Noto Antica

Noto Antica is the haunting ruined city that preceded modern Noto, spread across the windswept plateau of Monte Alveria some 8km north of the present town, in the Val di Noto of south-east Sicily. For centuries this was one of the most important cities of the island, a flourishing medieval and Renaissance centre, until the catastrophic earthquake of 11 January 1693 destroyed it utterly; rather than rebuild on the difficult hilltop, the survivors founded a new Noto on a lower site, and the old city was left to crumble into the scrub. What remains is deeply atmospheric and rarely visited: the imposing Porta della Montagna gateway with its bastion still guards the entrance, and beyond it lie the overgrown traces of churches, convents, palaces, cisterns, and the grim cells of an old prison carved into the rock, scattered among wildflowers, carob and olive trees. There are no ticket booths, crowds, or commercial facilities, only paths threading the ruins and the silence of the plateau, with long views over the Cava del Carosello gorge and the surrounding countryside. Exploring takes one and a half to two hours on foot over rough, unmarked terrain, and the site rewards those who come prepared and unhurried. It is at its most evocative in the early morning, when mist can wrap the stones, or in the soft light of late afternoon. There is no shade or water, so sun protection and sturdy footwear are essential, and the ground is uneven and partly wild. Noto Antica makes a rewarding contrast to the polished baroque of modern Noto for those seeking solitude in this corner of the Sicilian province of Syracuse.