Noto – our favorite baroque town in Sicily
Grand and beautiful, the town of Noto rises above the landscape like an aristocratic prince. At times, Noto has to compete for attention with its baroque cousin Modica. Both are towns shaped by the baroque era, filled with grand palaces and churches. But that is where the similarities largely end.
Noto is known for its long main streets. In fact, this is often what people comment on most when they visit – that Noto seems to offer little more than these two long streets. Fortunately, we quickly discovered that Noto is so much more than that. The town is home to several spectacular rooftops, offering dreamlike views of rooftops and palaces glowing like rustic gold in the sunset.
Noto also has a charming, quieter centre at the top of the town – Noto Alta. Here, the pace is slower than in the lower parts of the city. You’ll find a large piazza where children play freely, along with restaurants, cafés, gelaterias and small local shops.
Noto has a wide selection of excellent restaurants. One of our absolute favourites is Osteria Villadorata. There are also great wine bars and hidden courtyards that transform into lively bars and lounges in the evenings.
Our restaurant recommendations in Noto
Noto offers some of the best dining experiences we’ve had in Sicily – authentic flavors, outstanding ingredients from both sea and land, and strong culinary traditions. Here you’ll find our favorites, from small artisan bakeries and sidewalk cafés to osterias and Michelin-starred restaurants.
We would strongly recommend having a car when staying in Noto. The town is perfectly located for exploring nearby destinations such as the idyllic Scicli – the small baroque sister of Noto and Modica – and the hidden gem Palazzolo Acreide.
Noto is also just a short drive from the coast. Places like Lido di Noto, Avola, Siracusa, Ortigia, Marzamemi and many more are all within easy reach. The town is also about a 1.5-hour drive from Catania Airport.
What is it like to stay in Noto?
We had two longer stays in Noto, both in the same street and the same building – just in different apartments. We loved living in this old palazzo, with its high ceilings stretching several metres above us. Every morning, we looked forward to opening the shutters and stepping out onto the balcony.
The sun greeted us warmly, church bells echoed through the streets, and the sound of Vespas and passing cars filled the air as coffee brewed in the background. We watched the town slowly come to life – shops opening, cafés filling up, neighbours greeting each other and visitors stopping to take photos in admiration. Ah… how we miss that feeling.
Practical experiences from everyday life
Living in Noto offers a different experience compared to staying in a farmhouse outside the town. When you stay in the historic centre, the nearest grocery store is often a bit of a walk away – especially when carrying heavier items like water, cleaning products and groceries that aren’t available in the small local delicatessens.
It quickly became part of our daily routine, and not a problem at all. But if you’re not keen on carrying heavy bags or walking in the heat, having a car can be very helpful.
As mentioned, we had two longer stays in Noto, and the difference between renting an apartment and staying in a hotel can be quite significant when it comes to everyday practicalities. At a hotel, you live comfortably with all amenities readily available. You can absolutely have comfort in a private rental as well, but you may also encounter certain limitations.
For example, hosts may inform you about water restrictions. Water is stored in tanks and is not unlimited, so you need to be mindful of your usage. It can happen that you run out if the consumption has been too high during the day, and you may need to wait until the next day for a refill.
In addition, the pipes in the old town are often quite old and not built to handle everything efficiently. You may therefore be asked not to throw paper into the toilet, as it can easily cause blockages. This also gives you a quick introduction to the bidet – something that is completely normal for Sicilians, but perhaps less familiar for many of us.
Small differences in everyday life
In Noto, you cannot drink tap water, which means you always need to make sure you have enough drinking water at home. We also experienced that the electrical systems are not always adapted to the modern lifestyle we are used to in places like Norway.
We quickly learned to only use one electrical appliance at a time – for example, the washing machine. If we turned on multiple things at once, it often resulted in a power cut. After a few funny and slightly inconvenient incidents, this became part of everyday life too.
Despite all these differences, we never experienced them as a problem. On the contrary, they made us more aware of how we live our daily lives.
The same applied when shopping for food. We loved buying eggs, vegetables and fruit, and noticed clear differences compared to what we are used to. Eggs are not washed, as they need to retain their natural protective layer, and are therefore stored at room temperature. Onions and potatoes are kept in drawers rather than in the fridge.
Fruit and vegetables are not pre-packaged or trimmed to look “perfect”. They often still have leaves and soil on them – just as they come from the ground.
You can also buy fresh produce directly from small trucks parked near the town gates and along the roads —farm-to-table in its most literal, rustic sense. And many residents have their regular sellers they always return to.
All these small details made our experience of living in Noto feel more real and authentic. At the same time, we also treated ourselves to a “vacation within the vacation”, where we could enjoy the comforts we often take for granted.
Sicily – wonderfully old-fashioned…
To us, Sicily feels wonderfully old-fashioned. Imperfectly perfect. Add to that the food, the culture and the deep pride in tradition. Sicily can be anything you want it to be – offering experiences both simple and luxurious, depending on what you are looking for.
Noto and Val di Noto are places we will always return to. Again and again. Because from our perspective, this town and this region truly have it all…
