This itinerary starts at Avola, at Piazza Umberto Ist, which is the centre of the town and was rebuilt 2 years after the 1693 earthquake. On the North-East side of the square there is the church of St. Nicholas di Mira, with statues of saints on the exterior and a beautiful portal;inside there are 3 aisles and a remarkable 17th century organ made by Donato del Piano. Opposite the church there is the Ducal Mansion, which is occupied at present by the Bank of Sicily. In the square there is also the Civic Museum building and the Lutri Mansion. In the near- by Piazza Regina Elena there is the church of St. Anthony Abate and in Piazza Teatro the Municipal Theatre and the 18th century church of St. Venera, which contains a 19th century wooden statue of the Saint platedin gold and silver.

Along the coastal area of the territory o f Avola, beaches are interspersed with low cliffs. The biggest beach extends over one kilometre and is dose to the town. Going south along the provincial road you come to the next stop on our journey: Noto Marina, a delightful bathing resort, with numerous seafront and near by hotels which guarantee a pleasant stay for all their guests.The coast is prevailingly sandy.The area is also rich in monuments and places to visit, with the near by Eloro, which was founded at the end of the 8th century B.C. You can admire parts of the 8th century B.C.fortifìcation; the agorà, a small temple, probably an "askiepieion", a small greek theatre of which 3 median wedges are visible, with a Demetra and Kore sanctuary. All set in a stupendous natural frame of beaches, sea and silence, and certainly one of the most beautifui corners of our coast.

Shortiy after, you reach the Vendicari oasis, which encloses natural features of great interest. Vegetation is extremely varied with the presence of lentiscus myrtie, thyme, wild garlic and statice sinuata etc. It is a stopping point for innumerable species of passing birds: spatula, flamingo, crane, heron, black swan, pelican and Corsican gull. In this area man's presence dates back to ancient times; and of all the traces of the past left here the abandoned tunny-fìshing complex and the tower which is dated to approximately 1400 are of especial interest.

A few kilometres further on you reach Marzamemi, a small fishing town, which grew up around the tunny-fìshing complex which belonged to the Princes of Villadorata, and the delightful little port built in the 19th century. The writer Vitaliano Brancati was born here.

After leaving Marzamemi, and continuing along thè coast, you soon reach Portopalo, a fishing community which was possibly founded by the Phoenicians and boasts a little island with its castle, the tunny- fìshing complex on the lower area and the light-house still lower on the right. The marine enviroment is still intact and the tunny-fìshing complex constitutes a splendid monument to industrial archaeology. The fishing port, the most important in Eastern Sicily, has a busyfish market and is situated not far from the town.

On the southern tip you can see the "Isola delle Correnti" which is the symbolic division of the Ionie and Mediterranean seas. The Island of Capo Passero is approximately 1300 mts. long and 500 mts. wide and has an interesting Swabon-Aragonese fort which was built to sight Saracen ships. It 'was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Gastronomie traditions are obviously linked to the fìshing industry; in the area there are many beaches, hoteis, camping sites and restaurants.

To the west of Portopalo the swamps of Cuba and Longarini, boggy areas similar to Vendicari but smaller in size, present an interesting fauna, but at present they are not protected areas.

From here you may like to deviate slightly from the itinerary and visit Rosolini, a pleasant farming town with another interesting church and Town Hall in Piazza Garibaldi; the Triton Fountain in Piazza Masaniello and the famous Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart. The surrounding area has many traces of past ages, especially in the Great Quarry of Rosolini, with the Quarry of the Holy Cross and the rock Hermitage which are among the most important in Sicily and contain the Bove Grotto and the little Church of St.Theodore, with beautiful frescoes. The Lazzaro Quarry with its prehistoric evidence and the homonymous necropolis, the Orsi Sepulchre and many other remains are also well worth a visit.

Going back towards Noto about 20 km. along the provincial road on the left you can see the remains of the Roman Villa of Tellaro, a building which dates to the late imperial era, and some Magnifìcent mosaics have beenfound in it which are similar to the more famous ones at Piazza Armerina; they can be dated to the 4th century A.D.

After fìve kilometres you reach the city of Noto, which was rebuilt in the area after the destruction of ancient Noto in the 1693 earthquake. At the entrance to the town there is the Royal gate, which dates back to 1838, and a little further on you come to the Church of St. Francis, with its annexed convent. On the left facing the Church, there is the Monastery of the Saviour with its monumentai tower. Further ahead, on your left the Church of St. dare contains a marbie statue of the Madonna with child attributed to Antonello Gagini; then further on there is the Town Hall Square with the Ducezio Palace, which was designed by the architect Sinatra; apposite the palace we find the Mother Church, which was completed in 1776 and dedicated to St. Nicolo di Mira. It has an interesting facade which is flanked by two bell towers, and the bronzo portal is of recent work, the three aisied interior preserves the 5th century silver ark which contains the body of St. Corrado. Adiacent to the Main Church there is the Archbishop's Palace, which was built during thè lasti century and on its left you can see the Landolina mansion of St. Alfano. Going up the Nicolaci slope you will find the Nicolaci Mansion with its evocative Baroque balconies ornated by large brackets with grotesquefìgures. At the top ofthe slope there is thè Church of Montevergini. Another interesting church you can find in Piazza Mozzini is the Church of the Crucefìx, attributed to Rosario Gagliardi; on the incomplete front there are lions made from calcareous stone which comes from ancient Noto. Interesting and inviting is thè city's gastronomie tradition: among the many dishes you can toste is the "ovenbaked" pasta, home-made ricotta cheese ravioli, sweet and sour rabbit, snaiis (intuppateddi), the almond cakes and mulberry or rose flavoured ice-cream. Not to miention the wine produced locally and the muscat of Noto.

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