One of the reasons for coming to Sicily now was we wanted to check out and understand the place before we return in October with the family. Then we will be staying further south, about another 45 minutes from where we currently were. So today we decided to head down that way to try and find the villa we will be using and to see what the local area has to offer.
The journey involved some time on the motorway and then back roads that brought us to an urbanisation just south of San Lorenzo. We found the villa and were also able to explore the nearby Lido that had a wonderful beach and a very appealing sea.
From Agua Beach we decided to visit the little fishing village of Marzamemi, which was about three kilometres further along the coast. We found a car park and walked into the centre of the village and a lovely piazza.
The piazza was dominated by a chiesa that gave it the look of a spaghetti western scene.
Marzamemi combines a summer resort with a working fishing village, swordfish, mussels are regularly on the menu here and we decided to stop and have lunch in one of the restaurants that overlooked the harbour.
After a lunch of mussels and tuna we spent sometime exploring this delightful little village.
The old fishing sheds where the tuna and swordfish would be bought in and sold.
I liked the combination of bougainvillea and the wall.
And likewise again with this geranium and crumbling sandstone wall.
Restaurant umbrellas against the old walls.
These were made from glass and stand out on the wall.
As we made our way back to the car I was taken by this door knocker.
Noto, a UNESCO Heritage site, had always been on our list of places to visit. Afternoon is apparently the best time as the lower sun brings out the colour in the sandstone Baroque buildings. So we left Marzamemi and drove the short 30 minute journey to Noto. After a couple of drive arounds we struck lucky and were able to park at the end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele, a short distance from the Porta Reale, which acts as the gateway to the Baroque buildings.
Noto is the apotheosis of late Baroque town planning
and architecture. Completely destroyed by the terrible 1693 earthquake, it
was rebuilt from scratch on a new site, about 10km from the old centre.
Under the supervision of the Duke of Camastra, the Spanish
Viceroy’s right-hand man, three architects, Labisi, Sinatra and Gagliardi, set
to work, intent on creating a new town based firmly on Baroque ideals.
The plan was to create a linear, perfectly proportioned
urban centre whose parallel lines would provide myriad panoramas. The town was
divided into three parts by three roads running from east to west, thus
ensuring the constant attention of the sun. At the top lived the nobility, in
the middle the clergy, and at the bottom, hoi polloi.
The principal building material used was local compacted
limestone, a substance that seemingly absorbs the sun’s aureate rays and
transforms them into a soft golden-honeyed glow. The effect at sunset is quite
something.
Corso Vittorio Emanuele extends west via three piazzas, each with its own church. All the buildings are obviously Baroque in style but that is
where any similarity ends. The architects seem to have been given free rein to
run through the whole gamut of late 17th and early 19th-century architectural
devices and forms.
Curvaceous concave façades battle for supremacy next to
their convex cousins, while rectilinear edifices frown regally at their
presumptuous frivolity. Grotesque masks, cherubs and curlicues jostle with
volutes and other embellishments, and puffed-up, wrought-iron goose-breasted
balconies abound.
The church of San Francesco, the first piazza reached.
And next to it he cathedral of Santa Chiara.
A road curves around and up to the cathedral like a Hollywood staircase.
We sat in a small cafe and had a drink and ice cream while listening to a street busker and taking in the majesty of the buildings.
As we walked each side street running from the Corso provided a different scene.
At Piazza XVI Maggio, is the church of San Domenico set amongst statues and Monkey Puzzle trees.
We decided to walk up one of the side streets and to take in the architecture that wasn't maybe so grand but with a beauty all of its own.
An arch that looks similar to the bridge of sighs.
The wrought iron balcony railings.
This was in a courtyard just off one street, I like the way the lamp contrasts with the ochre wall and trailing plants.
A view of the back of the Santa Chiara bell tower.
In many places there are steps to take you to the top of the city, and here they have covered the steps with a advertisement for a Tosca opera taking place.
And this one promoting Puccini's Dreams.
A feral cat lying in the middle of the lane.
We climbed the steps to the top, where there was an eye level view across the rooftops.
We made our way back down to Piazza dell'Immacolata and the church of San Francesco to the left of the sweeping drive way.
We had coffee and granite, which is actually a type of ice and with the sun now dropping it was time to appreciate the beauty of the buildings.
Santa Chiara once more.
Italian and Sicilian flags on the Basilica del Santissimo Salvatore.
Street lamps blocking out the sun.
The entrance to the church of San Francesco.
All around us we could hear and see the screams of Swifts as they raced through the streets and over the roof tops. They were also joined by House Martins that were nesting all around the Church of San Francesco and could be seen settled on the stone work.
Here wrought iron baskets with wooden panels below, above the door to the church.
The sun silhouetting Santa Chiara.
A very poor attempt at showing the beauty of the swifts
The entrance to San Francesco is elevated above the Corso Vittorio Emanuele and you are able to look down as people travers it in both directions, as the sun fell below the building it sent low shadows as the people walked the road (Helen's idea this and it works really well!)
Finally we had to leave and as we walked back to the car along the Corso I was taken by this group of men. There were many sitting on chairs outside cafes, and some had been there all afternoon. Italians love to talk and I thought this photograph captured this behaviour so well.
What a lovely day, a successful find of October's villa, the idyllic village of Marzamemi and a wonderful lunch and all rounded off with the beauty of Noto.
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