What makes the cities of Ragusa and Modica so unique and fascinating is, above all, their late baroque character, to which the urban plan of their historical centres bears particular witness – the picturesque lanes and side streets, full of old shops, the homes of the poor and noble villas, maintain a feeling of old. Almost all of the rich architecture of the two cities, located in the Monti Iblei area, originates from the period after the 1693 earthquake, which here too produced great damage. Today the historical centre of Ragusa (Ibla) and that of Modica are completely separate from the modern cities, meaning that they remain harmoniously incorporated into the natural beauties which surround them. In particular, Modica is divided into two original areas: Modica Alta, where the buildings seem almost to scale the rocks of the mountain, and Modica Bassa, lying in the valley below, where two rivers once flowed (they have since been filled in by numerous floods) and where one now finds Corso Umberto, the main street and original historical site of the city. Finally, the local produce is particularly notable – carobs, cereals, and cheeses are produced in the hinterland of Ragusa, while Modica is famous for its chocolate, its cakes and sweets, and its pizzas.