Noto is the jewel of Sicilian Baroque, and therefore of Italian Baroque. The aptly named «Stone Garden» by Cesare Brandi was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
Today, Noto is intensely beautiful thanks to the harmony of the Baroque complex, filled with churches (more than 50), squares, and palaces.
HISTORY OF NOTO
The present-day Noto was born as a product of chance, of the whim that led to the January 1693 earthquake that devastated the eastern part of Sicily, devastating Noto Antica, the original medieval city founded by the Siculi back in the 9th century BC, which was completely reduced to rubble.
All traces of the peoples who enriched this remarkable town were practically erased, and only a trip to ancient Noto, 12 km from the present-day Noto, will allow us to grasp the devastation.
From the disaster arose the opportunity to build a new Noto on the hillside; a place designed in the Baroque style of the time, with parallel streets interspersed between squares that were conceived as grand stages, with staircases, terraces, and slopes; creating a harmonious space between churches, palaces, convents, and stone mansions that, when exposed to the sun, take on an unrepeatable golden hue.
The new Noto—the work of architects Rosario Gagliardi and Vincenzo Sinatra based on a grid design by Fra’Angelo Italia—became the Sicilian capital of the Baroque for its exuberance and unity of style.
Noto is the standard-bearer of the Baroque style throughout the Val di Noto, where the other seven towns in its valley—Caltagirone, Militello, Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Palazzolo, Ragusa, and Scicli—bring together the Baroque style, brought to its greatest splendor.
The architects designed the city organized by social class along a main axis and three squares alternating between convents, palaces, churches, and monasteries; one part was dedicated to the religious power, another to the nobles, and the last to the common people, grouped in the so-called popular quartiers.
WHAT TO SEE IN NOTO
Noto’s main street, Corso Vittorio Emanuele III, which you reach immediately after crossing the Royal Gate (styled like a Roman triumphal arch and built to commemorate the visit of Ferdinand II in 1838), represents the epicenter of ecclesiastical power, with the Cathedral of San Nicolò and the churches of S. Francesco, S. Chiara, S. Carlo Borromeo, and S. Domenico, and their respective convents.
Parallel to and ascending the slope of the hill, Via Cavour and its perpendicular streets were home to the nobility, where they built such spectacular palaces as those of Nicolaci di Villadorata (home of the Public Library), Astuto, and Impellizzeri. Further afield, artisans and the less wealthy lived in the neighborhoods of Agliastrello, Mannarazza, and Pianalto.
The exuberance of the Baroque design implemented in Noto was particularly reflected in the squares, created as if they were grand stages for depicting daily life.
The Piazza 16 Maggiore (16th of May) centers around the sculpture of Hercules—one of the few buildings that survived the earthquake—the Vittorio Emanuele III Theater and the convent of San Domenico (the pinnacle of Noto Baroque, and the place where its architect, Gagliardi, is said to be buried); and the Piazza del Municipio (Municipal Square) with the Town Hall—housed in the Palazzo Duzezio, in honor of the king who defended Noto from the Greeks in the 5th century BC—and the cathedral, forming the so-called «area maioris ecclesiae.»
The Palazzo Ducezio, with its impressive columned façade, can be visited to explore its sumptuous interior, most notably the Hall of Mirrors.
A little further on is the Church of San Carlo, designed by Gagliardi in 1730, from whose tower the views of Noto are well worth the climb.
From the bell tower’s viewing platform, which is accessed via a narrow spiral staircase (for a fee), you get the best views of the city of Noto.
In the upper part of Noto, the most notable building is undoubtedly the Santissimo Crocefisso, in Piazza Mazzini, designed by architect Gagliardi, and its parallel streets, Via Ducezio with the churches of Carmine and Santa Maria dell’Arco, and Via Cavour with the Palazzo Battaglia from 1735.
Noto Cathedral
The history of Noto Cathedral is the result of continuous disasters—natural and human—that have caused its ruin on three occasions (1760, 1848, and 1996). In the 1950s, the wooden ceiling was replaced with a concrete slab measuring 48 cm thick.
Logically, by applying so much weight to the arches supporting the vault (greatly weakened by other earthquakes and the poor quality of the materials used in the two previous reconstructions), the collapse was inevitable, and the dome collapsed on March 13, 1996, damaging parts of the side chapels and the central nave. In 2007, after years of construction, it was reopened.
Facing its façade, it’s worth taking a look at the doors, decorated with scenes from the life of Saint Conrad of Piacenza, the patron saint of Noto.
The corbels decorating its balconies are a treasure for lovers of ornamental details. Particularly noteworthy are those of the Palazzo Nicolaci, where grotesque figures gaze down at us from above in the form of sirens, horses, lions, chimeras, hippogriffs, demons, and cherubs.
Mythological figures support the balconies where nobles would gaze out to watch the Infiorata, the popular festival that covers the streets of Noto with carpets of flowers every third Sunday in May.
Noto Antica
The remains of the ancient city, Noto Antica, are located 8 km north of the current town, scattered on the slopes of Mount Alveria.
Founded by the Sicels as Netum, Greek mythology tells of Daedalus stopping here after his flight over the Ionian Sea.
Conquered by the Romans and the Arabs (in 866), who made it the capital of the Val di Noto district, it also flourished during the Norman period and the Middle Ages.
The earthquake of January 11, 1693, devastated its foundations to the point that it was abandoned to its fate in order to build the new Noto in an area less prone to earthquakes. A walk through its ruins is evocative, and imposing buildings such as its castle can still be seen.
THINGS TO DO IN NOTO
In addition to the visual delight of Noto’s Baroque architecture, you can stimulate your palate with the local cuisine, accompanied by a local wine made from Muscat grapes. There are tours with tastings at several wine cellars (cantine) for wine enthusiasts.
And when the heat becomes more noticeable, Noto’s granita (at Caffè Sicilia, for example) and its ice cream can make the day more bearable.
NOTO’S INFIORATA
May sees Noto’s most famous festival, the Infiorata, which first took place in 1980. Like an ode to spring, the city is filled with the color of tens of thousands of flowers forming tapestries.
ACCOMMODATION AND HOTELS IN NOTO
Noto is a city with a variety of accommodation options, from bed and breakfasts in Baroque palaces to charming hotels. Although many come only to visit it for a day trip or a few hours, the truth is that at sunset it is much more enjoyable to relax.
EXCURSIONS AND TOURS TO NOTO
AROUND NOTO
The Baroque triangle of Ragusa, Modica, and Noto can be explored by car to explore their historic centers and the reasons why they are a World Heritage Site, classified by UNESCO as «Late Baroque of the Noto Valley.»
A visit to the ancient Greek colony of Syracuse can be combined with a stop at the Vendicari Nature Reserve to explore some of its beaches, such as Calamosche.
HOW TO GET TO NOTO
From Catania, it is 91 km to Noto, approximately one hour and ten minutes by car. In the case of Syracuse, the distance is shorter, with only 28 kilometers separating it from Noto.
Since there are few free parking areas, you must opt for paid parking in blue zones or private parking. Another alternative public transportation option is to arrive by train from Syracuse or bus.
