Scicli at a glance
Scicli is one of the eight towns of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto", inscribed in 2002 together with Modica and Ragusa. The town was rebuilt in the baroque style after the earthquake of 1693. The listing covers designated parts and monuments, not the whole municipal area.
Most visitors come for Via Francesco Mormino Penna, the street lined with palaces and churches, and for the town hall, which stood in for the Commissariato di Vigata in the Montalbano TV series. The mayor's room doubled as the office of the Questore, the police chief. This guide is independent and not the official Scicli tourism site.
What to see in Scicli
The street is free to walk. The interiors need tickets.
Via Francesco Mormino Penna
The main street holds palaces such as Palazzo Spadaro and Palazzo Bonelli, and the churches of San Giovanni Evangelista, San Michele and Santa Teresa. Walking the street costs nothing. Going inside a museum is a separate ticket.
Commissariato di Vigata and the Questore's room
The rooms of the town hall that appear in the series can be visited with a ticket. They are run by the Sistema Museale Scicli, which also looks after Palazzo Spadaro and the museum church of Santa Teresa.
Cave churches
Scicli has rock churches, and one is named precisely: Santa Maria, also called Madonna di Piedigrotta, at the Cava di San Bartolomeo. More on this below.
Scicli and Montalbano tours
Guided day trips and walks that include Scicli, Modica and the baroque towns nearby, with live prices and availability.
Tickets and hours in 2026
Adult prices from the operator's tariff page. Hours can change with the season, so check on the day.
| What | Adult price | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Commissariato di Vigata | €5 | Daily 10:00–20:00 |
| Stanza del Questore | €4 | Daily 10:00–20:00 |
| Palazzo Spadaro | €4 | Daily 10:00–14:00 and 15:00–19:00 |
| Santa Teresa museum church | €4 | Saturday and Sunday 10:00–14:00 and 15:00–19:00; closed Monday to Friday |
| Barocco Tour | €10 | – |
| Montalbano Tour | €12 | – |
| Full Tour | €15 | – |
The tours are combined tickets. Check on the tariff page which sites each one includes before you buy.
Online or at the desk
The online shop adds a reservation fee of €1.50. The Commissariato then costs €6.50 and the Full Tour €16.50. Booking online does not let you skip a queue: online buyers also wait for their visit slot. You can buy tickets at the ticket desk in the town hall as well.
Reduced prices
The tariff page lists reduced prices of €3 for single sites and free entry for young children, but the operator's FAQ says there are no reductions. Ask at the desk before you count on a discount for children or other groups.
Rock churches and Chiafura
A "rock church" in Scicli is not the same as the whole cave quarter. Chiafura is the former cave-dwelling district. The church of Santa Maria di Piedigrotta lies opposite it, at the Cava di San Bartolomeo, and is described as open to visitors in principle. Current opening hours and any ticket are best asked locally.
San Nicolò Inferiore, another cave church that appears in searches, belongs to Modica and not to Scicli. Do not mix up the two when you plan your day.
Stay on marked paths. The tourist descriptions of the caves are no safety clearance for every side passage, so do not explore cave areas on your own that are not clearly open.
Convento della Croce
The Convento della Croce is a second site with a regional ticket: €4, reduced €2, bought at the entrance. Weekdays it is open 09:00–19:00, last entry 18:30. On 11, 18 and 25 October 2026 it opens in the morning only, 09:00–13:30, with last entry at 13:00.
Getting to Scicli from Modica
Since 15 June 2026 the railway between Syracuse and Modica has run replacement buses on published works timetables, with no end date. In Modica the replacement bus leaves from Viale Medaglie d'Oro 49/59. In Scicli it stops on the station forecourt. Bus PA161 leaves Modica at 08:18 and reaches Scicli at 08:56, then continues to Syracuse. In the other direction, bus PA166 leaves Scicli at 11:52 and reaches Modica at 12:30. These are published changes, not a daily timetable, so check the current times before you go.
All options, including the car and the city bus, are on how to get to Modica. If you arrive from the east, Syracuse is the other end of this line. Choosing where to sleep is covered in where to stay in Modica.
Scicli: frequently asked questions
How much does the Commissariato di Vigata cost?
In 2026 an adult ticket costs €5 at the operator's tariff. The online shop adds €1.50 for the reservation, so €6.50 in total. The rooms are open daily from 10:00 to 20:00.
Is it worth buying online?
Not for speed. Online buyers wait for their visit slot like everyone else, and tickets are also sold at the town hall desk. Online means a fee of €1.50 more.
Can I walk Via Mormino Penna without a ticket?
Yes. The street is public. You pay only to enter the museum rooms, such as the Commissariato, the Questore's room, Palazzo Spadaro and Santa Teresa.
Is Santa Teresa open every day?
No. Per the tariff page it opens on Saturday and Sunday only and is closed from Monday to Friday.
Can I explore the caves of Chiafura on my own?
We do not recommend it. Stay in areas that are clearly open and ask locally about the Piedigrotta church.