Sicily · Siracusa
Ferla
A baroque village at 500 meters on the Monte Lauro slopes, the western gateway to the UNESCO necropolis of Pantalica eleven kilometers downhill.
Picked by Peter Benei
Letter to come
Why Ferla is on our list
It holds Borghi più belli d'Italia and Comuni Virtuosi.
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Visiting
- Best time
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
- By car
- 1 h 14 min from Catania
- Population
- 2,235
- J12°
- F14°
- M14°
- A17°
- M23°
- J30°
- J33°
- A32°
- S27°
- O22°
- N17°
- D13°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime air temperature, averages for 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
Why come
Ferla sits at 500 meters on the slopes of Monte Lauro in the Iblei, the western gateway to the rock-cut necropolis of Pantalica, eleven kilometers down the road through the Anapo valley. The Pantalica tombs, around four thousand chambers cut into the limestone between the thirteenth and seventh centuries BC, became a UNESCO World Heritage site with Syracuse in 2005. The village name dates to the Norman refoundation, possibly from the Lombard farra meaning community.
The 1693 Val di Noto earthquake leveled Ferla and the town rebuilt itself in Iblei baroque between 1700 and the 1750s. The Basilica di San Sebastiano, the largest church in the village, was begun in 1481, destroyed in 1693 and completed in its current baroque form in 1741. Ferla is a Comune Virtuoso, recognized for its waste reduction and small-scale environmental programs, one of the few in eastern Sicily inside the network.
How to get there
From Catania (CTA), about 1 h 12 min by car.
By car from the center of Palermo 3 h 34 min.
Coming by train into Siracusa? Ferla is about 1 h away by road.
Every town within reach of Catania airport.
First time driving in Italy? Read our complete manual.
What to see
Basilica di San Sebastiano
Largest church in the village, founded 1481, destroyed in the 1693 earthquake and completed in 1741 in Iblei baroque; central monument of the rebuild.
Chiesa di San Giacomo
Baroque parish church on the upper square, rebuilt after 1693 with a polychrome marble altar and the village's patron statue.
Necropoli di Pantalica
Around 4,000 rock-cut chamber tombs from the thirteenth to seventh centuries BC on a limestone promontory 11 km east; UNESCO site since 2005.
Valle dell'Anapo
Limestone gorge between Ferla and Sortino with the Anapo river, lush vegetation, abandoned railway trail, and access to the Pantalica plateau.
Living here
Could you live here?
Ferla is at the end of the road.
- A village of 2,235. The nearest town of 5,000 people, Palazzolo Acreide, is 28 min away: past our 15-minute rule, which makes this the end of the road.
- Siracusa, a city of 115,776, is 1 h 1 min by car. Further than our 30 to 60 minutes, a long way for the hospital visit or the monthly shopping.
The rules come from our series Where to Move in Italy, written from the places we have lived: Part 1, The End of the Road · Part 2, The Small Town · Part 3, The City · Part 4, The Postcard · Part 5, The Other Half. The towns we would pick are in Part 6, The Best Towns.
- Population 2,235, down 11.4% since 2015 (Italy's emptying towns)
- Nearest city Siracusa, 1 h 1 min drive
- Nearest national health service hospital Militello in Val di Catania, 23 km as the crow flies · how healthcare works in Italy
- Homes in the center: €490 to €700 per m² to buy, €2.00 to €2.80 per m² a month to rent
All the numbers Common questions, designations, lists and sources.
More about living here
- Remote
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Full fibre reaches 99% of homes
- Primary school in the comune
- Earthquake zone 1, Italy's highest hazard
- Comiso airport (CIY), 1 h 7 min drive, the nearest with scheduled flights
- Regional capital Palermo, 3 h 34 min drive
If you are moving here
Who lives here
2% of residents are foreign citizens, most often from Romania and Poland, against 9% across Italy. There are 281 people over 65 for every 100 children under 15, against 216 across Italy. 48% of homes have no resident, holiday homes and empty ones counted together, against 27% across Italy. Siracusa province ranks 106th of 107 in Il Sole 24 Ore's quality of life ranking for 2025.
Health and schools
The nearest emergency room is in Militello in Val di Catania, 23 km as the crow flies. The nearest major one is in Catania, 37 km away. The nearest children's emergency room is in Catania, 37 km away. The nearest IB school is Gonzaga International School Palermo, 180 km as the crow flies.
Information, not medical advice. Confirm with a professional.
Taxes
A home that is not your main one pays 1.01% a year in property tax at the 2025 rate, charged on the cadastral value rather than the price. A main home pays none unless it is in a luxury category. The town adds 0.5% to your income tax. 7% pensioner tax: this town qualifies, for someone with a foreign pension who has lived abroad for five years: 7% on foreign income, for ten years.
Information, not tax advice. Confirm with a professional.
What it costs
The average household in Sicily spends about €1,820 a month, €580 of it on food, against about €2,170 across Italy. A family of three pays about €524 a year for water, on the Sicily average. In Siracusa, the provincial capital, in September 2026, an espresso cost €1.18, a meal in a pizzeria €12.69 and a man's haircut €18.98.
Climate and risk
It is in climate zone D, on a scale from A, the warmest, to F, the coldest, and heating may run from November 1 to April 15, up to 12 hours a day, unless the mayor changes it. The national maps show no residents in a high or medium flood zone. Under 1% live in a zone rated high or very high for landslides.
These shares cover the whole comune, not any one street. Check an address on IdroGEO.
Moving from abroad? Which visa you need. Sources: ISTAT, the Ministry of Health, ISPRA, the Finance Ministry, the Ministry of Enterprise, Poste Italiane, the comuni, the IB, International Schools Database, Il Sole 24 Ore, Cittadinanzattiva.
Known for
PANTALICA
Western gateway to the UNESCO rock-cut necropolis, 11 km east of the village; around 4,000 chamber tombs from the thirteenth to seventh centuries BC.
BAROCCO IBLEO
Levelled by the 1693 earthquake and rebuilt in Iblei baroque between 1700 and 1750; the Basilica San Sebastiano is the rebuild's central monument.
COMUNE VIRTUOSO
Part of the Comuni Virtuosi network for waste reduction and sustainable practices, one of the few in eastern Sicily inside the program.
Common questions
- What is Ferla known for?
- Ferla is a baroque village at 500 meters on the Monte Lauro slopes, the western gateway to the UNESCO necropolis of Pantalica eleven kilometers downhill.
- Where is Ferla?
- Ferla is a comune in the province of Siracusa, in Sicily.
- What is the nearest airport to Ferla?
- The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Comiso (CIY), about 1 h 7 min by car.
- How long is the drive from Palermo to Ferla?
- About 3 h 34 min by car.
- When is the best time to visit Ferla?
- Best in Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. July is the warmest month, averaging 33 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 10 rain days.
- Which other towns are like Ferla?
- Mezzojuso, San Marco d'Alunzio and Sant'Alfio.
- How many people live in Ferla?
- 2,235 residents, by ISTAT's count on 1 January 2025.
- Is Ferla a good place to live?
- By the rules in our Where to Move in Italy series, Ferla is at the end of the road: the nearest town of 5,000 people, Palazzolo Acreide, is 28 min away. The nearest city, Siracusa, is 1 h 1 min away by car. The nearest national health service hospital is in Militello in Val di Catania, 23 km as the crow flies. Full fibre reaches 99% of homes.
Tags & data designations · numbers · sources
Landscape
The numbers
- Elevation: 500 m
- Population: 2,235
- Surface area: 24.9 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
The ranked lists
Lists Ferla appears in
- The best hill towns within 90 minutes of SiracusaNear Siracusahill townwithin 90 min7 towns · smallest 2,235 residents · closest 39 min away
- The best hill towns within 90 minutes of CataniaNear Cataniahill townwithin 90 min9 towns · smallest 1,078 residents · closest 45 min away
- The best small hill towns in SicilySicilyhill townsmall10 towns · smallest 652 residents
Similar
Towns like Ferla
What all six share with Ferla: under 3,000 people
Mezzojuso
Province: Palermo
both inland in Sicily · both hill towns
San Marco d'Alunzio
Province: Messina
both inland in Sicily · both hill towns
Sant'Alfio
Province: Catania
both inland in Sicily · both hill towns
Novara di Sicilia
Province: Messina
both inland in Sicily
Miglionico
Province: Matera
both hill towns
Archi
Province: Chieti
both hill towns
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