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the capital of sicilian Baroque
From Villa Taormina to Noto - the trail of Baroque
Noto: a concentration of art and pure aesthetic experience
If you are on the discovery of art while staying at Villa Taormina, Noto is a truly unmissable stop. The town has been a UNESCO heritage site since 2002 and is appropriately nicknamed the “Capital of Baroque”
Rebuilt after the earthquake of 1692, along with Syracuse about forty kilometers away, Noto was allocated the best Sicilian artists of the time. The town looks like a drawing brought to life, embellished with tints of rose gold an impression created by the use of the local limestone. Its main streets cross from east to west a deliberate design choice which means that it is always lit up by the sun.
Rebuilt after the earthquake of 1692, along with Syracuse about forty kilometers away, Noto was allocated the best Sicilian artists of the time. The town looks like a drawing brought to life, embellished with tints of rose gold an impression created by the use of the local limestone. Its main streets cross from east to west a deliberate design choice which means that it is always lit up by the sun.
Visit ancient Noto
the origins of the town
Visiting Noto Antica, means retracing the origins of the town. Throughout the town you will find traces of what Noto was like before the reconstruction of 1692. A history which can be seen in the old walls of the city centre and in the remains of the Greek monuments and numerous religious buildings. The development of the town was favoured by the arrival of the Normans when they found a valuable strategic stronghold there.
The baroque architecture of Noto
The history of the town in its symbolic places
Every corner of Sicily has a story to tell, both artistic and cultural and fused in a unique tradition and Noto is no different. On your arrival in Noto you will be welcomed by the imposing Porta Reale, the entrance arch built in honour of the Bourbon King Ferdinand II, the king of the two Sicilies.<br /From there, the streets and squares disperse studded with characteristics of Baroque architecture nowhere more so than in the Cathedral, a majestic construction towering over the town and dedicated to San Nicolò di Myra. Palazzo Nicolaci, a noble residence of the family of the same name is a recently restored building with a peculiar lavish appearance.
Flower festival of Noto
Extraordinary display of colour, shape and scents,
on the elegant streets of the town
Noto is the epitomy of a beautiful town all concentrated in a small area. Its noble history is visible in every corner with an elegant opulence and perfect urban layout. Noto emulates the essence of Sicily both in its appearance and in its customs and traditions. If you choose to stay at Villa Taormina in the month of May, we suggest visiting Noto for the “Infiorata” – flower festival: an authentic sensory spectacle that fills the town with colours and fragrances. One of the town’s most elegant streets is entirely covered in lavish flower compositions all based on one theme leading right up to Palazzo Nicolaci. A unique tradition that makes Noto a must see.