1 Day In Noto: The Perfect Noto Itinerary

Noto is a town and commune in the province of Syracuse (in Italian, Siracusa), on the Italian island of Sicily (in Italian, Sicilia). This means that this Noto itinerary is ideal for a day trip from Syracuse or even the perfect stop on a road trip through the Sicily region!

Noto has a historical and cultural heritage of incalculable value, and is in fact one of the eight towns and cities inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002, under the name “Late Baroque Cities of the Val di Noto (Southeast Sicily)”!

So, do you want to know more about 1 Day In Noto: The Perfect Noto Itinerary? Keep reading!

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Noto Itinerary
Noto Itinerary

Brief History of Noto

The town of Noto was completely rebuilt after the 1693 Val di Noto Earthquake, like the other seven towns and cities that make up the same UNESCO World Heritage inscription: Caltagirone, Catania, Militello in Val di Catania, Modica, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa, and Scicli.

With buildings and monuments designed in the late Baroque style of the time, the town of Noto constitutes an outstanding example of urban planning and architectural and artistic achievement. All this while using sandstone as a raw material, a soft, golden-toned rock very present in this territory!

World Heritage

Did you know that the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) was part of Italy’s fifteenth set of inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List? This 26th session of the World Heritage Committee took place in Budapest (Hungary), between June 24th and 29th, 2002.

Nowadays, Italy is the country in the world with the most UNESCO sites: it has sixty heritage assets (both cultural and natural) inscribed on the world list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization!

In the meantime, I’ve already had the opportunity to visit twelve of them:

Visiting Noto

In my opinion, the best way to visit the town of Noto is on a day trip from Syracuse. And to get there from the fourth largest Sicilian city, you have two options: travel by car (about 40 km) or by public transport (50-55 minutes by bus).

However, Noto is also an excellent stop on a road trip through the province of Syracuse or the region of Sicily! In this case, I suggest you explore other destinations in the vicinity: Marzamemi (23 km), Palazzolo Acreide (31 km), Modica (35 km), Scicli (51 km), or Ragusa (52 km).

Noto Itinerary

Porta Reale (ou Porta Ferdinandea)

This Noto itinerary begins at the Royal Gate or Ferdinandea Gate (in Italian, Porta Reale or Porta Ferdinandea), the symbolic entrance to the town of Noto. Designed by the Neapolitan architect Orazio Angelini in a neoclassical style, it dates back to 1838.

In 1838, Noto received a visit from King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and erected the Royal Gate (or Ferdinandea Gate) to celebrate his arrival. This large arch was decorated with the coats of arms of Noto and the Canicarao family – who commissioned the work – as well as three sculptures at the top.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele

The next stop on this Noto itinerary is the Vittorio Emanuele Boulevard (in Italian, Corso Vittorio Emanuele), the main artery of the town. About 1 km long, it houses dozens of monuments, restaurants, shops, and accommodations.

Museo Civico di Noto
Pani Cunzatu

Among the most popular attractions in Noto located on Vittorio Emanuele Boulevard, the Royal Gate (or Ferdinandea Gate), the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in the Immaculate, the Archaeological Museum of Noto, the Church of Saint Clara, the Ducezio Palace, and the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas stand out, among others!

Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi all’Immacolata

This Noto itinerary continues in the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in the Immaculate (in Italian, Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi all’Immacolata), a work by architects Rosario Gagliardi and Vincenzo Sinatra, two of the main exponents of the Sicilian Baroque style.

Built at the top of an imposing three-flight staircase between 1704 and 1750, the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in the Immaculate has a single nave and a Latin cross plan. Its interior houses paintings and sculptures from the 18th century, mostly in Baroque and Rococo styles.

Museo Archeologico di Noto

The next stop on this Noto itinerary is the Archaeological Museum of Noto (in Italian, Museo Archeologico di Noto), officially called MuCiAN – Civic Archaeological Museum of Noto (in Italian, MuCiAN – Museo Civico Archeologico di Noto).

Noto’s first Archaeological Museum opened in 1965 but closed to the public in 1986 for urgent restoration work. After a 35-year closure, the institution reopened its doors in September 2021, with prehistoric, Roman, and Byzantine artifacts displayed throughout ten rooms.

Chiesa di Santa Chiara

This Noto itinerary continues at the Church of Saint Clara (in Italian, Chiesa di Santa Chiara), whose official name is Church of Saint Maria Assunta (in Italian, Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta). The building was designed by Rosario Gagliardi around 1730, with an elliptical-shaped central plan.

Inside, you can admire altarpieces from the 17th-19th centuries and stucco decorations. When it was completed in 1758, the Church of Saint Clara was attached to the Benedictine Monastery of the Holy Crucifix (in Italian, Monastero Benedettino del Santissimo Crocifisso), which is part of the Civic Museum of Noto.

Palazzo Ducezio

The next stop on this Noto itinerary is the Ducezio Palace (in Italian, Palazzo Ducezio), the seat of the City Council of Noto – whose name pays homage to Ducezio (or Doukétios), king of the Sicicles from 460 BC to 450 BC and founder of the town of Noto.

Inspired by 17th-century French palaces, the Ducezio Palace was built between 1746 and 1830 according to a sketch by Vincenzo Sinatra. In the first half of the 20th century, the architect Francesco La Grasse designed the second floor that you can see in the photograph!

Cattedrale di San Nicolò

This Noto itinerary continues at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas (in Italian, Cattedrale di San Nicolò), the main religious temple in the town. Dedicated to Saint Nicholas, this minor basilica is located at the top of a wide three-flight staircase, similar to the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in the Immaculate.

The foundation stone for the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas was laid in 1694, although the most recent details date from the 19th century. The façade and the two towers bring together elements of a neo-17th century, 18th century, and neoclassical inspiration, by Fra Angelo Italia, Rosario Gagliardi, and Vincenzo Sinatra.

Inside, it’s worth highlighting the 16th-century silver urn, which contains the remains of Saint Corrado Confalonieri, the patron saint of Noto. No one would guess, but the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas was partially rebuilt at the beginning of the 21st century, after a disastrous collapse on March 13th, 1996, resulting from the structural damage suffered during the 1990 Carlentini Earthquake!

Monumento ai Caduti nella Grande Guerra

The next stop on this Noto itinerary is the Monument to the Fallen in the Great War (in Italian, Monumento ai Caduti nella Grande Guerra), a 1922 work by Francesco Saverio Sortino, a local sculptor active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Installed in Landolina Square (in Italian, Piazza Landolina), the Monument to the Fallen in the First World War was created in bronze on a marble base, partially covered by a frieze also in bronze and whose medallions evoke the most significant battles of the war.

Infiorata di Noto

This Noto itinerary continues in the Infiorata de Noto (in Italian, Infiorata di Noto), an event that transforms the town into a flower garden, on the occasion of the Catholic holiday of Corpus Christi. The celebration is recreated throughout Italy, having been founded in the town of Genzano di Roma in 1778!

Every year since 1980, around May and June, Corrado Nicolaci Street (in Italian, Via Corrado Nicolaci) is decorated with intricately patterned carpets of flowers, which run up the street to the Church of Montevergine (in Italian, Chiesa di Montevergine)!

Scalinata Mariannina Coffa

The last stop on this Noto itinerary is the Mariannina Coffa Staircase (in Italian, Scalinata Mariannina Coffa), one of the most photogenic staircases I’ve ever seen, truly worthy of being shared on social media! Its name is a tribute to Mariannina Coffa, a local poet.

The Mariannina Coffa Staircase reproduces the nearby Infiorata of Noto through graphic art, being updated during the annual flowery event. This example of urban art allows a modernization of the historic center of Noto and gives it more color all year round!

Map of the Noto Itinerary

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