You’ll find Dimora Santagatha in Noto Alta, a historic residential neighbourhood overlooking the city center from its elevated perch.
Planes
Catania-Fontanarossa Airport is an hour’s drive away from Dimora Santagatha, with direct flights from the UK and Europe. From here, the hotel can arrange private transfers for around €150 each way.
Trains
Noto station is around two kilometres away from the hotel, with connections to the surrounding Baroque towns of Syracuse, Modica and Ragusa.
Automobiles
Public transport can be patchy in Sicily and taxis tend to be pricey, so having your own wheels allows you to roam on your own schedule. On-street parking is available nearby.
Worth getting out of bed for
There’s plenty in Noto’s centro storico to keep you going in between spritzes. Dimora Santagatha is just a five-minute walk from the city’s main drag; and, since the centre is perfectly symmetrical, it’s easy to navigate, too.
After a devastating earthquake toppled the city (and many of its neighbours) in the late 17th century, the Baroque architects of the era went all out on its magnificent rebuilding. It’s documented in great detail at the Noto Civic Museum, but clear to see in the city’s extravagance, awash with grimacing gargoyles and pillow-cheeked cherubs, curvy terracotta stone and willowy wrought iron balconies. Among the most photographed is Palazzo Nicolaci, the 16th-century residence of Sicilian nobility.
Noto has a whopping 33 churches in total, but our favourites have to be Chiesa Madonna del Carmine and the awe-inspiring Basilica di San Nicolò. By train, you’re in easy reach of the island’s other baroque belles too; sample the Aztec-inspired chocolate of Modica, trace the steps of Montalbano in Scicli and taste your way round food-focused, Ragusa. Or, if you’ve a car, visit the Vendicari Nature Reserve, which gives you access to some of the region’s most serene beaches like San Lorenzo, Eloro and Calamosche.
Local restaurants
Across from Palazzo Nicolaci in Noto’s centro storico, Osteria Villadorata is locally loved for its stylish interiors, inventive cocktails and contemporary Sicilian cuisine that shines with dishes like fried pizza; roasted octopus with mango brunoise, chilli pepper and lime; or maccheroni with white Genovese ragout, raw red tuna and wild fennel. Similarly, the tasting menu at Ristorante Crocifisso offers a modern take on local territory and tradition. If you’re happy to venture a little outside of the city, Orti Villadorata is a 15-minute drive and pairs Italian fare with heart-pattering views over miles of rolling olive groves.
Local cafés
Few cafés can say they’ve survived two World Wars and a pandemic, but Caffè Sicilia has. Now, with more than a century under its belt, this recently renovated pasticceria draws sugar addicts from across the world thanks to its liquor-soaked cassata, candied fruit, ricotta-stuffed cannoli and its slup-worthy signature, the almond-milk granita.
Local bars
Ritrovino is a petite wine bar tucked up a side street near Noto’s Royal Gate. Here, you’ll find a great selection of classic Sicilian grapes alongside funkier alternatives from some of the region’s up-and-coming winemakers. Caffè Costanzo Bar, meanwhile, is an understated day-to-night spot steps from the San Nicolò Cathedral — ideal for people watching and alfresco sipping.
