For better or worse, tourist trails through Sicily often overlook Noto, a bijou town in the island’s east. Which means that, unlike the rest of Siracuse, there is a charming atmosphere of captured time, especially in the superb collection of Baroque architecture.
Completely in step with the setting, the newly minted three-bedroom Casa Scianna mines a faded vintage aesthetic courtesy of its co-owner Edoardo Marchiori who has channeled a long stint as senior fashion editor at Italian Glamour into a second career as an interior designer. Interestingly, the B&B’s creative DNA is subliminally amplified by its moniker, a tribute to the Sicilian born photographer, Ferdinando Scianna.
Which explains the 1950s cinematic quality of the interior décor – the cool stone floors underfoot dressed with four poster wrought iron beds, Empire chairs, the obligatory prints of Roman emperors, and exuberantly colourful ceramics, drop crystal wall chandeliers, and antiques crafted by local artisans.
Each room features a different configuration, but the first floor suite has the advantage of a capacious day-bed set in a private al-fresco terrace that opens to that blue-on-blue sky.
Meanwhile, the in-house kitchen serves only breakfast, but in Noto, this is no hardship as the casa leads directly into a neighbourhood of small grocery stores, restaurants and bars, the latter quietly humming with the flick of card games.
ADDRESS
Via Ascenzo Mauceri 50 96017 Noto Siracuse Sicily
-
Etihad Airways’ A321LR redefines the single-aisle experienceAbu Dhabi’s flagship carrier brings wide-body sensibility to its new generation Airbus aircraft, a rethink of what short and medium-haul travel can feel like
-
Ralph Steadman has worked with everyone from Hunter S. Thompson to Travis Scott and Quavo – now, the Gonzo illustrator is celebrated in LondonA new exhibition provides a rare opportunity to experience the inimitable work and creativity of Gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman up close. Just don’t call it a ‘style’.
-
The artistry of Japanese wineFine wine from Japan may not yet register highly on the radars of most oenophiles, but for those who know, it's a hugely rewarding and rich tapestry of flavour. Drinks expert, Neil Ridley visits London's Luna Omakase for the launch of a new dedicated Japanese wine pairing menu
-
This Italian palazzo-turned-café adds a dash of drama to your morning espressoDesigned by studio AMAA, Caffè Nazionale brings new energy to a 19th-century former town hall in the northern Italian town of Arzignano
-
Pierre-Yves Rochon celebrates ‘the great tradition of Italian design’ in Four Seasons Hotel Milano refreshThe sophisticated hotel’s 118 rooms and suites have been redesigned by the acclaimed designer and long-time collaborator of the brand
-
At this elegant new aparthotel in Florence, local living is done rightThis Time Tomorrow offers bespoke itineraries and neoclassical interiors that echo the city’s layered soul
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
Il Sereno’s new Listening Suite is what phonophiles’ dreams are made ofDesigned by Patricia Urquiola and Il Sereno founder and audiophile Luis Contreras, the new Lake Como-facing suite unites Japanese listening culture with Italian design
-
Inside Belmond’s most exclusive holiday villa yet, a lavish Ligurian palazzoOnce the theatre of lavish parties, Villa Beatrice is now a palatial haven of seclusion with easy access to Portofino’s Splendido, a Belmond hotel
-
The most stylish hotel takeovers to pop up at this summerFrom Capri to Ibiza, luxury fashion brands are taking over seaside resorts with exclusive boutique pop-ups and bespoke poolside accessories
-
Detour Discotheque is bringing ‘the world’s dreamiest party’ to PugliaThe pop-up event, La Dolce Vita Disco, promises dancing, good food and sunshine in a 16th-century Italian farmhouse
