Syracuse
& Noto
It is not surprising that it was once among the greatest cities in the Greek world. As testified by its theatre and ancient vestiges. Easily defensible with harbors on each side, a supply of fresh water and a fertile hinterland. Syracuse, The Greek Capital Of Sicily Contending With Athens. The city of Archimedes. For centuries it was the key to the control of the Mediterranean.
The south-eastern area of the island is also the baroque capital of Sicily, another grand season in Sicilian art. A UNESCO Heritage site, Noto is, quite simply, the apotheosis of Baroque town planning and architecture. Completely destroyed by the terrible 1693 earthquake, it was rebuilt from scratch on a new site, a few miles away from the old centre.