Noto Hotels - Sicily

A piazza bordered by supremely elegant palazzi built in a warm-colored stone of soft pink and golden yellow hues. An imposing flight of steps leading up to a majestic cathedral. Any number of incredibly ornate façades, typical of the Baroque period. This is Noto, Sicilian town in the province of Siracusa, declared Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO, in recognition of its immense beauty.

The origins of the town, once known as Neas, go back to long before the Greeks and Romans arrived here, and centuries before the Arabs gave it the name of Noto. What is certain is that in 1693, the town fell victim to a devastating earthquake which completely destroyed the whole urban center. Strangely enough, this tragic episode proved to be Noto's greatest fortune - leading to the representative of the Spanish Viceroy, the Duke of Camastra, deciding to completely rebuild the town in grandiose Baroque style.

The local stone used to build the churches and palazzi, of a quite unique pink color with a distinctly golden glow has added to the uniqueness of this Sicilian town. Rosario Gagliardi was the architect responsible for many of Noto's most highly-appraised edifices, including the Churches of Santa Chiara and San Domenico; buildings which, alongside the cathedral, Palazzo Vescovile, Palazzo Ducezio and Palazzo Landolina, face on to the town's main piazza.