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DIMORA BIRULLÀ: A Modican Welcome

Modica is a city of stone and light: sunlit by day, it turns rose-pink at sunset and lights up at night, and the luxury of letting your eyes and imagination wander at leisure is a daily delight – one which I can’t keep to myself. Dimora Birulla was born from a desire to share the beauties of Modica with others. One of these beauties is the Dimora itself, which occupies the top floor of a fascinating 18th century nobleman’s palace, with high ceilings and thick walls, and rooms lovingly restored and tastefully furnished. The residence - which comprises three bedrooms (each with its own bathroom), an elegant sitting room and a shared kitchen – boasts spectacular views of the imposing Duomo di San Pietro (St. Peter’s Cathedral), which is almost directly opposite. From each of Birulla’s balconies you can feast your eyes on the ochre-coloured stone of the Baroque facade and the statues of the twelve apostles, guarding the steps of the cathedral.

In Family

The rooms, kitchen, balconies – every inch of my home has been lovingly restored and designed, not just to meet certain tourist standards, but to give you a true taste of a Sicilian home.

Modica (whose name is thought to come from the Phoenician ‘Mutika’, or the Sicilian ‘Murika’) was once the capital of the province. The town emerged triumphantly from the ruins of the 1693 earthquake, more beautiful than before, and is now famous for its late Baroque style. From Dimora Birulla its most historic corners are easily accessible.

I’m always happy to suggest things to do, and places to eat, to help you discover and experience the beauties, colours, scents and flavours of the Noto Valley to the full. Are you looking for a warm climate, unspoilt countryside and the rich history exuded by the narrow streets of a Unesco World Heritage Site? Then Modica is for you.

I’ve learnt through my own travels that the art of true hospitality is to treat travellers not as tourists, but as friends of the family. So if you’d like to experience the proverbial Sicilian welcome then you should stay at Dimora Birulla. I would be delighted to welcome you!

The Kitchen

The perfect haven for lovers of slow-living and curious travellers, Birulla is, above all, a place to share.

And it is in the kitchen, the true heart of the home, that I love to share tales of the fascinating history of my town and region.

It’s in the kitchen that Modican families gather to talk, or simply ‘cuttighiare’ (chat about this and that) over a slice of homemade bread drizzled with olive oil, or a plate of ricotta ravioli in tomato sauce, traditional Modican pastries, or maybe a glass of the local red wine with a piece of unique Modican chocolate.

So, for those who are interested in experiencing and immersing themselves in the wonderful atmosphere and colours of Modica’s historical centre, I can share anecdotes about local figures and interesting details about the renowned local gastronomy or I can recommend trips, visits and itineraries, both urban and rural.

Because, in addition to the attractions of the town, Modica is surrounded by gorges, nature reserves and splendid countryside, where dry stone walls and groves of olives, carobs and citrus fruit extend toward the sea.

The Sitting Room

With a high painted ceiling, a floor of original Caltagirone tiles, local history books and a wonderful view of the unique facade of San Pietro, the sitting room of Dimora Birulla looks out onto the heart of Modica Bassa.

The sitting room is an airy space, perfect for anyone who wants to spend a few days here studying, or indulging in the relaxed and leisurely pace of life which characterises Modican living. Here you can linger after lunch or dinner, leafing through books and images of Modica: its hundred churches (in particular San Pietro and San Giorgio, who share the blessing and burden of being the town’s patron saints...), the facades of its noble ‘palazzi’, the traditional gargoyles that adorn its balconies, and the walls built of Modican stone, perfect for displaying the creativity of master sculptors.

It’s here that I tell my daughter the legends and myths of the area and its glorious past – a past when it was the provincial capital, minting its own currency, supplying the kingdom of the two Sicilies with grain, milk and culinary delicacies, and gathering illustrious literary and philosophical figures.

Which is why the sitting room of Dimora Birulla is the perfect place to enjoy your stay in the Iblean area: a place where you can read, rest and relax, surrounded by history.

And don’t worry if, leafing through a book, you should happen to drift off: you’ll awaken to the sound of happy voices and the smell of spices and cocoa drifting in from the other sitting room, the ‘public’ sitting room of the town, Corso Umberto, where Modicans love to stroll, meet and chat.

Rooms

Dimora Birulla enjoys a central location in Modica Bassa, in the heart of the Cartellone quarter (the old Jewish part of the city). There are two double rooms and a suite (comprising a double and a twin room), each with its own bathroom. The rooms are elegant but comfortable, enjoying incomparable views of either St Peter’s cathedral, or the maze of houses and rooftops which rise from the bottom of the valley towards Modica Alta. Birulla was once the private residence of an aristocratic Modican family, and in renovating the bedrooms the building’s innate refinement and charm has been retained, to give guests a taste of the lifestyle enjoyed by the building’s original inhabitants.

The Rose Bedroom

Air Conditioning and heating
Free Wi-Fi and printing
TV
Free national and international calls
Private bathroom with shower

The Michela Suite

55 m²
Air conditioning and heating
Free Wi-fi and printing
Sleeps 4 (ideal for families)
tv
Private bathroom with shower
Free national and international calls

The Lace Room

Air conditioning and heating
Free Wi-fi and printing
TV
Free national and international calls
Private bathroom with shower

Additional Services

A vegan or gluten free breakfast can be provided on request. The following services are also available for an extra charge

Airport transfers (to and from Catania and Comiso airports)

Car hire

Excursions with driver (and guide)

Modican cookery lessons

Masseur, hairstylist and beautician

Laundry and ironing service

Babysitter

Restaurant bookings

Michela Suite	Price per night
2 people (twin or double room)	88 €
4 people (1 twin and 1 double room)	110 €
Lace Room	60 €
Rose Room	70 €

Contatti

Dimora Birullà
di Rosaria Nigro
Tel. 328 6974093
Via Liceo Convitto, 11
97015 Modica (RG)
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