Italy Dreams

Tag: Noto in pictures

  • Here’s What It’s Like to Visit Noto, Sicily–in Pictures

    Outside of City Hall in Noto, SIcily. Notice the European Union, Italy, and Sicily flags.

    If you’re traveling to eastern Sicily and plan to visit Noto, we’ve got you covered.

    You can find our detailed Noto, Sicily, article here.

    If you want to get a better idea of what Noto looks like as you plan your trip–or, you just want a virtual tour of Noto–read on!

    This article tells a story about Noto in pictures.

    I share here some of my favorite pics during a week-long stay in beautiful Noto, famous for its Baroque architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The visit was in late February, so it was off-season. Hence, you don’t see a ton of people in the pictures.

    You can find more details about my trek through southeastern Sicily here. That article also shares some good tips for your eastern Sicily travels.

    Noto was a great “basecamp” town to stay in for exploring southeastern Sicily. However, you also can find great B&Bs/hotels to stay in Ortigia, near San Lorenzo Beach, Modica, Ragusa, and other areas.

    The fun pics and captions below may share some more background to help you plan your trip. Andiamo/let’s go!

    Here is Noto’s most famous site, its Cattedrale di San Nicolo, or Noto Cathedral. It was completed in the early 1700s, but its dome collapsed and was replaced in the mid-1990s. The cathedral has appeared in various movies and TV shows, including “White Lotus.” You’ll find a lot of activity around this centerpiece tourist site of downtown Noto. It’s beautiful on the inside as well.
    Yum, here are the arincini, or rice balls ordered at MammArincina in Noto’s small downtown area. Rice balls are filled with all types of ingredients, including rice (of course), cheese, meats, and sauces. You don’t have to limit yourself to their restaurant to try arincini. It’s a Sicilian specialty so they’re pretty common.
    “Un cornetto e un espresso, per favore.” Restaurant ordering gave me a chance to practice my beginning Italian. I did good with this phrase for my croissaint and espresso order at Mangiafico in Noto although I didn’t know the word for “vanilla cream.” It was interesting to get there as it first opened, sit and eat breakfast, and watch some locals trickle in. A few noticed that I was not a local!
    Look at the cool lighting on the RoyalGate (Porta Reale) in downtown Noto. In the evening, locals like to have a passaggiata, or walk, in the downtown area. If it’s in-season, you’ll surely find a lot more tourists doing the same. You can also do some shopping at souvenir stores and people watching while you stroll around the downtown.
    Noto has a mercatino, or outdoor market, on Sunday and Wednesday. I was thrilled when my B&B host at Cuore Barocco took me there to pick up some local cheese, and I returned that Wednesday for some Sicilian cookies and more cheese. Make sure to also ask any locals you meet for grocery store and bakery (panificio) recommendations. Cheap, fresh bread always makes things better.
    A random cat from my Noto stay. I have so many cat pics from my Sicily trip; they should become their own separate article!
    Holding a chocolate chip cannolo from Cannoliamo in downtown Noto. Sicily is the birthplace of cannoli so you must try one! They are calorie-free while you’re in Sicily!
    Every May, Noto has a flower festival called Infiorata. Here’s a staircase with some art that remained after the festival.
    One view of the streets of Noto. Make sure to wander around to different streets to look for good photo angles. For some reason, the sidewalk looks wider here than usual. The sidewalks were quite narrow, so walk carefully, look out for cars zipping by, and monitor your children if traveling with them. Also, be careful driving. I was fortunate to have a parking space that was not right on the street for my rental car (ask your B&B host if there’s anywhere nearby where you can park comfortably). Otherwise, you’ll have to deal regularly with a tight parking situation. The place where we stayed was thankfully located near the end of the street and in walking distance to everything.
    A lovely view from the cut-out window at Saint Carlo Church. You can climb to the top of the church and check out a stunning view of the Valley of Noto and downtown Noto. However, be prepared for some stairs (see pic below).
    Here’s what the staircase looks like at Chiesa di San Carlo/Saint Carlo Church in Noto. They are quite steep and old! Only one person can fit on a stair at a time so listen out for others who may be coming. Still, the view at the top is a nice payoff.
    You’ve probably seen the man-and-woman statues that are symbolic of Sicily, but did you know that the pigna, or ceramic pinecone, is another symbol of hospitality and prosperity in Sicily? This one was on the balcony of where I stayed.
    Obligatory pic of a small car on an Italian street. 🙂
    Gelato from Gelati Bianca in downtown Noto. This was Nutella (I think) and the Sicilia, which blended together locally-grown items like raisins and almonds. Molto buono!
    Another view of the arch in beautiful downtown Noto.