Situated in the south-eastern corner of Sicily, Noto is famous for its Baroque architecture, and since 2002 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Noto is a plesant attractive little town with a historic centre that is composed almost entirely of crumbling Baroque palaces, churches and houses. The Duomo cathedral actually collapsed in the mid 1990’s after an earthquake shook the island. And it took many years of fundraising to rebuild it. It was finally reopened in 2007, with the inside of the Duomo almost back to how it looked originally. It is pretty spectacular and a must see when you visit the town.
Inside the Noto Cathedral
Cathedral of Noto
It is not just the Dumo which will amaze you. In fact, the majority of the architecture in the town is made of golden stone which makes the little streets look very bright, especially on a nice sunny day. Take a stroll and see what you discover. I found an excellent café, a few streets in front of the Duomo, which serves the most delicious gelato – my favourite is two scoops of pistachio in a tub.
Entrance to Noto’s Main street
Combine a visit of Noto with a stay in one of the many historical hilltop towns in the area – Ragusa or Modica for example – to really enjoy an authentic stay on the largest island in the Mediterranean.
Sunvil Discovery
Angela Feeney
