Val di Noto

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Val di Noto is a historic region in the southeastern part of Sicily, Italy. It sits on the Hyblaean limestone plateau and was one of Sicily’s main valley areas. The oldest known settlement in the region was Akrai near Palazzolo Acreide, founded in 664 BC as a colony of Syracuse.

In 1693, a powerful earthquake destroyed many towns. Afterward, the towns were rebuilt in a unified Sicilian Baroque style. The Spanish kings gave special authority to redesign the towns, and Giuseppe Lanza shaped the new layouts with central squares and outward-stretching streets, creating grid-like plans. Some towns, like Grammichele, were rebuilt with unique shapes. Noto became the best-known example of the style and remains a popular tourist destination for its impressive Baroque architecture.

In June 2002, UNESCO listed the eight towns of Val di Noto as a World Heritage Site under the name Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto, highlighting the region as the culmination of Baroque art in Europe. The towns are Caltagirone, Militello in Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa, and Scicli.

Today, Val di Noto is also used to refer to a wine region in southeastern Sicily.