Catania Travelers Recommend

The port city of Catania is the second largest municipality on Sicily and an excellent place to explore the island’s history and culture. Enjoy the local architecture and bustling food markets, then enjoy a helicopter trip over Mount Etna and a cruise along the coast. Here are a few ways to spend 3 days in Catania. 

Day 1: Flavors of Catania

Begin your trip by diving into local culture with a food-focused tour. A street food-focused tour will include stops at markets, bakeries, and street food stalls. If you want a more hands-on experience, opt for a tour and cooking class combo that takes you to a fish market to shop for local ingredients, then teaches you how to make traditional Sicilian dishes. Once the cooking is done, feast on the dishes you’ve prepared in a multi-course meal that includes local wines. 

In the afternoon, take a guided trip of the city to get your bearings. Learn about local architecture and history as you cruise through Catania quickly on a Segway tour. Stops include top landmarks such as the 13th-century Ursino Castle, the Piazza Duomo, and the gardens of Villa Bellini. 

Day 2: Mount Etna Hiking and Helicopters

Discover Sicily’s natural beauty with a visit to nearby Mount Etna. Several types of tours are available: Choose a wine-focused tour to visit vineyards at the base of the volcano, learn about Sicilian winemaking methods, and taste several varieties. Alternatively, you can head out on a sightseeing tour that includes a stop at the nearby town Taormina, which boasts a stunning ancient Greek theater. You can also get a bird’s eye view of Mount Etna with a helicopter ride. Adventurous travelers may want to opt for tours that include exploring the volcano’s ancient lava tunnels or a canyoneering trip to the Alcantara Gorges. Complete your visit to Mount Etna with a relaxing wine tasting or an early evening hike along lava fields to watch the sunset.

Day 3: Day Trips by Land and Sea

On your last day, head out on a day trip to see more of Sicily. As a port, Catania is the base for a variety of boat tours. Take a sailing tour, and learn basic sailing skills, then go swimming and snorkeling while you cruise along the coastline. Or spend a day on a sightseeing cruise. Some boat tours have an adventure focus and offer scuba diving and fishing. 

Alternatively, spend the day visiting Sicily’s charming small towns, such as the historic towns of Syracuse, Ortigia, and Noto. Move buffs can choose a tour that goes to locations where the Godfather movies were filmed. Most trips (regardless of the focus) include free time to allow you to explore the towns’ charming squares and back streets. In the evening, return to Catania for a lesson in the art of the Italian aperitivo and a last night enjoying the city’s nightlife.

Explore the beauty of Sicily’s eastern coast from the port city of Catania. With two days you can visit the city’s historic center, wander through traditional markets, and go sailing along the coastline. Here are our top picks for how to spend 48 hours in Catania. 

Day 1: Welcome to Catania and Cooking Classes

**Morning:**Maximize your time in Catania with an introductory tour. Join a guide for a Segway tour and cover ground quickly throughout the city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn about popular landmarks including Castle Ursino and Cathedral Square (Piazza Duomo), and see the Fountain of the Elephant, Villa Bellini park, and Via Etnea, the historic center’s main shopping street. 

**Afternoon:**Learn the secrets behind Sicilian cooking with a hands-on class. Some classes begin in the fish market to source ingredients, while others get started in the kitchen. Make a variety of classic Sicilian dishes such as arancini, and eat what you prepare after the class. 

**Night:**Visit a farm outside Catania, where you can try local delicacies including cured meats and cheeses, sample several different kinds of Sicilian wine, and learn about local winemaking methods. Alternatively, check out a winery at the foot of Mount Etna for a guided tasting. 

Day 2: Sailing and Sunset at Mount Etna

**Morning:**Kick off the day with a walking tour focused on the gastronomy of Sicily. Join a food-loving guide for a stroll to taste your way through the city’s markets, bakeries, and street-food stalls, and get tips on where to eat and drink during the rest of your visit. 

**Afternoon:**This afternoon, climb aboard a boat for a scenic trip along the Sicilian coastline; virtually all tours include time for swimming and fishing. Some include the chance to learn basic sailing skills, while others are focused on scuba diving and snorkeling. 

**Night:**Spend your final evening discovering the beauty of nearby Mount Etna. Choose a sunset tour that includes a trek to see a crater and lava flows or a scenic helicopter tour that includes many different views of the volcano and nearby coastline. 

Tucked away on the eastern shores of Sicily with beautiful views over the Ionian Sea, coastal Catania ranks alongside neighboring Palermo as one of the largest cities in Italy. Here are your options for a little retail therapy among the traditional street markets in Catania.

Piazza Carlo Alberto (Carlo Alberto Square) Market

The outdoor markets in Piazza Carlo Alberto are a very traditional affair, with everything from household items and clothing to jewelry for sale—but explorers who delve a little deeper into the heart of the market are richly rewarded! Locals browse stalls of fresh produce for antipasti ingredients like fruit and vegetables, with cheeses, nuts, and other treats to complete the picture. If your Italian language skills are sharp, feel free to haggle away!

La Pescheria (The Fish Market)

Tucked away within easy reach of UNESCO World Heritage–listed Piazza Duomo (Duomo Square), Catania’s fresh fish market comes alive in the mornings, with busy buyers and traders jostling for a deal. With cheeses, olives, and tasty oils also available, it’s a foodie’s haven. 

The port city of Catania is a popular gateway to the many pleasures of Sicily, but within the city itself is much to see and do, from its historic core—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—to bustling markets. Here’s how to get the most out of 24 hours in Catania. 

Morning: Sicily by Segway or Helicopter

Get your bearings in Catania with an introductory tour. On a guided Segway tour, you’ll cover the UNESCO-listed historic core quickly and learn about Catania’s history at city landmarks such as the 13th-century Castle Ursino and Cathedral Square (Piazza Duomo). For an alternative view of this region of Sicily, start your day with a scenic helicopter tour. Fly above the crater of Mount Etna and see the surrounding lava fields, taking in views of vineyards, citrus groves, and the coastline from the air. 

Afternoon: Street Food or Sailing

This afternoon, taste the local flavors of Catania with a gastronomic tour focused on street food. Explore the city on foot with a guide who leads the way to bakeries, bars, and street-food stalls. Learn about what makes Sicilian cuisine unique as you snack your way through the city. Alternatively, get to know the coastline of Sicily with a sailing tour from Catania. During the tour you’ll learn sailing basics, cool off in the water with swimming and snorkeling, and try your hand at fishing. Tours often include stops along the coastline at charming villages such as Aci Trezza.

Night: Local Wine and a Cooking Class

Sample Sicilian wines with a visit to a winery at the foot of Mount Etna. Tastings often include multiple wines and the chance to learn about local winemaking methods. Then learn about local culinary traditions with a hands-on cooking class. Some tours begin with a visit to the local fish market and include the preparation of a multicourse meal with classic Sicilian dishes such as arancini. After the class, sit down to feast on everything you cooked. Private cooking classes can be customized according to your interests and adjusted depending on individual dietary restrictions. 

Baroque architecture flourished on Sicily following the massive earthquake of 1693, when authorities began rebuilding the island. With traditional baroque curves and flourishes, the buildings stand out for their flair and artistry. Here are a few key baroque-style landmarks to look out for in UNESCO World Heritage–listed Catania.

Piazza del Duomo

The three palaces situated around the Piazza del Duomo (Duomo Square) include the Bishop’s Palace and the Seminario—and combined they boast some of the most impressive baroque buildings in Italy. Skilled architect Alonzo di Benedetto worked alongside fellow local architects, and the divisions between their working styles are seamless.

Basilica della Collegiata

The 18th-century Basilica della Collegiata is one of the religious sites reconstructed following the earthquake in 1693. With ornate curvature and intricate facade, it’s widely considered among Catania’s top attractions.

Town Hall

Built in 1741, Catania’s grand town hall takes pride of place on the Piazza del Duomo. The key feature here is the Fountain of the Elephant—intricately carved from Mt. Etna’s black lava in the baroque style.

Teatro Massimo Bellini

The Teatro Massimo Bellini (Massimo Bellini Theater) is an opera house named after local 19th-century composer Vincenzo Bellini. The building was almost 200 years in the making, and the final product features the ornate, stuccoed design for which the distinctive Sicilian baroque style is known.

Catania Cathedral

Dedicated to Saint Agatha, Catania Cathedral has fallen to earthquakes and been rebuilt many times over the centuries. The current construction shows bold baroque design with strong Roman and Spanish influence, and dates back to the rebuilding of Catania following the 1693 earthquake.

Stretching north of Catania, beneath the mighty peak of Mt. Etna, Sicily’s Cyclops Riviera (Riviera dei Ciclopi) is known for its dramatic black basalt rocks and mythological connection with Odysseus (Ulysses) and Polyphemus, the giant son of Poseidon. Here are some top reasons to tour the Cyclops Riviera from Catania.

Highlights

• Set sail along the Cyclops Riviera and spot landmarks such as Ulysses’ Grotte, the Castle of Aci Castello, and the Faraglioni (sea cliffs) of Acitrezza. 

• Dive into another world as you swim and snorkel in the Mediterranean Sea. 

• Spot marine life such as octopus, red starfish, and dolphins as you cruise around the Natural Reserve of Cyclops.

• Tuck into traditional Sicilian specialties such as delicious cannoli pastries or refreshing granita.

• Head ashore to explore the charming fishing villages of Aci Trezza and Acireale.