Another long day yesterday: bus ride to the town of Modica – about an hour and a half from Ortigia – another town rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake and rich with baroque churches. There are broadly 2 parts to the town: Modica Bassa and Modica Alta – but the town is built on terraces on the sides of a steep valley.

We had some free time for a look around and a very pleasant white wine watching the world go by on the main street.

The day’s opera – La Traviata – was performed in the Teatro Garibaldi, a tiny historic theatre in the heart of the town. Some of the more discerning folk on the tour weren’t fans of the staging – but we hadn’t seen it before so had no point of comparison. It was always going to be a tough gig for the performers of HGO – a company of young singers – because everyone was going to have and opinion having seen it multiple times (except us!).

Then is was a bus trip back to Ortigia and a “picnic dinner” on the bus on the way.

Here’s Modica!