Visit Noto is almost a cultural duty: since 2002 its architectonic heritage has got into the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Noto is also called the Capital of the Baroque, it became a pride to the Italian nation. Its beauty rise essentially from a misfortune: in January 1693 a disastrous earthquake destroyed the ancient Noto but soon people started the rebuilding of the baroque jewel, the one that the whole world envy.

From then ancient Noto died and the new town was rebuilt in order to the Sicilian baroque rules, carefulness the architect oriented the town with the cardinal points, so that the churches and palaces facades could have a good light, in every part of the day. The effect is almost spectacular, it’s amazing the view on sunset when the redden sun give a golden color to the center building. The Main Street is Corso Vittorio Emanuele, it begins from the Royal Arch and is broke by some beautiful squares along its way. The first square you cross is San Francesco with the church from which take the name, than a series of picturesque buildings. Along your walk you should have a look to the windows with the beautiful iron grilles. Going on you can see the amazing Saint Niccolò cathedral in front of the Town Hall in Ducezio Palace.

Also the next square, XVI Maggio square, is in the presence of another beautiful church, Saint Dominique’s church. You can come back walking parallel to the main street in via Cavour, along your walk you can admire lots of ancient palaces that in the past were the residences of Noto’s noble families, the most beautiful is surely Nicolaci Palace, ancient residence of the Prince Corrado Nicolaci of Villadorata. But Noto isn’t only baroque, in fact, its territory lend itself to start lots of activities: from mountain to sea. You can choose to have an excursion among ancient Noto’s ruins, or visit Villa Romana of Tellaro’s mosaics, or you can prefer to spend your days in one of the various beaches of Noto coast. In the end how not mention the Nature Reserve of Vendicari, which gives shelter to hundreds species of birds which choose Vendicari every year as a rest in their migratory journey.

The succession of historical events, from the early settlements that date back to Fourteenth century BC the Greek-Roman domination, left sublime signs in the city, one of urban jewels of Sicily. Ortigia, an island near the coast, founded by the Corinthians, is certainly the most fascinating part of Syracuse. Waiting to be discovered step by step, including palaces and monuments of great value.

Remember Maniace Castle, on the tip of the island, which had the function to protect the island; Apollo Temple, dated sixth century before Christ, you can find it in Pancali square; the beautiful cathedral with its large Doric columns, and Arethusa Fountain, a spring of fresh water where you can admire the only place where the papyrus grows spontaneously in Italy and perhaps in Europe. Among the most charming and most secret of Ortigia, you should visit the Hypogeum in Duomo square and the Jewish Purification Bath.

The Hypogeum entrance is opened at the base of the garden of the Archbishop, next to Duomo. Stones hollow have been found not only at the border of the ancient Greek city, but even in the same island of Ortigia. The subsoil of Syracuse is thus traversed by a network of tunnels and galleries, often of great beauty. During the Second World War, the network of tunnels was adapted to shelter from the bombing, there is a series of moving images of the time, projected on the spot, documenting the historical episode. The Jewish Purification Bath is in the Residence Hotel “Alla Giudecca” (Via Alagona, 52), an ancient patrician building which hides in its basement the most important and suggestive Miqwè (Jewish ritual purification bath) of Europe, the Byzantine era. This site, center of Jewish spiritual life, evidenced by the existence of one of the oldest Jewish community in Syracuse among the Mediterranean. The Miqwè, ritual purification bath, located 18 meters below the level of pedestrian and fed by pure spring water, is the only ritual baths in Europe that still preserves its integrity and charm.

The atmosphere full of echoes and shadows, sounds of dripping water of these places are full of charm, and in summer it is also an oasis of welcome cool. For these reasons, the visit is certainly recommended to anyone who can save ten minutes from the time of the visit of the city.

Who looked carefully at its appearance gave it the name of “bridges city”; instead artists and scholar renamed it “the island in the island” or “the other Sicily” because of its peculiarity compared with the other places in the region. But its real name is Ragusa, a Sicilian city of about 73 thousands of inhabitants, placed at the feet of the Iblei Mountains, Ragusa is none of the eight baroque cities of Noto Valley. An important turning point of its story is in 1963, when a terrible earthquake destroyed Ragusa almost completely, razing houses and palaces to the ground and causing a lot of victims.

With the progressive renaissance the city was divided in two big districts; a modern side of Ragusa and an ancient one called Ragusa Ibla, realized on the ruins of the old city and following the medieval rules. With the rebuilding work the city acquired new artistic treasures as palaces and picturesque corner that made Ragusa the beautiful city that we see today. Among the most important buildings we suggest to the tourist to visit Duomo square, heart of the city, with Saint Giorgio’s church, which is the real symbol of Ragusa. Nicastro Palace, that was an ancient chancellery, is one of the most beautiful example of the Sicilian baroque.

The richness of Ragusa’s territory is clear in Bertini Palace, it has got fabulous big masks in its facade as a sign of the reach people opulence who lived there. A baroque art jewel in Sicily, also the place where are set most of the adventures of the most famous Italian police chief: Salvo Montalbano, the mith-character come out from Andrea Camilleri’s pen.

Modica is one of the most pittoresque cities of Sicily. Placed on the south side of Iblei Mountains; it is divided into two original sides: high Modica, in which building and houses seams that climb the mountain, and low Modica, down into the valley, where now is situated Corso Umberto, that is the main street and the town historical center. The appearances of the town buildings are mostly late baroque style, dated back to the period after the earthquake (1693).

The baroque route in Modica begins from Saint Giorgio Cathedral, one of the symbol of the south- west Sicily. Just on the left of the square a sloped street, saint Giorgio street, leads to the beautiful architecture, its position makes a division from the high side to the low side of the city. The next stage is Saint Pietro Church situated on the top of a beautiful flight of steps and guarded by the twelve apostles statues.

Next to the church and the steps an anonymous entrance leads to a very baroque jewel of rock architecture: the little church of Saint Nicolò lower. In 1880 Francesco Bonajuto, follow in his father footsteps, opened his first confectionary shop, which is still there, just in front of saint Pietro church in a little and sweet-smelling alley.

The baroque town of Scicli, recently inserted in UNESCO Heritage List, is situated in the south-east side of Sicily, in Ragusa province. Its territory borders with Modica and Ragusa and then expand to the coast side. Scicli is one of the principal center of the Sicilian baroque path; the elegant city is situated in a broad reach valley among the rock hills.

The baroque is the best period of the local architecture. Examples of baroque style are buildings and churches such as: Beneventano, Massari, Fava and Spadaro palaces; the town hall and Saint John evangelist, Saint Ignazio, Saint Batrolomeo churches. Those architectures rebuilt in the eighteen century make a wonderful setting where you can have charming walks.

Akrai was founded in 664 b.C.; the various dominations that took turns over the centuries were: Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman. From that the various names given to the city: Akrai, Acre, Balansùl, or Placeolum, Palatioli and finally Palazzolo  which in 1862 was added the patronymic of Acreide. Destroyed by an earthquake in 1693 revived the eighteenth century Palazzolo. In the Popolo Square there is the imposing Church of St. Sebastian with its spectacular staircase, the interior has three naves, with fine stucco work dating back to 1783. In eighteenth-century architecture is the Town Hall which was built on the site of the Benedictine Monastery. The Church of the Annunciation is the oldest of Palazzolo.

Rebuilt after the earthquake, it had a more impressive, with three naves. There are three works of indisputable artistic merit: the altar of marble inlaid with marbles of different colors, representing the allegory of spring, the portal of the façade dating back to 700 is a Spanish baroque and intonation. In addition to Palazzolo you can take a stroll through the ancient archaeological ruins of Akrai, among which you can enjoy the Greek theater.