TOURISM IN SYRACUSE, SICILY

The Roman Villa of Tellaro (Noto) and its Mosaics

If, when one speaks about the to the archeological treasures of Sicily, everyone knows the name of the Roman villa of Piazza Armerina, very few have heard of one of the most recent archaeological discoveries, the Villa Romana del Tellaro of Noto.

It is a luxurious building (6,000 square meters / 65,000 sqft) of the 4th century A.D., decorated with extremely refined mosaics on the floor, and on whose ruins a farmhouse was built in the baroque period.

Even if, measured in terms of the amount of surface covered by mosaics, Noto’s building cannot compete with that of the better known villa in Piazza Armerina (only four rooms survive), the artistic quality of the mosaics is comparable, that is to say very high.

The Roman building was destroyed during ancient times by a terrible fire, perhaps during a barbarian invasion.
 

The house of the Villa del Tellaro in Noto (Syracuse) 
The fire clearly damaged the precious floors, which suffered additional damage from the construction of the farmhouse in the 18th century.  The recovery of the mosaics, therefore, entailed a painstaking restoration, which lasted 30 years, during which all of the tiles were removed from their original supports, which are now in disrepair, and relocated into new supporting surfaces.
A few years ago, the mosaics were reinstalled in the villa, which was then opened a museum, although one that is, unfortunately, still poorly advertised.

The mosaics of the four surviving rooms include the so-called "Hunting Mosaic", crowded with figures of hunters and wild animals from Africa and surrounded by a frieze with colorful animals and geometric patterns; a veritable geometric "carpet" with intersecting garlands of laurel that covered the floor of one side of the portico; a beautiful scene, unfortunately incomplete, from the Iliad ("The Redemption of Hector's body”); and, lastly, a frame consisting of squares with bacchic scenes and, in the corners, four imaginative vases overflowing with fruit, that frame a central scene, which unfortunately hasn’t survived.

In the course of the work as much as possible of the farmhouse has been preserved, which, carefully restored, documents life in the Sicilian countryside in modern times. Inside, therefore, modern mills coexist with the few Roman remains that survived the fire.
 
Mosaics on the north side of the portico.  The “Hunting Mosaic” in the Villa del Tellaro (detail). 

Agriturismo (Farm Holidays).
A few meters from the villa is a private farmhouse, sheltered by a roof, where it is possible to stop for a snack.

In addition to a bar and picnic area the owners have, by appointment, workshops for schools (in Italian):  "Experimental Archaeology" (simulation of an archaeological excavation), "From milk to cheese," "From wheat to bread" and "From grape to wine” (artisanal preparation of cheese, bread, and wine).
The same family also offers excursions in a 4x4 car of the Noto Valley, and the services of area nature guides.

For information and reservations: (++39) 338 9733084 (Sebastiano) - email: info@villaromanadeltellaro.com.

How to reach the Villa del Tellaro the Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel.
The Villa del Tellaro is located in the countryside of Noto, in Contrada Vaddeddi, 32 kilometers / 20 miles from Syracuse along a paved road.

The route between Syracuse and Noto can be traveled by car or train.

• By car, take motorway A18 Messina-Catania-Siracusa and motorway A19 Palermo-Catania-Siracusa, exit at junction “Bivio Cassibile”, and the proceed to Strada Statale 115. From here, on the Provincial Road 19 Noto-Pachino, follow the signs for "Villa del Tellaro”.

• By train, take the (free) shuttle bus #20 from Piazza Archimede close to the train station, or opt to walk to the station.  Approximately every hour an interregional train or a bus departs from Syracuse for Noto; the train journey takes about half an hour, and the bus can take up to an hour and a half.  There is a shuttle service to the villa.

The reception desk at the Hotel Algilà is available for information and schedules.
 

Visitor Information.
Given sufficient interest and the extent of the detail of the mosaics and the structures, a visit requires at least a quarter of an hour.
Entrance to the museum requires a ticket; 6 euro (single) or € 3 (reduced). The opening hours are from 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. daily. For information, please call (++39) 0931 573883.

The building is on one floor and is easily accessible from the road.

One visits the mosaics using a series of perforated metal walkways, which require caution for to those who walk with the aid of a cane.

The visit of the Villa can be productively combined with a visit to the city of Noto (requiring a half day) and an excursion to the Nature Reserve of Vendicari.

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