Noto
A Baroque town rebuilt on a unified plan after the devastating 1693 earthquake. Honey-coloured limestone palaces and churches line the main street, representing the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto World Heritage Site.
The 1693 earthquake destroyed many towns in southeastern Sicily. Noto was rebuilt on a unified plan about 10 km southwest of its original site, becoming a complete example of a late Baroque city. In 2002 it was inscribed, together with Ragusa, Modica, Scicli and four other towns, as the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto. The whole town is built from local golden limestone, which glows honey-coloured in the evening sun. The easiest way to explore is to walk along the main street, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, from the Porta Reale gate on the east side. The Cathedral of San Nicolò stands high above a broad flight of steps. Its dome collapsed in 1996 and was restored by 2007. Opposite is the Palazzo Ducezio, the town hall, whose roof can be visited. Further along is the Palazzo Nicolaci, where the grotesque beasts and mermaid brackets beneath the balconies are a showcase of Sicilian Baroque sculpture. Each May, during the Infiorata flower festival, Via Nicolaci is covered with a carpet of flowers in front of the palace. The bell tower of the Church of San Carlo can be climbed for a fee (about EUR 3) for views over the main street. Noto is often combined with Ragusa Ibla and Modica (the chocolate town) in a one-day Baroque towns tour. It is also about 1 hour by train or bus from Syracuse. Don't miss the granita at Caffè Sicilia and the almond pastries. Midsummer afternoons are very hot, and most churches close from 13:00 to 15:30. The coordinates above refer to the cathedral.
Opening hours
Open all day; cathedral 09:00–13:00 and 15:00–20:00
Nearby sights
- Vendicari Nature Reserve
- Cavagrande del Cassibile
- Marzamemi
- Fontane Bianche
- Cava d'Ispica
- Palazzolo Acreide
- Isola delle Correnti
- Euryalus Fortress