Architecture,  History,  Monday walks,  Sicily

A short stroll through Noto

June 30, 2025 / 35 Comments

The Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto in south-eastern Sicily provide outstanding testimony to the exuberant genius of late Baroque art and architecture. [They] represent the culmination and final flowering of Baroque art in Europe. The exceptional quality of the late Baroque art and architecture in the Val di Noto lies in its geographical and chronological homogeneity, and is the result of the 1693 earthquake in this region.

UNESCO World Heritage Convention

The Romans built the city of Netum on the slopes of Mount Alveria in south-east Sicily. Legend tells that Daedalus stayed in this city after his flight over the Ionian Sea, as did Hercules after his seventh task. Centuries later it fell to the Muslims who renamed it Nawtis. It remained an important Islamic stronghold until 1091, when it became the last city in Sicily to fall to the Christians. Over the following centuries it flourished, until in 1693 disaster struck, in the form of an earthquake. Most of the buildings were razed to the ground and over half the population perished.

To rebuild their city the people chose a site some eight kilometres to the south. As a result, the old part of Noto today is a beautifully coherent example of Sicilian baroque architecture. Along with several other towns in the region, also rebuilt after that earthquake, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

A glimpse of Noto’s beauty

Arriving in this area around lunchtime we decided to visit Noto even though we had limited time available. We only had time to explore a small part of the town so it’s maybe pushing things to dub this a Monday Walk. But I really wanted to share it as I was very much taken with the city. And there is cake, or at least, a sweet treat!

We found a spot to park just off the central part of the old town. From there we climbed one of the steep streets to the main pedestrianised one through the centre, Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

We stopped for refreshments (cold drinks and amazing cannoli with pistachio gelato) at a nice bar by the old fountain in the Piazza San Francesco.

In the Piazza San Francesco

After our break we spent some time taking photos of the nearby church of San Francisco d’Assisi all’Immacolata.

Chiesa di San Francisco d’Assisi all’Immacolata

The church was just reopening after the midday closure, but we decided to visit the cathedral instead, a little further along the street.

Cattedrale di San Nicolò

This was originally built in the early 18th century in a Baroque style. But a substantial part of it collapsed in 1996, weakened by an earthquake in 1990. Wikipedia details the extent of the collapse:

four of the piers of the southern side of the nave, one of the four piers supporting the dome, the entire roof and vault of the nave, three quarters of the drum and the dome with the lantern, the roof of the south arm of the transept, with many of the cupolas and much of the roof of the right aisle.

It is thought that the collapse was due in part to poor restoration work carried out in the 1950s, using bricks for the roof that were too heavy for the existing walls to properly support.

Cattedrale di San Nicolò: exterior and door details

The cathedral was rebuilt after the collapse and only reopened in 2007. The interior is a mix of classical Baroque (albeit light and airy) with more modern touches such as the stained glass, which I loved. And I was moved by a wooden cross made with fragments from migrant boats.

Cattedrale di San Nicolò: interior and cross from a migrant boat

The walls are painted white, as the 18th century interior decoration was destroyed in the collapse. All the colour comes from those windows and from the beautifully painted dome and ceiling.

Cattedrale di San Nicolò: frescoes

Cattedrale di San Nicolò: stained glass windows

Returning past the Chiesa San Francisco we walked down to see the impressive gate, Porta Reale (‘Royal Gate’) or Porta Ferdinandea, topped with a pelican. This was built in 1838 to mark the visit to Noto of King Ferdinand II of Bourbon, and restored in 2014.

Porta Reale

I would have liked to see more of the city. But time was getting on and we wanted to get back to our B&B for a rest before dinner. So taking a few more photos we made our way back to the car. However, I have a feeling I will come back to Noto one day!

I visited Noto in May 2025

This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Noto.

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