A Local’s Guide to Visiting Noto, Sicily
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Noto was built with golden stones that still shine brightly in the sun, and it is the perfect example of a city that has somehow emerged more beautiful from rubble. And it was once just that - on the 11th of January 1693, an earthquake struck eastern Sicily completely razing Noto to the ground.
But from this tragedy arose a new city in Baroque style so marvelous that it has since been UNESCO listed.
It is no coincidence that Noto is now called The Stone Garden; the historic center is a glorious bounty of columns, bell towers, palaces, churches, and wrought-iron balconies full of cherubs and grotesque masks.
Noto’s buildings unfold along the central Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the street lined by Baroque palaces and churches one after another. Noto’s core represents the pinnacle of late Baroque architecture thanks to three architects: Rosario Gagliardi, Vincenzo Sinatra, and Paolo Labisi.
This is the type of place that is simply useless to describe. You must visit and see with your own eyes to comprehend the beauty that abounds here.
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For more info on travel in Sicily, check out our Catania city guide and our guide to Siracusa.
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Table of Contents
Why visit
Where is Noto
Best time to visit
How long to spend
How to get there
Where to stay
Things to do
Dining in Noto
Local help with your planning
If you’re planning an itinerary through Eastern Sicily, there’s no doubt that Noto should be on your list. But how long should you stay? Where else should you visit? What’s the best way to get around? And which town is your best base? When planning a trip, the questions can be endless.
So you could use some help coming up with the ideal plan for your visit, consider scheduling a Sicily travel consultation with one of our Local Experts.
These are one-hour Zoom calls where you get to chat with a Sicily-based travel pro about the trip you’re planning and they’ll share their tips and advice, answer your travel questions, and help you perfect your itinerary.
Why visit Noto
Noto’s historic center is the emblem of Sicilian baroque to the point that it could easily seem like a film set or an open-air museum. This alone is reason enough to visit. But Noto is also an everyday city that retains the authenticity of a breezy seaside town that is never overly busy.
In the city center, you can easily see children playing in the piazzas and groups of retired gentlemen crammed around tables playing cards and sipping beer. It is rare that you can visit somewhere so beautiful but that manages to avoid suffering the fate of similar towns all over Italy, so many of which have practically become museums and a sort of Disneyland, places just for tourists.
Noto is very much still a real, local place.
It is also ideally situated to make day trips to terrific nearby beaches and other Baroque towns.
Where is Noto?
Located in southeastern Sicily, Noto is majestically perched on the Hyblaei Hills, in a location that is an ideal base from which to explore the southern end of the island. It is 290 km away from Palermo, 90 km from Catania (the closest airport), and just 38 km from Syracuse.
Neas, its first name, was originally founded by Sican populations (a group native to Sicily that pre-dates the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans) around the same time as the fall of Troy in Greece. During Greek colonization of Sicily in Antiquity, and later under the Romans, the city was known as Netum.
Eventually, like much of Sicily, it was conquered by Arabs from North Africa. After its complete and utter destruction in the 1693 earthquake, it was rebuilt 10 km from the original site.
The city lies just 8 km from the sea and is smack between two nature reserves (Cavagrande del Cassibile and Vendicari). The surrounding countryside is beyond beautiful, dotted with emerald lakes, vineyards, old villas, fishing villages, and white beaches backed by rocky cliffs.
How to get to Noto
While you can get to Noto from Sicily’s main cities with public transport, the surrounding region is poorly connected and you’ll really need a car to get around.
Many of the places you’ll want to visit (small towns, beaches, nature reserves) are essentially impossible to get to without a car, and day trips/road trips are the best way to explore the area.
By plane
If you’re flying into Sicily and heading straight to Noto, you will almost certainly arrive to either Palermo or Catania.
The nearest airport to Noto is in Catania, just 90 kms away. You may also be able to find flights to Comiso airport, just a few km outside of Ragusa. Palermo’s airport is much bigger and offers more connections, but it’s 3 hours from Noto.
From Ragusa and Catania you can take a bus to Noto. Palermo does not have any direct connections with the city.
By public transport
From Palermo, your best option is to take an intercity SAIS bus to Catania and then transfer to a Noto-bound AST bus there. The trip from Palermo to Catania takes 2.5 hours and then it’s a bit over an hour from Catania to Noto.
You could hobble together a train journey from Palermo, but as is often in case in Sicily it would be much slower than the bus.
From Catania, AST buses run direct to Noto and depart from the airport and city center. The rides take one hour and 15 minutes. Again, you can take a train, but the bus is quicker and more reliable.
From Syracuse, you have the best connections with Noto, and both the train and bus are good options. Trains and buses depart frequently every day; the train takes 36 minutes and costs € 4.80, while the bus (offered via AST or Interbus) takes 55 minutes and costs € 3-6.
Where to book train & bus tickets
Omio is a great website to use to check (and book) all your different options for public transport. They show routes and timetables from all the different companies as well as different means of transport (trains, buses, flights, and even ferries). It costs a bit more than booking direct, but it’s very convenient.
By car
To get to Noto, you’ll follow the main highways to Syracuse (A19 from Palermo and A18 from Catania) which are both smoothly paved and in good condition. The local road, SS115, connects Syracuse to Noto. The drive takes 3 hours from Palermo, 1 hour from Catania, and 30 minutes from Syracuse.
Once you arrive to Noto, a convenient parking lot is right next to Porta Reale, the city’s historic main gate. It’s a good idea to leave your car here and then enjoy Noto on foot since all the attractions are a short distance away, in a very compact center.
If you want to visit Noto Antica (the ruins of the original city), you need a car as the site is 10 km from the city center and is not connected by public transport.
Having a car is essential to explore the area around Noto.
Where to find a car rental
Noto does not have rental agencies in town, but you have a few rental companies in Siracusa (Syracuse) about 30 minutes away. You also have a couple of companies operating at Comiso Airport near to Ragusa (1 hour away). Nonetheless, for the best selection of cars (and prices), you should plan on renting in Catania or Palermo, depending on where you’ll first land in Sicily.
To check prices and book, I recommend using the following two car rental websites:
DiscoverCars includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. You can often find great deals.
AutoEurope tends to be more expensive, but they only list options from large, well-reviewed companies and their customer service is excellent. Their deals often include “zero deductible” (i.e. full coverage) rental insurance.
Connect with a Sicily travel expert for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips for a better visit!
Best time to visit
Weather-wise, the best time to visit Noto is in spring or fall, avoiding the suffocating summer heat. But no matter the time of year, it is at sunset that Noto casts her enchanting spells; in the light of dusk the city’s limestone buildings take on a honeyed glow, emanating beauty and warmth.
Visiting in Spring
In spring, the sun kisses Noto’s golden buildings and temperatures are pleasant for enjoying a walk even at midday without sweating (too much). In the middle of May, the city celebrates spring with a colorful flower festival known as the Infiorata.
Visiting in Summer
If you’re planning on beach-hopping and swimming, summer is the ideal season to enjoy the coast near Noto with its white sand beaches and shining turquoise sea. Do bear in mind though that the summer heat can be stifling, making sightseeing a bit of a drag.
Visiting in Fall
Fall is almost always still warm enough to enjoy good Sicilian weather and all the pleasures of the outdoors, but with temperatures dropping off from their summer highs. Being the harvest season, it is an ideal time for meandering in the countryside and tasting wines, such as Nero d'Avola which is produced in this area.
Visiting in Winter
A winter visit to Sicily means that you’ll have to skip the beach (or at least skip swimming), but th weather is still quite good compared to much of the Northern Hemisphere. This part of Sicily is also often kissed by the sun even in colder month and I bet you've never seen a bluer sky in winter.
How long to spend in Noto
A day is all you need to explore Noto; you can walk at a leisurely pace while gazing up at Baroque balconies, pop into a few museums and shops, have a lazy lunch, and then explore some more in the afternoon, stopping for the occasional granita.
When visiting, be sure not to miss the golden hour, when the late afternoon light casts the buildings and churches in gold.
Although Noto is small and easily visited in a day, it’s a very good location from which to explore southeastern Sicily, and you could use the city as a base for 3-4 days of exploring places like Siracusa, Ragusa, Modica, and the terrific nearby beaches and natural surroundings.
Where to stay
Noto’s historic center is quite compact and this is where you’ll want to stay. By staying central, you’ll be close to all the main attractions.
Seven Rooms Villadorata is a sumptuous feast of a hotel. Housed in a restored Baroque palazzo right in Noto’s city center, staying here is a serious taste of dolce vita. It’s pricey, but you feel a bit like you’re staying in the outrageously beautiful home of a noble friend. Rooms from €350.
Q92 has one of the most fantastic locations of any hotel in Sicily, smack in the heart of historic Noto and half a block to the Cathedral. Views over the city are unparalleled and the entire aesthetic of the hotel is a delight. Rooms from €280.
Gagliardi Boutique Hotel is housed in a Baroque building with sumptuous furnishings and a large terrace. Rooms start from €190.
Welcome Garden is a little hideaway featuring a guest garden. Its restored rooms are bigger than most accommodations in town. A room for two is € 100.
Novecento Siciliano B&B offers beautiful rooms with vintage details and is excellently located, just a stone’s throw from the cathedral. A double room costs € 80.
Dimora Umberto is a traditional dammuso-style house with a fully equipped kitchen, just 400 meters from the cathedral. The studio apartment costs € 80.
If you want to stay outside of town and near to the Vendicari nature reserve, Marzamemi, and some excellent beaches, Scilla Maris and Mariannedi Agriturismo (actually inside the reserve) are two beautiful countryside properties that serve as good bases for exploring the entire Val di Noto region.
What to see and do
1. Enjoy Baroque architecture
Your gateway to Noto’s historic center is Porta Reale, and it’s where you’ll realistically start your exploration of the city.
Enter the gate and follow Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the main street. San Francesco all'Immacolata is the first church you’ll stumble upon, immediately on the left. Next are the Basilica del Santissimo Salvatore, the church of Santa Chiara (have a look at its stucco work inside!), and the cathedral of San Nicolò, whose impressive baroque façade is reached by a long flight of steps.
Opposite the church is the 17th-century French-inspired Palazzo Ducezio with a convex façade, now housing the town hall.
Just beyond the cathedral, you can see Palazzo Landolina and Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, with wrought-iron balconies supported by grotesque masks, spirals, and arabesques. Enter the palace and feel like a noble among its frescoed ceilings and brocaded walls.
The church of San Domenico on Piazza XVI Maggio hosts the remains of the Baroque architecht Rosario Gagliardi, who designed many of the buildings you’ll be passing.
In the same piazza, you have the theater dedicated to Tina di Lorenzo, a renowned Belle Époque actress.
From here, head to Via Cavour to discover three noble palaces: Palazzo Castelluccio, Palazzo Astuto, and Palazzo Trigona Cannicarao.
You’re on your own for the rest of the day!
2. Climb to the top of the Campanile di San Carlo bell tower
The best way to get a sense of a place is to head up, don't you agree? Scale the bell tower of the church of San Carlo al Corso and take a wonderful photo of the city center from above. Your shoot will be framed in a golden stone window.
3. Celebrate the Infiorata spring flower festival with the locals
This famous flower festival takes place on the third weekend of May when the 70-meter-long Via Nicolaci becomes a carpet of petals depicting religious, folkloristic, or mythological designs based on an annual theme.
The artists begin their work on Friday and the spectacular flower art is not limited to Via Nicolaci - the entire town takes part in the festival with various displays and sideshows around the center.
4. Step back in time in Noto Antica
The ancient Noto settlement, the one that was destroyed in an earthquake, lies 10 km away from today’s town (accessible only by car). It's perched on a plateau overlooking three deep gorges.
Although it was devastated by the 1693 earthquake, it still retains fairly impressive ruins. While many of the older buildings are buried beneath the collapsed medieval rubble, it’s still possible to explore the ruins of a gate, Greek fortifications, Byzantine tombs, a 16th-century hospital, the remains of a Jesuit convent, and a Norman-Aragonese castle.
5. Beach hop
Noto is close to a number of excellent beaches. The closest one is Lido di Noto, just 8 km away. The best spots to swim are Calabernardo and Scogliera Bianca.
The town of Avola also has a good beach that’s just 10 minutes drive from Noto. Here you can swim with a view over the ruins of an old tonnara, a structure built to fish tuna.
Eloro beach, 9 km from Noto, is a more secluded sandy stretch, nestled by rocky cliffs and lapped by turquoise waters.
A beach in the Vendicari nature reserve. Photo: Lamberto Zannotti, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
6. Marvel at Roman mosaics at Villa Romana del Tellaro
Take the SP19 road to reach this 4th-century Roman villa, just 10 minutes from Noto. A fire destroyed it around the middle of the 5th century AD, yet it preserves magnificent mosaic floors depicting mythological, hunting, and banquet scenes.
7. Dive into the emerald lakes at Cavagrande del Cassibile
The 10-km-long gorge carved by the Cassibile river created a series of emerald lakes surrounded by rock walls up to 300 meters tall. It’s a protected area and a paradise for trekking lovers.
Lace up a good pair of boots (the path is steep) and make your way down the limestone cliffs to the lakes where you can take an invigorating dip in the cool waters. There are no facilities in the area, so bring plenty of water, a hat, and sunscreen.
8. Swim at Oasi del Gelsomineto, an unspoilt bay
At the mouth of the Cassibile river, you can find an unspoilt bay made of white and gold sand, lapped by a crystalline blue sea and lined by maritime pines and jasmine bushes.
Legend has it that the Marquise of Cassibile loved this place, and that’s why locals call it ‘a Marchisa. In summer it can get crowded, so come early. A path connects Gelsomineto to Gallina beach.
9. Get outdoors at Vendicari Nature Reserve
If you’re looking for a pristine crystalline sea and white sandy beaches, head to the Vendicari Nature Reserve, a 7 km stretch of coast just 25 minutes drive from Noto. Birdwatchers will especially like it as migratory birds stop in the wetlands - in spring and fall you can even spot flamingos!
Walking along the three paths inside the nature reserve, you can also see ancient Greek ruins, a Byzantine church, a Swabian tower, and an old tonnara. The reserve has four entrances: Eloro, Calamosche, Vendicari, and Cittadella.
Here are a few good beaches inside the reserve:
Marianeddi - popular with naturists since it is quite secluded
Calamosche - surrounded by fascinating caves
San Lorenzo - a long sandy beach.
If you love snorkeling, dive into the rocky stretch near the Swabian tower at Calamosche or explore the rocky spurs at Marianeddi.
10. Visit coastal Marzamemi
The coastal town of Marzamemi is a charming fishing village 30 minutes from Noto. It has a beautiful piazza flanked by former fishermen's houses, a noble palace built in the 17th century by the Prince of Villadorata, a large tonnara, and two little churches.
It is a gorgeous combination of golden stone buildings, sparkling turquoise water, and pretty restaurants and cafes where to chill and relax.
11. Head offshore to Isola delle Correnti, a wild island
About 30 km south of Noto is the Isola delle Correnti, a wild tiny island and the southernmost point of Sicily. Here, the Mediterranean and Ionian seas meet and create strong currents, hence the name (island of the currents). It is a popular spot for surfers.
Although an island, during low tide you can walk across the sea and reach it from the mainland beach right in front of it.
Connect with a Sicily travel expert for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips for a better visit!
Dining in Noto
A slice of “sfincione”. Photo: Rino Porrovecchio from Palermo, Italy, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Noto's cuisine sums up the best of the southeastern area of Sicily so you can find all the specialties in one place. Very convenient, right?
Caffè Sicilia is the one of the town’s must-visit addresses. This 130-year-old cafè serves an unforgettable almond milk granita, the delicious Montezuma gelato, a saccottino filled with fresh ricotta, and homemade bergamot jam.
Putia del Coppo is your go-to if you’re looking for a quick lunch after the beach. It serves cones full of fried fish and veggies.
Panificio Maidda is a tiny bakery where you can taste a sfincione (bread dough topped with tomatoes, onions, and oregano) or a scaccia (a thin rectangular layer of dough filled with onions and tomatoes).
Pani cunzatu offers local beers and sandwiches filled with Sicilian cheeses and capuliatu, minced sun-dried tomatoes.
Manna sits in a former prince’s wine cellar and serves excellent Sicilian cuisine with a contemporary twist.
Trattoria Giufà is a family-run restaurant loved by locals. Their bestsellers are squid meatballs and rabbit cooked in red wine.
Anche Gli Angeli is located inside an old church and is a blend of a lounge bar and a concept store: the right spot to enjoy an aperitif or a late-night drink after dinner.
Il Brillo Parlante offers a great selection of Sicilian wines accompanied by local cheeses.
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