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Aug 23, 2023

What to Do in Val di Noto

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What to drive and where to go for a long weekend on the Sicilian island.

Far-flung travel is fabulous if you’ve got the time (and budget!) to make it happen. But if you’re looking for a quick and easy getaway, allow us to remind you of the beauty of the weekend road trip. In this recurring series, we ask seasoned travelers to share all the details of their best recent trip, from the car they drove to the clothes they packed—and of course, the must-visit locations on their itinerary.

If you’ve tuned into the second season of The White Lotus, you’re familiar with the island of Sicily and more specifically, the charming towns of Val di Noto. Now, we understand that Italy isn't exactly a quick weekend jaunt, but as someone who's made frequent trips within lo Stivale (the boot-shaped, Italian Peninsula) in the past, Sicily is the perfect place to extend your European holiday by a few more days. Let this guide inspire you to indulge in some well-deserved R&R and treat yourself to a long Italian weekend.

I came to Sicily with a purpose and it was to test drive the Maserati MC20 Cielo. Maserati was founded in Bologna in 1920 and this all-new super sportscar encapsulates so many facets of Italian craftsmanship—style, design, power, and emotion. Directly translated, Cielo is the Italian word for sky which is apropos considering its designed with a hardtop glass roof. Thanks to Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) technology the overhead covering can change from transparent to opaque by the push of a button. If you prefer an open-air, spyder (convertible) silhouette, the hardtop can be retracted in 12-seconds.

For the first time ever, this super sportscar is engineered with technology also used to develop Formula 1 race cars. It utilizes a special configuration to deliver 621-horsepower, making it one of the most power-dense engines that you can get in a road car today.

If you’re hesitant about taking a two-seater sports car on a long road trip, don't be—they're perfectly predisposed for piloting winding country roads. When it comes to the MC20 Cielo, Maserati has created a behind-the-wheel feeling that is truly magical. It takes the mundane act of driving from point A to point B and creates an experience as exhilarating as the destination itself. Then again, there's something that hits different about driving an Italian super sportscar through Sicily—let's just say it's la dolce vita.

I avoid checking a bag at all costs, instead choosing a mini capsule collection for every trip I go on. Generally I choose an overall color scheme (I’m big on neutrals so creams, browns, and crisp whites) and and work with pieces that I can easily mix and match. Sicily has a subtropical climate, so even their winters see fairly mild with warmer, sunny spots during the day and chillier temperatures at night making knitwear key.

When it comes to accessorizing, I'm more of a minimalist, which means a sleek pair of leather loafers that do double-duty for long driving days and dinners, along with a net market bag for hauling treats or souvenirs from the local markets. I always pack a bathing suit regardless of where I’m traveling—it takes up zero room in your luggage and I'm always prepared for a spontaneous dip!

In the heart of Val di Noto, the newly opened Il San Corrado di Noto underwent a three year renovation before it opened its doors in April of this year. The ancient masseria (a large farmland unique to Southern Italy) was once owned by Prince Nicolaci in the 18th century and its open-air architecture seems to mirror the same dreamy, alfresco feeling of driving the MC20 Cielo through the region's rustic landscape.

Surrounded by citrus and olive groves in the Sicilian countryside, it is located just a short distance from the sea so guests have the opportunity to experience both lush greenery or sandy coastline at its Beach Club. It's also home to one of Sicily's largest pools—a 100-meter heated stretch that's perfect for lounging with a glass of fresh-squeezed Sicilian lemonade.

Siracusa

Everyday started with a traditional Sicilian breakfast consisting of icy granita, a semi-frozen, shaved-ice that's offered in a variety of different flavors (I recommend the almond flavor, but the coffee and lemon flavors are in my top three) and a freshly baked brioche. From Il San Corrado di Noto, we'd head an hour north to Siracusa to explore its historic city center on Ortigia Island.

The roadways in Val di Noto are full of twists, turns, and long straightaways so I fully enjoyed taking the MC20 Cielo through its paces. The MC20 Cielo has five dynamic modes to choose from depending on your preferred driving style and the road conditions: Wet, GT, Sport, Corsa, and ESC OFF (the latter two are more ideal for closed course driving like on a race track). After cycling through the different modes, my Goldilocks setting was Sport with manual shifting, which firms up the handling of the car and adds a little more gusto to the gear changes as you upshift and downshift using the paddle-shifters positioned behind the steering wheel.

Though Ortigia Island may look small there are plenty of interesting sites to stumble upon like the Piazza Duomo, Arethusa Spring, and Temple of Apollo. There's no shortage of seaside restaurants to take a rest at and enjoy an aperitif—perhaps a Negroni Sbagliato? Or if you’re feeling hungry, arancini (a crisp, fried rice ball usually stuffed with meat sauce) was said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th-century, so make sure to stop at one of the local spots like Antica Giudecca to sample this Italian street food staple. Right past the ancient ruins of Castello Maniace, there's a small shoreline with beach access, so that swimsuit will come in handy! Head down to the rocky waterfront and wade in the crisp blue waters of the Ionian Sea like the locals do.

Today's granita is coffee-flavored and topped with whipped cream, as recommended by the Maserati MC20 Cielo's Chief Engineer, Federico Landini. After breakfast, we hopped in the car and drove 30 minutes west to Modica, a town that along with Noto sits on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its captivating Baroque architecture. After Sicily suffered a massive earthquake in 1963, many of its local artists who practiced Baroque in Rome began to reconstruct their cities. It won't take long before your eyes are met by the curves, flourishes, and putti figures (winged cherubs). This signature building style adorns the many balconies, cathedrals, and more famously the Duomo di San Giorgio.

Modica is also famous for chocolate that's made using an ancient, cold-working process giving it a unique, grainy texture and aromatic flavor. Cioccolato di Modica Sabadì next door to the Duomo di San Giorgio has been perfecting the art of this local tradition for years. It's also home to the world's first chocolate aging cellar. There, they spend months infusing confections with organic flavors using local ingredients like wild oregano, mint, and fennel. Drop in to collect a few of these delectable souvenirs—just make sure to not leave them in a warm frunk (the front trunk that exists under the hood of the MC20 Cielo) like I did—they’ll be much better off riding shotgun in an air-conditioned interior. For lunch, make a pit stop at RARO cucina e pizza which sits just atop the center of town and offers beautiful, panoramic views of the old city from its terrace.

During this trip, we were lucky enough to enjoy a dinner within the Riserva Naturale Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari that was specially crafted by Michelin-starred chef Accursius Craparo from Accursio Ristorante which is located in an ancient palace near the Duomo di San Pietro in Modica. Inspired by his formative years traveling throughout the island, Craparo's dishes are an ode to Sicily—everything from its land, sea, and tradition can be seen in his dishes. Each course encompasses an entire sensory experience through taste, smell, sight, and touch—from his "spremuta of Sicily," an interpretation of the "juice of Sicily" which consisted of an umami explosion of durum wheat pasta, anchovy, tuna bottarga, and fennel to a modern take on traditional Italian zuccotto ice cream cake made with ricotta, mulberry and pistachio. Absolutely do not leave Modica before experiencing a meal here.

Drive about 15 minutes northeast of Il San Corrado di Noto and you’ll find yourself in the charming town of Noto. Here, we visited the Sicilian art collector-turned-painter Sergio Fiorentino at his home and studio located in a former 18th-century Cistercian monastery. Fiorentino collaborated with Maserati on a piece he calls the "Blue Dreamer" which uses his signature shade of ultramarine blue to personify the blissful connection and sense of euphoria that comes with navigating the MC20 Cielo under the open sky. While his studio is unfortunately not open to the public, his various works can be spotted throughout local establishments in Val di Noto like the Il San Corrado di Noto and Ristorante Manna.

Wander the city's streets and you’ll stumble upon more exquisite examples of Sicilian baroque architecture, as seen on the Noto Cathedral and Palazzo Nicolaci and Ducezzio. In between all of the palazzo hopping, take a break for an espresso and granita (I did not forget about the granita) at Caffè Sicilia—it's been in business for over a century and is known for making arguably some of the best granita in Sicily and Avola almond biscuits. This day I opted for the seasonal fig and red chili pepper granita which gave its fresh, fruity notes just the right amount of heat. For dinner, the aforementioned Ristorante Manna or Ristorante Crocifisso are two of Noto's not-to-miss spots that both specialize in traditional Sicilian dishes with a contemporary flair.

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