Noto, Sicily Has All of the White Lotus Vibes With Not one of the Crowds

To be the mayor of Noto isn’t such a horrible life. To my thoughts, this little metropolis in southeastern Sicily is among the most enchanting in all of Europe. Alongside its principal drag, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, stands one attractive constructing after one other, constructed within the grand, Seventeenth-century Baroque model. The entire place seems like a film set (a steamy episode of The White Lotus was filmed there). Strolling round, gazing up on the carved limestone façades and wrought-iron balconies made me suppose: Wait, that is precisely what all these fancy buildings I’ve seen my whole life — the Versace mansion in Miami, the Odesa opera home — are attempting to mimic.

On my current go to, I requested the mayor, Corrado Figura, to clarify Noto’s magnificence. “All of it goes again to the earthquake of 1693,” he mentioned from his workplace in what needs to be one of the crucial splendid metropolis halls, set in a former palazzo. “After that, Noto’s folks determined to construct a brand new metropolis. They wished the assistance of crucial architects of the time. It was all accomplished in a uniform model, the Baroque model.” 

“The outcome,” he mentioned, leaning proudly again in a leather-based chair so previous it creaked, “is that we’re sui generis” — considered one of a sort. “And we haven’t misplaced our id,” he added. “Should you take note of your previous, you’ll be able to truly really feel it.”

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Tourism has been booming in Sicily, even earlier than The White Lotus prompted a significant upswing in visits to the island — particularly to the city of Taormina, the place the second season was set. In contrast with its cousins Taormina and Siracusa, Noto is extra intoxicating and extra lovely, however on the similar time extra actual. It has not but been overrun by the cruise ships, tour buses, and designer shops that may make a vacation spot really feel like an airport departures space. 

To assist us get essentially the most out of our journey, my spouse and I turned to Matteo Della Grazia, who runs a small journey firm, Fuoritinerario — Uncover Your Italy. He steered we keep at Q92 Noto Lodge, which is correct within the heart of city. The supervisor, Gaia Quartucci, advised me how her dad and mom, who run motels in Taormina, had purchased a Seventeenth-century nobleman’s home and undertaken a cautious renovation, turning it into a pleasant nine-room resort. The Q92 (the Q comes from the household’s identify, and 92 is the road tackle) served as a base for a late-spring trip, and with the assistance of a rented Fiat 500, my spouse, our two sons, and I explored the entire southeastern nook of Sicily — seashores, nature reserves, cathedrals, pizzerias, and all.

Our boys, ages 12 and 14, are gelato addicts, so mission primary was to scrupulously taste-test the 2 Noto gelato retailers reputed to be amongst Italy’s finest: Caffè Sicilia and Dolceria Costanzo. We ordered the identical flavors at each, chocolate and ricotta (principally an extra-sweet vanilla). The decision wasn’t even shut. Costanzo was by far creamier and richer. And it got here with a free cookie. As my spouse, Courtenay, mentioned, “What’s to not like?” We discovered a spot to take a seat on the extensive steps of the cathedral, Noto’s gorgeous centerpiece and the right people-watching perch, and after we completed our cones, we ventured inside. 

The cathedral was accomplished greater than 200 years in the past, however the dome collapsed within the Nineties after being broken in an earthquake. Your complete factor was then rebuilt with native limestone, which takes on, late within the day, the nice and cozy hue of sundown. The inside was huge and funky, with a clean, white-tiled flooring, which a nun was quietly sweeping. Guests drifted out and in. That is principally what you do in Noto. You eat. You stroll. You marvel that there are locations that also actually appear like this.

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Among the finest spots to absorb Noto’s splendor are the residences of the town’s former the Aristocracy. We toured Palazzo Castelluccio, which sank into disrepair after the final marquis died in 1981 — till a French film director scooped it up and introduced it again to life. As we trudged by the palazzo’s polished eating room, music room, and ballroom, it felt like we had been strolling by a recreation of Clue. Sicilian nobles lived massive. There was even a balcony overlooking the courtyard the place the marquis would toss down sweet to kids of the widespread folks. (Palazzo Castelluccio has since closed to the general public, however there are many different palaces to tour, together with the town corridor, Palazzo Ducezio, and Palazzo Nicolaci, with its façade of carved mermaids and hippogriffs.)

Noto isn’t fairly on the coast, but it surely isn’t removed from a number of nice swimming spots. Calamosche Seashore and the Vendicari Nature Reserve had been gorgeous. Calamosche is a 20-minute hike from the parking zone­, and a phrase to the sensible: you’ll want to keep on with the designated spots otherwise you’ll find yourself with a ticket flapping away in your windshield, like we did. However the seashore — an ideal cove with calm, clear water — was greater than value it. The character reserve, which consists of a string of marshes and seashores, is a bird-watching scorching spot. We noticed flamingos, sandpipers, storks, and sleek herons gliding over the wealthy swamp grass.

We labored up an urge for food climbing and swimming, so we had been completely satisfied to make slightly discovery: granita con brioscia, a.ok.a. the granita sandwich. The Sicilians don’t fiddle with granita, which is what we consider once we say Italian ice — it’s a semi-frozen dessert with a texture someplace between a sorbet and a slushy. At a stand on the coast we realized {that a} well-liked approach to eat granita is to take an enormous scoop (ideally the tart-lime taste) and smoosh it between two slices of soppy, buttery brioche. It’s even higher than it sounds. 

That was simply one of many journey’s many gastronomic highlights. On the flamboyant facet, our favourite restaurant was Nachè, a minute’s stroll from our resort, the place we munched on red-tuna tacos, house-made tagliatelle with rabbit from an area farm, and truffles from the slopes of Mount Etna.

I used to be additionally an enormous fan of La Vecchia Fontana, a pizzeria and bar close to the city’s entrance gate. Don’t be thrown off by the truth that it seems like one million different sidewalk cafés: the pizza was completely seasoned, skinny and crisp, however by some means gooey on the similar time.

We capped off our final night at Gelati Bianca, which had change into our favourite. You understand how some ice cream servers make you are feeling unhealthy for those who ask for too many tastes? Not at this joint. Ours provided samples of flavors we hadn’t even requested. “Do this,” he mentioned. “Cookies.” It left the right aftertaste of biscotti. “And provides this to mama.” Mama fortunately tried the spoonful — tiramisu — then took a full cone of it, and all of us retreated to the cathedral steps to take pleasure in our final hours in Noto. 

That night time there was one thing irresistible in regards to the mixture of the air, the sunshine, the setting. A busker strummed soft-rock classics on his guitar. Just a few dozen folks sat on the church’s steps consuming ice cream and listening. A bunch of teenagers, who appeared like locals, stood chatting with their buddies, checking their telephones, seemingly oblivious to the magical backdrop that framed their each transfer.

It jogged my memory of one thing Quartucci, the supervisor of our resort, advised me in regards to the expertise of opening Q92 again in 2021: that Noto appeared endearingly harmless of its personal charms. “The native folks,” she mentioned, “didn’t know they’d gold of their arms.” 

A model of this story first appeared within the August 2024 ssue of Journey + Leisure beneath the headline “Metropolis of Gold.”