Christmas in Noto

As the song goes, "It's the most wonderful time of the year"! Christmas in Noto is one of my favourite times of the year!

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The Christmas Street Lights

On a Christmas evening I love to walk along the Corso, meaning main street in Italian, which in Noto is Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The town is buzzing, the Christmas music is playing and the street lights are twinkling!

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The Christmas Tree

Opposite Piazza XVI Maggio there stands a deciduous tree all year however as you would expect at Christmas it is adorned with lights and decorations. Sometimes warm white drizzling lights flow from top to bottom but this year it is lit up with big blue baubles and red tinzel.

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The Christmas Concerts at the Cathedral

The Cattedrale di San Nicholo, or Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, was built in the 18th century in the style of the late Sicilian Baroque and completed in 1776. At Christmas, there are an array of services and concerts to enjoy. My favourites are those playing jazz or gospel music.

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The Christmas Poinsettia

All over Noto, in homes and in the community, you will find red poinsettia. In fact there are more poinsettia than Christmas trees! In Italian, they are called 'La Stella di Natale’, meaning 'The Star of Christmas' called such because their pointy leaves are a reminder of the star that guided the wise men to Jesus. Their bright red represents blood and sacrifice, and the green symbolises evergreen and eternity.

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The Panetonne

One of the icons of an Italian Christmas is the Panetonne, a very light and fluffy sweet bread known for its rich flavour and incorporating a range of sweet goodies. My personal favourite is the chocolate and apricot Panetonne. It is yummy, especially when I can sit in the sunshine on one of the balconies at The Rooftop and enjoy a slice!

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The Oranges

Italy is the second largest producer of oranges in Europe, coming second only to Spain, and Sicily produces more than half of the countries oranges. The Sicilian orange, or arancione in Italian, can be harvested from early November through to till late May. So at Christmas time there is always a plethora of orange varieties avaliable to enjoy.

Oranges have become a traditional part of Christmas for many reasons. In some parts of the world especially colder climates they are a symbol of luxury. There is also a legend of Saint Nicholas giving bags of gold to a poor family and overtime oranges have come to symbolise those bags of gold due to their round, golden

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The Christmas Wreath

A Christmas wreath hanging on your front door is not a common sight in Noto; however, it's something that I love to do, and is a lovely welcome home at Christmas time. Thankfully, it's not so uncommon that local florists don't sell a range of wreaths from which to choose.

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The Beach

The Lido di Noto, or Noto Beach, is beautiful throughout the year. In the summer, I love to relax, read a book, and cool off in the sea. At sunset, I love sundown picnics. I love to walk on the beach throughout the winter, enjoying the blue sky, fresh air and sunshine. At Christmas time, I love to do so, listening to and singing along with Christmas carols and songs!

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Wherever you are, whoever you are with and whatever you are doing have a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS!