Noto and Val di Noto
to discover the cradle of Sicilian Baroque

Noto, in the heart of the Sicilian Noto Valley, is the capital of Sicilian Baroque and certainly deserves to be included in your tour, leaving from the 5-star Boutique Hotel Palazzo Vecchio Taormina.
Its rich past and the value of its works of urban, civil, and religious architecture have allowed the historic center of the town to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. Noto has a history of resilience, making it a unique destination for art, local traditions, and eno-gastronomic products.

This area was a prehistoric human settlement during the Bronze Age, a Greek colony, a Roman municipium, an Arab stronghold, a Norman stronghold, and an ingenious Civitas with the Aragonese, until the terrible earthquake of 1693. After Val di Noto was destroyed, it was rebuilt in its wonderful Baroque version.

All these souls coexist among the village's winding alleys, once traveled by pilgrims and merchants, in its monuments, such as the Porta Reale, built in 1838 to welcome King Ferdinand II during his visit, but also in the ornaments of its churches and palaces, such as Palazzo Nicolaci, with wrought-iron balconies supported by anthropomorphic sculptures carved in stone. Among the most valuable religious buildings, the Cathedral of San Nicolò, with its immense staircase and imposing late Baroque facade made of local limestone with characteristic honey-colored features, is worth a visit, and the Church of Santa Chiara flanks the former Benedictine Convent, from which it is possible to access a panoramic terrace to enjoy one of the typical golden sunsets over the city.
Not to be missed is the Infiorata di Noto, which every year on the third Sunday in May colors one of its main streets with carpets of flowers representing different subjects in each edition. Palazzo Vecchio Taormina offers you several options to reach Noto by private car, leaving from the comfort of your hotel.