NOTO

Overnight Craig did not feel very well - too much chocolate? Anyway, we three had a lovely breakfast and then eventually set off for Noto. This was further away than Modica but much easier to find, park the car and then walk into. Noto is a very beautiful Sicilian town - mainly built in the baroque style. After having a look at the magnificent Duomo - better on the outside than the inside, we had a drink as it is quite hot today and then went up the hill again to see the magnificent Palazzo Castelluccio. This has an interesting backstory. Abandoned in the 1980s, it lay empty until 2011 when a Frenchman, inspired by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's 1958 novel, The Leopard, purchased the property and began bringing it back to life.
Decorated with period-style flourishes, plush fabrics, bold colours, original frescos, and exquisite antiques, this palace has very much returned to its golden age - as the photos show. Beautiful rooms and furniture. Next, we walked back down to the main road and went to the Teatro Tina Di Lorenzo. This is a small, circular theatre in sumptuous red and gold colours and we'd love to see a show there. The ticket further included a look at the Hall of Mirrors which is a gorgeous golden room in Noto's Town Hall.Read more