Here's more about our trip to Sicily in May.
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We hadn’t planned on visiting Ragusa but at the last minute, we decided to spend two nights there. This town of 70,000+ people may be known to some from the Andrea Camilleri Inspector Montalbano books (now adapted for television).Ragusa is a charming town in the tranquil hills of southeastern Sicily. Ragusa is divided into two sections – modern hilltop Ragusa Superiore and the lower Baroque Ragusa Ibla, where we stayed. The town was leveled by an earthquake in 1693 but was rebuilt in the Baroque style making it a standout model of late Baroque architecture and urban planning. In 2002, Ragusa, together with seven other towns in the Val di Noto, was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.
It was largely quiet when we visited but Ragusa was ready to welcome visitors. Lodging was tucked into historic buildings, shops sold local artisan crafts and tourist tchotchkes, family-run trattorias served traditional Sicilian dishes, and the tourist information center was open and knowledgeable.
At the same time, the town exuded a lively, authentic vibe and I had the impression that everyday people lived, worked, shopped, and built a community here. Buildings sported Baroque stone facades that have been maintained for centuries, narrow winding alleys had laundry strung from balconies, and groups of locals were chatting over coffee in piazzas.
As we explored the hills, narrow passageways, and a peaceful riverside path, this sense of community became palpable. At first, I wondered if this wasn’t just some wistful notion planted by influencers and the tourist board. But later that evening the feeling of warmth and connectedness came alive as the entire town seemed to pour into the streets to celebrate the festival of Saint George (San Giorgio) with great pride and pageantry.
The annual celebration honors the city’s patron saint. The festivities took place in Ragusa Ibla and started at Duomo di San Giorgio, which sits perched at the top of the steep steps rising from the Piazza Duomo.A crowd of locals and visitors gathered, and right at 7 p.m., the looming wooden doors of the cathedral opened and a small procession of men in religious garb descended. This was followed by a group of strapping young men who hauled a replica of San Giorgio down the stairs. The city’s protector was seated on a horse, his arm, sword in hand, triumphantly raised to the sky.
A marching band, consisting of people of all ages began playing, and the procession commenced. The entire crowd followed their protector through Ragusa Ibla’s winding, narrow streets. Mike and I followed along for about 30 minutes, but hunger won out and we settled into a café where we dined al fresco.
After eating, we headed back to the piazza where we had earlier noticed a stage. A band was setting up, but since a crowd wasn’t forming, we decided to move on to see if we could find a livelier scene. As we wiggled down a narrow passageway, we were surprised to find the San Giorgio procession!
The band was still playing, the young men were still hauling, and the multi-generational crowd was still many people strong. It had been over two hours since the festivities began, and stoke was still in the air. The large crowd had walked their patron saint all over the hilly town, and we were impressed.
The procession stopped at the entrance to the city garden. A spray of fireworks and the thunder of the marching band provided a final burst of energy before marching San Giorgio back to the cathedral. 
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