Seven Rooms Villadorata
Why we like it: Ten rooms and suites with 18th-century frescoes in a wing of the Palazzo Nicolaci, in the centre of Noto, with a terrace over the Corso and private parking.
From €500
View details
Duration2 nights, Thursday to Saturday
From CataniaAn hour to Syracuse by car
CarEssential
TicketsVendicari €3.50 · Ortigia boat €15
Best timeApril – June · September – October
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for Thursday to Saturday, so that Ristorante Duomo is open on the last day, as it is closed on Sunday and Monday, and not to fall on a Tuesday, when the Modica osteria is closed. A car is needed.
Thursday
- 109:00From Catania to Syracuse
An hour by car on the motorway. Park before entering Ortigia.
- 210:30Boat tour of Ortigia and the caves
Siracusa in barca, from the Riva delle Poste: 1 h 15 min, €15, with swimming and snorkelling. Book by WhatsApp.
- 313:00Stroll and lunch in Ortigia
On your own, through the streets of the island.
- 416:00Arrival in Noto
Leave the car in the hotel car park and go up to the rooftop terrace.
- 517:30Baroque stroll through Noto
The Corso at sunset, San Nicolò cathedral and Via Nicolaci. Palazzo Nicolaci is open until 19:00.
Friday
- 108:30Granita at Caffè Sicilia
Almond granita with brioche, on the Corso. Closed from 9 November to 18 December.
- 210:00Vendicari reserve
Entry €3.50: tuna fishery, Swabian tower and swimming. No bars and no shade.
- 314:30Visit to the Fattojo of Bonajuto
In Modica: 30 minutes with a tasting. Book the day on their website.
- 416:00Arrival at Casa Talía
Park in the signposted car park and walk up. Pool with a view of the Duomo di San Giorgio.
- 520:00Dinner at Osteria dei Sapori Perduti
On Corso Umberto: the house antipasto, macco di fave and ricotta ravioli. Book; closed on Tuesdays.
Saturday
- 110:00Down to Ragusa Ibla
Park in Ragusa Superiore and go down the steps of Santa Maria delle Scale to the Duomo di San Giorgio.
- 212:30Lunch at Ristorante Duomo
Ciccio Sultano's midday menu, from €70, beside the Duomo. Book.
- 315:30Giardino Ibleo and back to Catania
About two hours by car to Catania.
The Val di Noto in a day from Catania falls short: the baroque cities of the south-east are close to one another, but each needs its own time and afternoon light. With two nights you begin in Syracuse, seeing Ortigia from the sea, sleep inside a palace in Noto, swim at Vendicari, taste Modica chocolate in its oldest workshop, sleep facing the old city of Modica and finish by walking down to Ragusa Ibla.
How do you get there from Catania?
From Spain, a direct flight to Catania and a hire car at the airport. From Catania to Syracuse it is an hour on the motorway; from Syracuse to Noto, the same motorway towards Gela. From Noto to Modica you go inland, and from Modica to Ragusa it is a short stretch. The return, from Ragusa to Catania, is about two hours. By bus you can reach Modica from the airport with AST, but this getaway needs a car.
Where to stay?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Seven Rooms Villadorata | Noto, inside Palazzo Nicolaci | Ten frescoed rooms, a rooftop terrace and private parking |
| Casa Talía | Modica Alta | Stone houses with a terrace, garden and a small pool facing the city |
| Eremo della Giubiliana | Ragusa countryside | Five-star in a fortified baglio, with pool and spa |
The first night, at Seven Rooms Villadorata, in the heart of Noto; from €500 a night, depending on the house. The second, at Casa Talía, in Modica Alta, with check-in until 19:00. If you want to swap the second night for countryside, a pool and a spa, the Eremo della Giubiliana is on the outskirts of Ragusa.
Where to eat
Three tables, three prices. Caffè Sicilia is breakfast: granitas, cannoli and the house bread on Noto's Corso, since 1892. Osteria dei Sapori Perduti is the mid-priced dinner, with the Muriana family's home cooking. Ristorante Duomo is the special lunch: two Michelin stars in Ibla, with a three-course midday menu at €70.
What about one more day?
Stay a third night at the Eremo della Giubiliana, in the Ragusa countryside, with a pool, spa and a Greek necropolis in the park, and spend the morning in Scicli, the smallest of the baroque cities.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Val di Noto, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Val di Noto
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
By Car Through the Baroque Val di Noto
A car is the practical way to get around the Val di Noto: Noto, Modica, Ragusa Ibla and the Vendicari coast are close to one another, but buses and trains have few departures. Pick up the car at Catania airport and, to get around the historic centres, leave it outside: they have narrow streets and limited traffic.
90–250 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to staySeven Rooms Villadorata, in Noto's…
- Getting aroundFrom Catania to Noto, by…
- Where to eatCaffè Sicilia, on Noto's Corso…
- ServicesPaid entry at the Vendicari…
Where to stay
- Seven Rooms Villadorata, in Noto's Palazzo Nicolaci, with private parking
- Casa Talía, in Modica Alta, with signposted parking below and a walk up
- Eremo della Giubiliana, in the Ragusa countryside, with free parking
Getting around
- From Catania to Noto, by the Siracusa motorway and the one that continues towards Gela
- From Catania to Modica and Ragusa, by the Ragusa road
- Park outside the old towns and enter on foot; in Ragusa, park above and walk down to Ibla by the steps
- Vendicari has five entrances, each with its own car park
Where to eat
- Caffè Sicilia, on Noto's Corso, for the morning granita
- Osteria dei Sapori Perduti, on Corso Umberto in Modica
- Ristorante Duomo, in Ragusa Ibla, for a special meal
Services
- Paid entry at the Vendicari reserve, with the ticket valid all day
Flying to Catania and Driving the Val di Noto
Catania airport is the gateway to the Val di Noto for anyone leaving Spain, with direct flights from several Spanish cities. Noto and Siracusa are the first towns on the route from there; Modica and Ragusa lie further west. The practical thing is to hire the car on landing. You can manage without one, but more slowly: there are AST buses from Catania airport to Modica.
- Getting thereCatania Fontanarossa (CTA), the airport…
- Getting aroundHire car at the airport…
- Where to stayCasa Talía, in Modica, which…
- ServicesCasa Talía runs transfers to…
Getting there
- Catania Fontanarossa (CTA), the airport with the most flights from Spain
- Comiso (CIY), the airport of the Iblei, near Ragusa and Modica
- Palermo (PMO), far away: from Palermo station, AST buses to Modica
Getting around
- Hire car at the airport, to combine the towns and the coast
- AST buses from Catania airport to Modica
- Train on the Siracusa to Ragusa line, with a stop at Noto
Where to stay
- Casa Talía, in Modica, which arranges transfers from Catania and Comiso airports
- Seven Rooms Villadorata, in Noto, the first Baroque town when coming from Catania
Services
- Casa Talía runs transfers to Catania, Comiso and Palermo airports
- Eremo della Giubiliana offers private transfers to its guests
How much does it cost?
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Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingif you're flying
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Casa Talía
Why we like it: Albergo diffuso of restored stone cottages in Modica Alta, with a Mediterranean garden, a small pool and terraces overlooking the old town.
Eremo della Giubiliana
Why we like it: Former fortified baglio of medieval origin on the Ragusa plateau, now a five-star resort with a pool, spa, estate restaurant and a necropolis in the grounds.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Val di Noto
Caffè Sicilia
What to order: an almond granita with brioche in the morning, or a ricotta cannolo; in winter, the ricotta crostata
Table service carries a 19% surcharge, according to its menu.
Osteria dei Sapori Perduti
What to order: the house mixed antipasto to share, then ricotta ravioli with pork sugo or the broad bean macco with wild fennel
Open at lunchtime and in the evening; closed on Tuesdays. The menu is in Italian, English, French, German and Spanish.
Ciccio Sultano's Ristorante Duomo
What to order: at lunchtime, the three-course Valle Santa Domenica menu (€70); in the evening, Siquilia, four surprise courses (€150), or the long Stupor Mundi (€198)
Open Tuesday to Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday. The tasting menus are served to the whole table.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the first night well ahead
Seven Rooms Villadorata has only ten rooms.
- 2Book the Fattojo and both lunches
The visit has groups of 25 people at most and the Duomo fills up.
- 3Always park outside the centres
Noto, Modica and Ibla have narrow streets and restricted traffic.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a car?
Yes. Buses and trains have too few departures to fit these stops into two days.
Why Thursday to Saturday?
Ristorante Duomo is closed on Sunday and Monday, and the Modica osteria on Tuesday.
When should you go?
From April to June and in September and October. To swim at Vendicari, from June to September.
How much does it cost?
Tickets are few: €3.50 Vendicari and €15 the boat. The biggest item is sleeping: Seven Rooms publishes prices from €500 a night.