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 mediaeval 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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 26, 2024Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington, USA
A symbol of peace
Sep 30, 2023Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
A sea of humanity
Aug 30, 2025International Whale Shark Day
Sep 16, 2025Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
Dec 15, 2025Spiegelgracht canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Celebrating the Scottish bard
We can all just get along
Jan 12, 2025Crescent-tail bigeye fish, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Sep 1, 2025Great Basin National Park, Nevada, United States
Sep 12, 2023North Sea at sunset, Norddorf, Germany
Nov 3, 2024International Day for Biosphere Reserves
Unbe-leaf-able
Dec 7, 2025A pine forest in Alsace, France
Jun 29, 2025International Day of the Tropics
Apr 11, 2025Tulips, Netherlands
Fly me to the moon
Dec 20, 2023Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
Jul 4, 2024Dam, lake and mountains in Kerala
Jul 27, 2025Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Jan 28, 2024Channel Country, Australia
Jun 19, 2025Masai giraffe mother grooming her calf in the Serengeti, Tanzania
Feb 8, 2024Mount Hood, Oregon
Sep 29, 2025Rainbow houses, Houten, Netherlands
Clouds dance above Sundance
Oct 20, 2024International Sloth Day
Jul 24, 2024Flock of Swaledale sheep in North Yorkshire, England
Oct 9, 2024Aspens near Marble, Colorado, USA
Feb 1, 2025European beech forest, Belgium