The best time to visit Noto is April to early June or September to October. The weather is warm (20–28°C), the crowds are manageable, and the light on the Baroque facades is excellent. Late May is particularly good: the Infiorata festival (usually the third Sunday in May) fills Via Nicolaci with flower-petal pictures — a genuinely impressive spectacle that is worth timing a visit around.
July and August are hot, crowded, and expensive. The Corso becomes a tour-group corridor by 10am, and the heat bouncing off the limestone is fierce. If you must visit in summer, arrive at dawn and leave before noon. December to March is quiet, prices drop significantly, and the winter light has a clarity that photographers prefer — but some smaller restaurants and guesthouses close for the season.