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 Ispica
is an interesting town, able to offer its visitors various, differentiated
sites. In
town, numerous, attracting churches and palazzi are worth-seeing:
the 18th century Mother Church, dedicated to San Bartolomeo, rises
at the top of a double flight of stairs, on Piazza Regina Margherita.
It has an elegant front elevation, on two orders. Inside, it is
enriched by three portals and, right over the central of these,
the beautiful "Stemma" of the Statella family, which has
been chosen as a symbol of the town.
 The
Palazzo Alfieri is placed on the central Piazza, too, in a splendid
Renaissance style. The 1910 Palazzo Bruno di Belmonte, by via Duca
degli Abruzzi, is the richest and most beautiful Liberty building
in the province. It was erected by the celebrated Sicilian architect
Basile. It is the seat of the Municipality.
The
church of Santa Maria Maggiore is richest of pieces of art and is
a national monument, too. It was realized by the architect Vincenzo
Sinatra from Noto. The façade is simple, with three portals.
Inside, the central nave is all decorated with frescoes and gilded
stuccoes. It also hosts a cycle of frescoes (1763-65) by Olivio
Sozzi, one of the most important Sicilian painters of its time.
 The
church of the Annunziata, along Corso Garibaldi, also shows beautiful
frescoes. It was formerly, before the earthquake, situated by the
Castello.
CAVA
D'ISPICA
 Cava
d'Ispica is a long valley (13 km) dug in the calcareous Iblean mounts,
and among the most impressive of all the characteristic caves of
Sicily.
Besides the wild and suggestive look, the Cava is a very interesting
site for the study about evolution of earliest human settlements.
Here
were, in fact, recovered tokens of ancient dwellings dating from
Neolithic, Greek, Byzantine and Christian ages.
 Necropolises
and catacombs refer to Siculi, Byzantine and Christian settlers.
This
"cavern town" consists of three distinct sides: one set
on the North East area, by the Mulino Cavallo; the rocky South East
side, where the old city of Spaccaforno (former Ispica) stood; a
middle side, between the Convent of Sant'Alessandra and Lavinaro's
Valley.
The
tour starts from the north area, where an ancient village is supposed
having been set in the past.
Here is notably worth-seeing the corresponding necropolis.
 Then
show up the famous "Grotta dei Santi" (Cave of the Saints),
of Christian-Byzantine origin, the church of San Pancrati and, on
the underlying area, the "Grotta della Signora" (The Lady's
Cave).
There
follow the Caves of San Nicola and Santa Maria, both rich of Byzantine
rocky paintings.
A
group of 5th century catacombs, called "Larderia" is worth
mentioning.
Il
"Parco della Forza" (Strength Park), at south, is a very
interesting rocky site, where remarkable monuments are located,
such as Palazzo Marchionale, the church of the Annunziata and, on
the East side, the ruins of a scenographic castle, first built as
a defensive posting, then enlarged and enriched with battlements.
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