Further down the road there is also a railway station. Buses run not only to Siracusa but also to other Sicilian destinations such as Catania and Gela. Noto's principal bus stop is by the Giardino Pubblico, to the east of the centre, at the top of Via Principe di Piemonte. Both buses also stop in Siracusa at the Foro Siracusano (buy tickets at the newsstand by the bus stop). Two different bus companies operate on the route: AST (from Siracusa's Riva della Posta) and Interbus (from Via Trieste). Noto is in the Province of Siracusa, and can be reached in about 40 minutes from the larger town.

More hotels can be found in Noto Marina, a coastal town about five miles away. However if you're looking for a peaceful place to stay for longer, there are a few B&Bs in Noto, as well as several in the countryside nearby (ideal if you have rented a car and want a break from Sicily's urban centres). Other than the architecture, there aren't a large number of tourist attractions in Noto and most visitors only spend a day here. Restoration of the on the Duomo finished in 2007 the building was reopened with much publicity and celebration While this preservation work may be good news, it does mean that some buildings are under scaffolding and several churches are closed to the public. Over recent years an initiative has started to restore Noto's crumbling buildings - most crumbly of which was the famous Duomo, whose dome actually collapsed in 1996. Also within reach are Ragusa, a similarly-appealing Baroque town, the necropolis at Pantalica, and the provincial capital, Siracusa. There are further archaeological sites at Eloro (ruined Helorus) and Palazzo Acreide (former Akrai). For € 1.50 you can climb the narrow spiral staircase up the belltower ( campanile) to admire more views.Īround Noto, other sites to see if you have a car include Noto Antica, the older, ruined town. Sadly-dilapidated (although restoration work is promised), the wide spaces and painted walls evoke headier past times, as well as offering you the chance to step out onto a balcony and admire the view over Noto.Ī third attraction open to the public is the Chiesa di San Carlo, back on the Corso. A suite of rooms on the second floor is open to the public (€1.50 admission). Some of the fanciest balconies in town belong to the Palazzo Nicolaci (1739), where chubby beasts and cherubs stare down at Via Nicolaci. An admission fee of €1 admits you to one of the reception rooms within, the Sala degli Specchi ('hall of mirrors'), a palatial room with mildly interesting 19th Century frescoes. Here the grandĬathedral, the Duomo (1693-1770), faces the pretty Palazzo Ducezio (1746), now the seat of the Town Council. The main street, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, runs from the imposing gateway of Porta Reale (close to the park and the bus stop) along past the Chiesa di San Francesco (1704-1745), which sits atop its long staircase, to the town's central piazza. The principal tourist activity in Noto is simply a wander around the narrow streets, admiring the golden-coloured stone buildings, the fantastical facades and balconies. Thus Noto was rebuilt on its present site, carefully designed for functionality and architectural harmony. The old town of Noto was almost completely destroyed, and it was decided to to reconstruct a splendid new town several miles away. The town's striking architectural coherence is due to the major earthquake that struck Sicily in 1693.

Generally listed as one of the 'must-see' tourist attractions of this part of Sicily, Noto is a pleasant and attractive little town, with a historic centre that is composed almost entirely of crumbling Baroque palaces, churches and houses. 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 'Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto'. Aeolian Islands Agrigento Castellammare del Golfo Catania Cefalù Egadi Islands Enna Erice Giardini Naxos Marsala Modica Mondello Monreale Mozia Noto Palermo Piazza Armerina Ragusa San Vito Lo Capo Savoca Sciacca Scicli Scopello Segesta Selinunte Siracusa Taormina Trapani Ustica

Noto sicily