Val di Noto: a romantic itinerary around Baroque Towns in Sicily

Some trips just can excite more than others, especially when the pleasure of discovering spectacular places combines with being together with the person you love and sharing unique experiences to join in two.

The ideal destination for your next trip as a couple indeed could be Val di Noto, a land in south-eastern Sicily rich in extraordinary historical and artistic beauties of the late-baroque era - part of the Unesco World Heritage since 2002 - perfect for a romantic itinerary through splendid cities, majestic cathedrals and breathtaking views.

For you we have chosen 10 iconic stops that enclose the most authentic essence of Sicilian Baroque, an exciting itinerary around Val di Noto to experience on the road together with your sweetheart. If everything is ready, then let's go!

Before checking out all the stages of this romantic itinerary around Val di Noto, it is a good idea discover together some details and practical aspects that will help you best organize the trip, an evocative choice in particular for a honeymoon or to celebrate an important anniversary.

Designed as a relaxing vacation to enjoy in the middle of spring or early autumn, likely within a week or even more days of travel, far from the scorching temperatures typical of Sicily in summer and the mass tourism that invades the coasts, this tour within Val di Noto is characterized by its flexibility.

In fact, we recommend to move independently by car, which can be rented at the airport once you land on the island, to easily reach each city and village of the itinerary - among which do stand out the wonderful Ragusa, masterpiece of baroque art, and Militello di Catania, awarded with the prestigious recognition of Borgo dei Borghi (Village of Villages).

The route to undertake by car has a total duration of about 7 hours of road for about 390 km, with intermediate stages sometimes very close to each other, taking as a reference point for the departure and arrival the Airport of Catania-Fontanarossa, undoubtedly the most important national and international tourist hub in eastern Sicily.

Baroque art and architecture are certainly the great protagonists of this journey in Val di Noto, to discover churches, cathedrals, historic buildings and squares characterized by the unparalleled charm and elegance of this style, widespread in the 18th century. But your next trip as a couple to Sicily does not end here: together with your soulmate, take the opportunity to experience an extraordinary adventure also through the traditions of local food and wine, a true excellence of passion and taste to be tried at the table in many typical restaurants that you will find along the itinerary.

Now that you know more about our travel concept, it's time to explore together one by one the 10 fantastic stages of the romantic itinerary in Val di Noto!

Itinerary in Val di Noto around Baroque Towns for a romantic trip for couples, list of places to visit:

- Stop 1, Catania

- Stop 2, Syracuse Ortigia

- Stop 3, Noto

- Stop 4, Ispica

- Stop 5, Scicli

- Stop 6, Ragusa Ibla

- Stop 7, Modica

- Stop 8, Palazzolo Acreide

- Stop 9, Caltagirone

- Stop 10, Militello Val di Catania

Main attractions in Catania:

- Piazza Duomo

- Basilica Cathedral of Sant’Agata

- Palazzo degli Elefanti

Once you land at the Airport of Fontanarossa, your itinerary in Val di Noto begins with an amazing first stop full of beauties to discover: we’re talking about Catania, the city in the shadow of Etna, a destination that we recommend to visit carefully by dedicating at least an entire day to it.

The city can boast some of the most prestigious masterpieces of Baroque art and architecture in Sicily, to be discovered in the central Piazza Duomo. Here in fact stand the majestic Duomo of Sant’Agata, also known as Basilica Cathedral of Sant’Agata, the mother church of Catania dedicated to the Patron Saint of the city - celebrated on February 5 - and a significant testimony to the refinement of Sicilian Baroque in the religious field, and the sumptuous and elegant Palazzo degli Elefanti, the town hall.

There are also many other baroque buildings to admire and visit together with your sweetheart in the centre of Catania, such as: Basilica of Maria Santissima dell'Elemosina, the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi all’Immacolata, Palazzo Biscari, Palazzo Gioeni, Palazzo Valle, Palazzo San Giuliano and Palazzo dell’Università.

Before leaving Catania to move on to the next stop on this romantic journey in Val di Noto, make sure to enjoy a delicious catanese dinner tasting pasta alla norma, fresh fish dishes and the legendary arancini, king of local street food!

Main attractions in Syracuse Ortigia:

- Piazza Archimede and Fountain of Diana

- Piazza Duomo

- Cathedral of Natività di Maria Santissima

- Palazzo del Vermexio

New day, new destination. The time has finally come to actually travel on the road, precisely along the Highway E45, to reach the second stage of this romantic itinerary in Val di Noto discovering the most surprising Baroque Towns in Sicily.

In fact we move over 60 km south, to the splendid Syracuse, a pearl of the Mediterranean to explore and discover wonders that combine the Greek heart of this region with the unmistakable charm of the Baroque. In particular, on the island of Ortigia, the oldest area of the historic centre of Syracuse, there are unmissable attractions to visit as a couple.

Among these the evocative Piazza Archimede, dominated by the monumental Fountain of Diana and framed by luxurious buildings such as Palazzo Pupillo and Palazzo del Banco di Sicilia, ideal for a walk in the heart of the town's historic atmosphere, and Piazza Duomo, the most authentic heart of the city where stand the imposing Cathedral of Natività di Maria Santissima - a baroque masterpiece part of the Unesco Heritage built on the ancient Temple of Athena - and luxurious buildings such as Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco and Palazzo del Vermexio.

To conclude your visit to Syracuse, don't forget to taste the best local delicacies such as spaghetti alla siracusana (anchovies and breadcrumbs) and pasta alla matalotta, and of course visit the beautiful Castello Maniace overlooking the Mediterranean.

Main attractions in Noto:

- Cathedral of San Nicolò

- Palazzo Ducezio

- Ancient Noto and Castelluccio di Noto

The journey continues, taking us even further south to the heart of this extraordinary land part of Unesco Heritage. The third stop on our itinerary is indeed just less than 40 km far from Syracuse and easily reachable via the Highway E45/A18 or the SS115: we head to Noto, the true baroque heart of Sicily, a city to discover step by step.

Exploring Noto on foot is like taking a journey through time, in the evocative setting of the cathedrals and historic buildings that made the history of Sicilian Baroque and which today represent unmissable attractions. Among these, the Cathedral of San Nicolò stands out, which rises elegant and majestic at the top of a large staircase in the extreme centre of Noto, a timeless masterpiece that expresses all the mastery of Sicilian baroque artists. Right in front of the cathedral there’s also Palazzo Ducezio, the town's political hall and another example of great refinement and artistic flair that boasts multiple references to the aesthetics of the French courts between the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the historic centre of Noto there are much more churches and historic buildings in Baroque style to admire though, walking hand in hand with your sweetheart in search of the most beautiful views to take memorable photographs of your trip as a couple. Among these: the Church of San Carlo al Corso, the Church of Santa Chiara, the Church of San Francesco d'Assisi all'Immacolata, yet the Church of San Domenico, in front of the evocative Baroque Theatre Tina di Lorenzo, and the splendid Palazzo Nicolaci of the Princes of Villadorata.

In addition to its extraordinary baroque beauty, Noto is also a famous and appreciated destination for its many archaeological sites dating back to the Greek era, such as Noto Antica north of the current town, Castelluccio di Noto, Colonna Pizzuta at the site of Eloro and the necropolis of Monte Finocchito.

Main attractions in Ispica:

- Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore

- Baroque Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

- Sinatra Loggia

- Archaeological Park and Cava d’Ispica

Just 20 km south-west along the SS115 we reach a new and unmissable stop on this itinerary across Val di Noto: the journey continues to Ispica, an enchanting baroque town where the charm of baroque art and architecture mixes with the spirit of adventure, in a wild and fascinating natural setting.

The main attraction of Ispica is certainly Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, where the namesake Baroque Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore stands in all its immense aesthetic splendor, inside and outside, harmoniously embraced by the wonderful Sinatra Loggia. The beauty and refinement of this place make the Basilica of Ispica and its Loggia a truly unique attraction for its kind, which has no equal elsewhere in the whole Val di Noto: one more reason to include Ispica in your travel itinerary!

The city boasts other baroque churches worthy of admiration: the Mother Church of San Bartolomeo in Piazza Unità d’Italia, characterized by a double staircase for access, the picturesque Basilica of Santissima Annunziata located in the namesake square with a tree-lined avenue, and the solemn Sanctuary of Madonna del Carmelo in Piazza Statella. Yet interesting are the two most important historic buildings in the town, Palazzo Cav. Antonio Bruno and Palazzo Belmonte (town hall), both built in liberty style between the 19th and 20th centuries but with strong references to the Baroque aesthetic typical of Val di Noto.

Ispica is also an inspiring destination for those seeking adventures in nature. Here you will find Parco della Forza, or Archaeological Park of Kamarina and Cava d’Ispica, a place with a wild and prehistoric charm where to discover natural canyons, caves, necropolises and the remains of ancient civilizations that inhabited these lands in remote ages.

Main attractions in Scicli:

- Church of San Bartolomeo

- Church of Sant’Ignazio

- Church of San Giovanni Evangelista

- Palazzo Palle

- Antica Farmacia Cartia

Let's get back on the road towards the next stop on the itinerary in Val di Noto, continuing by car on the SS115 and then following the signs for our new destination: we are going to Scicli, another splendid gem in the province of Ragusa where the beauty of baroque meets the show of television.

Scicli - for some Vigata! - is indeed one of the main locations of the famous successful TV series dedicated to Inspector Montalbano, an iconic character created by the pen of Andrea Camilleri and made famous in Italy and abroad by the interpretation of Luca Zingaretti in the series produced by Rai. But if the Vigata seen on television may look beautiful, the real Scicli is certainly even more so!

Visiting Scicli you will be able to admire many magnificent baroque churches, among the most imposing, beautiful and sumptuous around Val di Noto, among which do stand out the Church of San Bartolomeo, the Church of Sant’Ignazio, the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, the Church of San Guglielmo, the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, the Church of Santa Maria La Nova and the Church of Madonna del Carmine, all characterized by a notable landscape relevance for the town’s view.

Even particularly worthy of interest are the historic buildings that embellish the historic centre of Scicli, jewels of typical baroque and liberty architecture and aesthetics, such as Palazzo Palle (town hall), Palazzo Fava, Palazzo Spadaro, Palazzo Beneventano and the Antica Farmacia Cartia (Pharmacy Building) - the latter also appeared on TV as set and location of the television film La Stagione della Caccia, a transposition of another work by master Camilleri still located in the fictional town of Vigata.

Main attractions in Ragusa Ibla:

- Cathedral of San Giorgio

- Square and Staircase of the Cathedral

- Museum of the Cathedral of San Giorgio

- Church of San Giuseppe in Piazza Pola

- Ibleo Garden

We move on with our journey towards the hinterland of Val di Noto, discovering a masterpiece city that is a pride of Sicilian history, art and architecture. Our next stop is Ragusa, easily reachable by car following the roads SP37 and SP25 that cross near Marina di Ragusa.

Ragusa is an unmissable destination in south-eastern Sicily, rich in refined baroque art and breathtaking Unesco wonders, especially in Ragusa Ibla, the most authentic heart of the city's historic centre. Here you will find exceptional attractions such as the stunning Cathedral of San Giorgio, with its picturesque square and its large dome that dominates the city landscape, and not far the Museum of the Cathedral of San Giorgio (following the Staircase of the Cathedral to the left of the building), the main museum institution of sacred art in the province rich in unique finds including statues, sacred furnishings and paintings.

Greatly prestigious and interesting for arts and history is also the Church of San Giuseppe in Piazza Pola, former Piazza Maggiore.

For this romantic travel itinerary we recommend to add the beautiful Ibleo Garden to your list of things to visit in Ragusa Ibla, near the famous medieval Portal of San Giorgio in late gothic-catalan style, the oldest and most important public park in the city. With its impressive exotic atmosphere, which harmoniously mixes the many souls of Ragusa and Sicily from the Greek era to the Ninenteenth Century's one, this place is perfect for enjoying splendid views and walking among thick mediterranean and tropical vegetation, avenues, small churches, benches, fountains, ponds and sculptures.

Your visit to Ragusa Ibla can therefore end at best by tasting some of the most renowned local delicacies, starting from scacce, traditional artisan baked rolls usually consumed as street food, up to typical first courses such as ricotta ravioli and iconic desserts such as cannoli, a symbol of sicilian gastronomy which here, unlike other cities, is prepared with cow's ricotta.

Main attractions in Modica:

- Cathedral of San Pietro

- Mother Church Cathedral of San Giorgio

- Palazzo dei Mercedari

- Modica Castle

- House Museum of Salvatore Quasimodo

Before leaving the province of Ragusa we head towards a fundamental stop, which absolutely cannot be missing in an itinerary around Val di Noto to discover the most evocative Baroque Towns of this corner of Sicily. We therefore travel along SS115 south to get to Modica, knows as the city of one hundred churches - obviously in perfect Baroque style! - and city of chocolate.

Walking through the streets and squares of this splendid town in fact you can admire and visit many masterpieces that made the history of the most representative artistic and architectural style of the region, such as the majestic Cathedral of San Pietro with its statues guarding the entrance staircase, the solemn Mother Church Cathedral of San Giorgio with its imposing staircase in the heart of the historic centre, yet other smaller churches but no less important in terms of history and beauty such as the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, the Church of San Domenico and the Church of Santa Maria di Betlem.

Equally evocative is the Basilica Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie in the southern side of the historic centre, near Palazzo dei Mercedari where today finds space an interesting museum dedicated to the arts, traditions, nature and territory of the Iblea land.

Between the amazement of the baroque wonders of the city and the intense and pleasant taste of modicano chocolate, an excellent product awarded with the IGP recognition, enjoy a dive into the history of the town by visiting the Castle of Modica and the House Museum of Salvatore Quasimodo, one of the greatest international poets of the 20th century and Nobel Prize for Literature in 1959.

Main attractions in Palazzolo Acreide:

- Akrai Archaeological Park

- Basilica of San Polo

- Basilica of San Sebastiano

- Palazzo Cappellaini

We get back to the car to continue this romantic and exciting journey through the historical and artistic beauties of Val di Noto. After about an hour of driving along SP59 and SP90 we reach our next stop, which takes us back to the province of Syracuse in a land hanging halfway between the myth of ancient Greece and the elegance of Sicilian Baroque: here we are in Palazzolo Acreide.

This small inland village actually holds a great history, which has its most authentic roots in ancient Akrai. South-west of Palazzolo Acreide in fact is possible to visit the archaeological park with the remains of the passage of this ancient civilization, in particular the Theater of Akrai, which has remained perfectly preserved, the necropolis and the rock sanctuary of Santoni, a complex of cavities and niches that holds figures and traces of the mysterious and remote cult of the Magna Mater or Cybele, among the most extensive and complete in the world.

Venturing into the historic centre of Palazzolo Acreide the atmosphere changes, and the timeless charm of Greek history and myths makes room to the majesty of the great sicilian baroque churches. Prestigious testimonies of this are the Basilica of San Polo and Basilica of San Sebastiano, both included in the list of Unesco World Heritage Sites in Val di Noto. Another unmissable destination is the Gabriele Judica Archaeological Museum at Palazzo Cappellaini, dedicated to the numerous finds related to ancient Akrai and the history of the city.

Palazzolo Acreide is even an ideal place to combine the pleasure of traveling with the taste of good traditional cuisine. A typical product of the town is palazzolese sausage, a processed meat based exclusively on local pork and flavored with fennel, red wine and spices such as black pepper or chili pepper in its spiciest variant.

Main attractions in Caltagirone:

- Staircase Santa Maria del Monte

- Mother Church Santa Maria del Monte

- Church of San Francesco d'Assisi all'Immacolata

- Cathedral Basilica of San Giuliano

- Palazzo Magnolia

- Ceramics Museum

We are approaching the end of the itinerary and it’s time to get to Caltagirone, an absolutely must destination on this trip perfect to be visited together with your soulmate. So let's get ready for the next car journey along SS124, heading north-west.

The city is internationally famous for its beautiful ceramics, one of the most popular Italian souvenirs including vases, plates and tiles, small furnishing decorations and the iconic teste di moro, a craft tradition that has accompanied the local culture for centuries shaping its identity - not to be missed in the town is the Ceramics Museum with halls dedicated to this art form throughout the historical eras.

But not everyone knows that Caltagirone also houses many prestigious baroque gems. Walking through the historic centre, in addition to the famous and picturesque Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte adorned with splendid ceramics step after step - to climb up to the top only hand in hand! - which leads to the namesake Mother Church, it is possible to admire true masterpieces of architecture and design that stand out for their refinement in detail from the baroque buildings of the other towns of Val di Noto.

Among these the Church of San Francesco d'Assisi all'Immacolata, which boasts what is probably the most sumptuous and richly decorated facade in the region, the Church of Jesus, the Church of San Giacomo, the Church of Santa Chiara, the Church of the Crucifix and the Cathedral Basilica of San Giuliano, the latter a symbol of the city with its bell tower and dome.

Even noteworthy are the historic buildings that rise in Caltagirone, valuable expressions of the baroque and liberty styles, in particular Palazzo delle Poste, the Bourbon Prison, the Corte Capitanale and the sophisticated Palazzo Magnolia.

Main attractions in Militello Val di Catania:

- Mother Church of San Nicolò and Santissimo Salvatore

- Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Stella

- Town Hall at former Monastery of San Benedetto

Here we are, finally, at the final stop of the romantic itinerary in Val di Noto through the most beautiful Baroque Towns of eastern Sicily. The last destination we recommend is the hamlet of Militello Val di Catania, awarded with the title of Borgo dei Borghi 2025, a rare gem to really put the icing on the cake for this fantastic journey. Militello is located halfway between Caltagirone and Catania, and can be reached by car by driving on SS417 then continuing on SP25i near Palagonia.

The historic centre of Militello Val di Catania is small, but it hosts some truly evocative examples of Baroque art and architecture, in particular churches and sanctuaries that testify to great mastery and aesthetic flair, certainly worthy of the time spent in visiting the village. Among these are the Mother Church of San Nicolò and Santissimo Salvatore, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Stella, the Church of Santissimo Sacramento al Circolo and the Church of Madonna della Catena. Also not to be missed is the current Town Hall, a beautiful baroque building that’s an integral part of the former Monastery of San Benedetto and bordering the Parish dedicated to the Saint.

Walking through the baroque vibes of the historic centre of Militello with the profile of Etna in the background is a truly unique experience, a perfect postcard to say goodbye to Sicily with the memory of indelible emotions. It is therefore time to get back to Catania, at the Airport of Fontanarossa (SS385 and ring road following the specific indications), to return the car that has been your companion on this fairytale journey as a couple and take the flight back home, with a smile and even more in love!