Eve
Aug 10, 2022Joshua Tree National Park
Sep 8, 2023International Literacy Day
Aug 12, 2022World Elephant Day
Feb 12, 2018National Museum of African American History and Culture
Jun 24, 2021The call of the wild in Alaska
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park
Sep 17, 2023Cuban tody, Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba
Jun 25, 2020Hoisting a flag for seafarers
Aug 14, 2025Cable car station, Graubünden, Switzerland
Aug 18, 2021Pearl of the Adriatic
Oct 14, 2020In praise of the old…the very old
Jul 9, 2018Gauchos showcase Argentina’s independent spirit
Oct 22, 2021Jasper Dark Sky Festival
Feb 20, 2023Presidents Day
Jan 21, 2022National Hug Day
Mar 3, 2019Fin whales: A success story
Jun 10, 2022Poppies in bloom
Feb 21, 2024Yosemite National Park, California
Jul 14, 2022Shark Awareness Day