The route in the Val di Noto is a journey to discover some of the cities in eastern Sicily rebuilt after the tragic earthquake of 1693.
The destroyed cities were rebuilt following a planned and functional street layout, made up of orthogonal roads and large squares where people could take refuge in other calamitous events.
This element can be found not only in the cities of the Val di Noto, but in other UNESCO heritage cities, such as Agrigento and Palermo.
The latter has an additional link to Catania: both cities saw the construction of the Quattro Canti, a large and scenic square created from the intersection of two large orthogonal avenues. The archaeological site of Piazza Armerina shows a great variety and richness of materials inside the Roman villa, expressing social status through the residence. This happened in the 4th century but also in the 18th century, as shown by Palazzo Trigona in Noto.
In this analysis, which aims to link the UNESCO sites together, we must stress the role played by religious orders. In every city they built splendid cathedrals, churches and monasteries, like those of the Benedictines in Catania and the Aeolian Islands.
These are joined by traditional religious feasts, which the Sicilians still celebrate passionately today, including St. Agatha in Catania, St. Lucy in Syracuse and St. Rosalia in Palermo, to name but a few.
