The town has recent origins, as it was founded in 1681 on an estate belonging to the Marquis Mario Daniele. The population increased significantly after the 1693 earthquake that damaged many centres of south eastern Sicily, and in particular the city of Noto. Some buildings of the old centre are enriched with Art Deco details made by local masons who thus put their vast artistic experience to good use.

The Main Church, dedicated to Santa Maria degli Angeli, was built in 1796 and enlarged between 1852 and 1882. The plan is that of a three-nave basilica with some beautiful chapels such as those devoted to the Holy Sacrament, to the patron Saint Michael Archangel, and the charming chapel of most holy Christ, where the statue of Ecce Homo is kept, a beautiful papier-mâché work dating from the late '600.

The façade of the building on Via Vittorio Emanuele at no. 251, according to the experts is the masterpiece of the great artist of the chisel Santo Ajello, a real surprise of Art Deco harmony.

More and fine Art Deco can be seen in Palazzo Uccello in via Regina Elena; in Palazzo D'Amico, via dei Mille; in Casa Carpinteri, Palazzo Cianci, Palazzo Giansiracusa and Palazzo Leone on Via XX Settembre; in Palazzo Carpinteri-Gozzo (seat of City Hall) and the adjacent Palazzo Messina, seat of the Municipal Library.

About one km northwest from the town centre there is the beautiful bridge Ponte Alfano, built in 1796 to allow farmers to better get to the lands of the district of the same name, separated from the village by the Cava Cardinale canyon. The bridge, beautifully built with local stone, is decorated with the two statues of Currarinu and Calamaro, two guards eternally quarreling, who as legend has it, fought right in this place and eventually killed each other.
The surrounding area offers a landscape which is typical and representative of the Iblei area, especially around Cava Giorgia, Cava Contessa and the Necropolis of Cozzo Guardiole; there's a considerable wealth of archaeological areas dating back to the Paleolithic.
Less lazy people can make an excursion towards Vallone Cavadonna in the shadow of thick Judah trees, descending down from the provincial road Mare – Monti. On the steep limestone walls that line the quarry, there are the caves of a "ddieri”, cave dwellings dating back to Arab times.

Carnival fills via XX September with the parade of costumed groups and allegorical floats, and everywhere you can smell the scent of sausage and pork, protagonists of a tasty food festival just in the same days of Carnival.

St. Michael Archangel is celebrated on 29 September (indeed, often the festivities begin at least a week before) with a spectacular procession starting at 11.30 from the Main Church with the colorful “sciuta”, ie the exit of the statue of the saint which is welcomed in the square by the launch of the characteristic 'nzareddi, strips of multicoloured paper.