Difficulty level
0 of 5

Min. age – 2 years old 

10 hours

Morning at 8,00

Syracuse and Noto, in south-eastern Sicily, are two very different cities just a few kilometres apart, and you can discover both on a day trip from Palermo.

The minivan or car tour from Palermo takes you to Syracuse, a city with three thousand years of history and a historic centre on the famous island of Ortigia.

Noto, a few kilometres from Syracuse, has a particular story: it was razed to the ground by an earthquake in 1693 and rebuilt from scratch. What you see today is a baroque city born in one go, with an architectural coherence that never fails to impress.

From Palermo to Syracuse: from Ortigia to the Seafront

In Syracuse, you start from Ortigia, the historic centre island connected to the mainland by two bridges. You walk and find things everywhere.

The baroque Cathedral in Piazza del Duomo incorporates the columns of a Greek temple from the 5th century BC, still visible along the external sides of the building: two monuments in one, separated by two thousand years of history.

A few steps away is the Fonte Aretusa, where fresh water springs up just metres from the sea and papyrus grows wild in a pool overlooking the grand harbour. Walking along the seafront you reach Castello Maniace, the Aragonese fortress built directly on the water at the southern tip of the island.

Ortigia will also surprise you with the morning markets near Piazza Cesare Battisti, the alleyways of the centre lined with baroque palaces, and the terraces overlooking the open sea on the opposite side from the harbour.

Second Stop, from Syracuse to Noto: Discovering Sicilian Baroque

Noto is about thirty kilometres from Syracuse. As mentioned, the 1693 earthquake destroyed the old city and the architects of the time rebuilt it on a new layout, using the golden limestone of the local territory.

The result is a historic centre that looks as though it was designed all at once, because in large part it was: the same material, the same period, the same baroque taste taken to its most theatrical conclusions.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele is the main street: within a few hundred metres you find the Cathedral of San Nicolò with its grand staircase, Palazzo Ducezio, and the side churches that open onto smaller squares.

The balcony of Palazzo Nicolaci is one of the most photographed details in Sicily: carved corbels with human figures, animals and monsters supporting the wrought iron balconies above. Worth looking up.

Tour Information: from Palermo to Syracuse and Noto by Car or Van

The tour from Palermo to Syracuse and Noto departs by car or minivan with return in the evening. The duration is ten hours and covers Ortigia in Syracuse and the baroque centre of Noto, with no need to worry about getting around. A guide is not included but can be requested at the time of booking.

Book your tour from Palermo to Syracuse and Noto by van or car! For more information please fill out the form below!