Noto

August 27, 2016

When visiting Sicily a trip to the South East corner is a must do, the landscape is very much different from the rest of the island yet this small corner is rich in sights.

The towns of Syracuse, Caltagirone, Modica, Ragusa, Palazzolo Acreide, Scicli and Noto have all been declared as UNESCO World Heritage sites on the merits of their Baroque architecture and town planning, the result of the rebuilding after the destruction of the 1693 earthquake.

Noto is a most beautiful Baroque city and has been a UNESCO site since 2005, its nickname is “The Stone Garden of Europe”. It was lovingly reconstructed after the earthquake by a Sicilian-Spanish aristocrat, Giuseppe Lanza the Duke of Camastra.

The town fascinates visitors with its noble palaces and churches.

Before you explore Noto it is worth a trip first to Noto Antica. Here lays the ruins of the pre-earthquake town. Built on an arid limestone ridge the site has views of the Province of Ragusa and Mount Etna. When Giuseppe Lanza saw the ruins of Noto he decided to build the new town 16km to the South. There is not much to see here but the ruins of the old town will give you a sense of the devastation that the earthquake caused.

The new town of Noto was rebuilt using tufa stone that has turned a honey coloured shade after years of sun. The town plan boasts open wide streets with plenty of Piazzas. In the evening as the sun sets the buildings glow as if golden and are floodlit at night.

The main street of Noto is the pretty Via Vittorio Emanuele which has many tempting cafes, boutiques and gift shops, at one end on Viale Marconi (where we usually park) you will find the Giardino Pubblico (the public gardens), here there are street vendors that sell local produce including honey, preserves, pesto, sundried tomatoes and dried herbs.

As you walk along towards Via Vittorio Emanuele you will pass by an arch called the Porta Reale and thereafter the street then becomes pedestrianised. This arch was built in 1938 and on top you will see three symbols of a dog, a tower and a pelican, meaning respect, loyalty, strength and sacrifice which symbolise Noto’s allegiance to the Bourbon monarchy of that era.

Further along you will find some of Sicily’s most beautiful buildings. Most buildings in Noto boast beautifully carved balconies with buttresses.

In Piazza del Municipio you will find the breath taking Duomo with its twin towers and it is approached by a wide graceful set of steps outside. The Duomo has recently been restored after its dome collapsed inside and now it is back to its full glory. Opposite is the Palazzo Ducezio which today is the town hall.

Also on this street you will find the Church of Saint Carlo (Chiesa San Carlo), here for a small fee you can climb the narrow spiral staircase up to the bell tower (campanile) where you will get breath taking views which will create Insta-envy with all your Instagram followers.

Further down the street you will find Via Corrado Nicolaci, on this steep upward road is Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata dating from 1739. A walk up this road is a must as the balconies on the Palazzo are exquisite, as you look up six of the balconies have beautiful carved buttresses underneath. Sculptures of griffins, galloping horses and bald bearded figures with chubby cherubs. The palazzo is worth a visit for its stunning interior where you will feel like you are in a real Sicilian palace and imagine the grandeur of times gone by.

Via Corrado Nicolaci is also well known for another reason …..

In the third week of May the road comes alive during the town’s annual Infiorata flower festival. Locals and tourists in their hundreds ascend on to Noto to see spectacular designs of petals that cover the entire road. It is an amazing colourful sight to behold.

Worth a visit as well as Noto’s Teatro Comunale where a thick velvet curtain swept aside in the foyer reveals a lovely auditorium, red and gold, tiny and round, with plush velvet seats on the floor and honeycombed jewel-like boxes inserted around the walls.

Of equal enjoyment is the gastronomy of the area, including seafood from the south eastern coastline, meats, cheeses and wild greens of the countryside. But there is one place that we always must pay a visit to …..

Caffe Sicilia on Corso Vittorio Emanuele has been established for more than a century by the family of Carlo and Corrado Assenza. The brother’s search for the highest quality ingredients Sicily has to offer working to preserve the Sicilian pastry making tradition. They create pastries from the recipes of Noto’s ex-monastery Santa Chiara as well as their own recipes. Try their Giuggolena a sweet bar made from Sesame seed, Sicilian honey and Sicilian orange zest. It is mind blowing. Also try their delicious granite available in a wide variety of flavours.

Aside from the stunning architecture there is not many other tourist attractions in Noto therefore I would suggest combining a visit with the many other UNESCO sites and towns within easy reach or cool off on Noto’s local beach Lido di Noto.

With budget airline Ryanair flying into Comiso airport nearby, Noto and the South East of Sicily is now easily reachable for a memorable stay in Sicily.

From Taormina the drive is approximately one hour and forty five minutes through the winding roads of the Ragusan countryside.

If you enjoyed this post search my Blog archive for my post “Scicli” in October 2015 and discover this equally beautiful Baroque south eastern town.

Photo Gallery