Baroque splendour in south eastern Sicily

Noto, in the southeast of Sicily, carries its title of the „most beautiful Baroque town on Sicily“ rightly so and with dignity. An amazing splendour of Baroque buildings fascinates visitors to this place in the southern foothills of Monte Iblei, to the southwest of Syracuse. After the old town of Noto – „Noto Antica“ – had been destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1693, the town was rebuilt in the style of the Sicilian Baroque which was prevalent at those times. The ruins of Noto Antica are about 10 kilometres northwest of today’s Noto.

Unesco World Heritage Site

The overwhelming splendour of the rebuilt town as well as the interplay of elaborate details and sophisticated perspectives makes you compare Noto with an opulent stage setting. The Unesco was aware of the beauty of the town, too, and thus Noto became one of the late Baroque towns of the Val di Noto declared World Heritage Site in 2002.

The completely restored cathedral of SS. Nicolò di Mira e Corrado is one of the town’s main sights. Since 2007, the cupola of the mighty cathedral has been opened again; in 1996, it had collapsed due to heavy rains. For those interested in culture, Noto offers a great number of churches and palaces waiting to be visited. Probably most fascinating is the townscape as a whole, the harmony of the various buildings, alleys and squares.