To be the mayor of Noto is not such a terrible life. To my mind, this little city in southeastern Sicily is one of the most enchanting in all of Europe. Along its main drag, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, stands one gorgeous building after another, built in the grand, 17th-century Baroque style. The whole place looks like a movie set (a steamy episode of The White Lotus was filmed there). Strolling around, gazing up at the carved limestone façades and wrought-iron balconies made me think: Wait, this is exactly what all those fancy buildings I've seen my entire life-the Versace mansion in Miami, the Odesa opera house-are trying to imitate.
On my recent visit, I asked the mayor, Corrado Figura, to explain Noto's beauty. "It all goes back to the earthquake of 1693," he said from his office in what has to be one of the most splendid city halls, set in a former palazzo. "After that, Noto's people decided to build a new city. They wanted the help of the most important architects of the time. It was all done in a uniform style, the Baroque style."
"The result," he said, leaning proudly back in a leather chair so old it creaked, "is that we're sui generis"-one of a kind. "And we haven't lost our identity," he added. "If you pay attention to your past, you can actually feel it."
Tourism has been booming in Sicily, even before the The White Lotus prompted a major upswing in visits to the island-specifically to the town of Taormina, where the second season was set. Compared with its cousins Taormina and Siracusa, Noto is more intoxicating and more beautiful, but at the same time more real. It has not yet been overrun by the cruise ships, tour buses, and designer stores that can make a destination feel like an airport departures area.
This story is from the August 2024 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2024 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ENCHANTED ISLANDS
An ivy-covered castle, camping by the seashore, and the power of a six-year-old's imagination: Leslie Jamison and her daughter find themselves transformed by a sojourn in southwestern Scotland.
Deep South
A state-of-the-art catamaran reveals a stretch of the Australian island of Tasmania's rugged southern coastline that few visitors get to see.
American Beauty
Cherry orchards, cute villages, and crystal shores: Wisconsin's Door County is where Scandinavian bygge meets Midwestern charm.
Surfin' USA
Big waves and small-town appeal: Paia might well be Maui's most authentic hideaway.
As the River Rises
A changed landscape in northern Botswana is now a hot spot for wildlife year-round. Jessica Vincent checks in to the new safari camp giving explorers a front-row seat.
Hearts Aglow
The names Tahiti and Bora-Bora may telegraph romance, but on a cruise around French Polynesia, Naomi Tomky and her daughters discover these islands also make for the ultimate playground.
Maternity Leave
Five months into motherhood, Brittani Sonnenberg was exhausted. After four days at a plush Mexican beach resort, she felt reborn.
LET IT WASH OVER YOU
A visit to the Mississippi Gulf Coast is one of the last things Cinelle Barnes remembers before a health crisis turned her world upside down. A year later, she reflects on the kindness of strangers-and the cycle of rebirth in a land defined by storms.
Fit Check
There's no party quite like Carnival. Dana Givens dives in to the fashion behind the festivities.
The Art of Transformation
Underwater sculpture parks help marine life—and reflect the world above the surface.