Catania waited a long time for tourists. Palermo was always the first choice, Taormina the postcard star. But Catania – Sicily’s second-largest city – is slowly making its case as perhaps the most honest of the three. On every visit we flew into Catania and took our trips from there. Partly, no doubt, because of the direct connection from Prague [read more about cheap flights to Sicily]. Let’s go through what to see in Catania so you don’t miss a thing!
🎒 A backpack of information for those short on time
- The city’s symbol is the Fontana dell’Elefante – an elephant carved from black lava on Piazza del Duomo
- A compulsory morning stop is the La Pescheria fish market – get there before 11:00 or the show is over.
- Catania is the best base for a trip to Etna (45 min by car)
- The airport is only 5 km from the centre, the closest of any Sicilian airport. And the transfer into town is very cheap.
- 1-2 days is enough for the city. The surroundings (Etna, Taormina, Syracuse) then take further days.
A city built from Etna’s black lava, destroyed by the earthquake of 1693 and rebuilt into a baroque gem. Streets where you can still spot bullet marks in the plaster here and there. A fish market that feels like a glimpse of another world. And Etna, always there, always smoking, on the horizon.
Getting to Catania and finding your way around
By air – Fontanarossa airport is just 5 km from the centre – the closest of all Sicilian airports. The Alibus runs straight into the centre for 4 € in 20-25 minutes. The Trenitalia train takes just 8 minutes for 2.20 €. A taxi has a fixed rate of 25 €.
📌 Heading to Sicily? Don’t waste hours hunting for places on a map. Get our packed map with 120+ spots you won’t find anywhere else — every single one with my own notes. Online and offline version. Saves to your phone in seconds. I want it!
By car – Catania is the natural starting point for a road trip around eastern Sicily. Parking in the centre works on a colour-coded line system (white = free, blue = paid, yellow = never). The larger car parks are by the station and the port.
Catania’s centre is compact and walkable. Its heart is Piazza del Duomo with the famous elephant. From there runs Via Etnea – the main boulevard, straight as an arrow, crossing the whole centre with Etna in view to the north. Everything important is within a 20-minute walk.
Where to stay in Catania
There are several options; I stayed in the centre every time, and if I went again (which I will), I wouldn’t do it differently.
The historic centre – ideal, everything within walking distance.
By the beach (Playa) – convenient for families, but you’ll need a car for the centre.
Borgo-Sanzio – a quieter district, cheaper accommodation, 15 minutes’ walk from the centre.
8 places to see in Catania
Piazza del Duomo + Fontana dell’Elefante – the city’s symbol
Piazza del Duomo is the heart of Catania and one of Sicily’s most beautiful baroque squares. In the middle stands the Fontana dell’Elefante – a statue of an elephant in black lava rock carrying an Egyptian obelisk. The elephant has been Catania’s symbol since time immemorial – representing strength and wisdom. The locals absolutely adore it.
The square is surrounded by imposing baroque buildings – the cathedral, the bishop’s palace and Palazzo degli Elefanti (today the town hall). Everything is black or white lava, which gives this part of the city a dramatic, almost cinematic character.
The Cathedral of St Agatha – the city’s patron
The Cathedral of St Agatha (Cattedrale di Sant’Agata) stands right on Piazza del Duomo. St Agatha is Catania’s patron saint and her feast is held every February – one of the largest religious festivals in Italy, with the saint’s statue carried in procession through the streets.
The cathedral combines a baroque facade with Norman foundations. Beneath it is the crypt of St Agatha – less visited but powerfully atmospheric. Entry to the cathedral is free, the crypt around 2 €.
The La Pescheria fish market – go before 11:00
La Pescheria is the morning fish market right behind the cathedral, hidden below Piazza del Duomo. It’s one of the most authentic things you’ll experience in Catania.
Stallholders shout, fish lie on ice in colours that look painted, the smell of the sea hangs in the air and the whole atmosphere is completely un-Photoshopped. Swordfish blades, tuna the size of a person, octopus, prawns, unfamiliar species.
Go before 11:00 – after that they start packing up and the atmosphere disappears. The market is richest on Friday and Saturday.
The Benedictine monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena
One of the largest Benedictine monasteries in Europe – and one of the least visited by tourists. An 18th-century baroque complex with vast courtyards, frescoes and gardens. Today it’s part of the university.
Tours are available, but the opening hours change – we’d recommend checking the current situation. Entry around 6 €.
Castello Ursino – the lava-stone castle
Castello Ursino is a robust medieval castle of lava stone, built by Emperor Frederick II in 1239. It originally stood right by the sea – the lava flow of 1669 pushed the coastline east and today the castle stands surrounded by buildings. It definitely belongs on your list of what to see in Catania.
Inside is the Museo Civico with finds from the region – Hellenistic and Roman sculpture, medieval art. More for those interested in history. Entry around 6 €.
The Roman amphitheatre
Beneath Piazza Stesicoro hides part of a large Roman amphitheatre from the 2nd century – a capacity of up to 15,000 spectators. The exposed section is visible straight from the pavement, no ticket needed. The underground part can be seen with a ticket.
It’s a fascinating realisation: beneath a busy, living square lies an ancient amphitheatre, only partly excavated, grown into the modern city.
Via Etnea – the boulevard with a volcano view
Catania’s main artery is ideal for a walk at any time of day. It runs across the whole centre and Etna is permanently on its axis – either clearly visible or wrapped in cloud. It’s an urban oddity: a city with a volcano as its backdrop.
Along Via Etnea there are cafés, shops, gelaterias and the Villa Bellini park – an oasis of green in the middle of a lava boulevard.
📌 Heading to Sicily? Don’t waste hours hunting for places on a map. Get our packed map with 120+ spots you won’t find anywhere else — every single one with my own notes. Online and offline version. Saves to your phone in seconds. I want it!
The classic hanging laundry
Such a silly thing, and yet Zdeňa was after it the entire trip. I have to admit, though, it is lovely seeing the washing lines strung between the buildings.
Trips from Catania
Etna – Europe’s nearest volcano (45 min)
Catania is the best base for a trip to Etna. Airport, arrival in the city, accommodation – and in the morning a 45-minute drive to base camp at Rifugio Sapienza. Or a trip with transfer via GetYourGuide straight from the centre.
Taormina – the loveliest town in the east (50 min)
Taormina is 50 minutes by car, or roughly 55 minutes on the Trenitalia train. The Greek theatre, Corso Umberto, the view of Etna from the terrace – a compulsory stop for anyone in Catania. Read the full Taormina guide here.
Those in the know will remember that the famous series The White Lotus was filmed here too, which is another reason plenty of people head this way.
Syracuse – a Greek colony and the island of Ortygia (1 hour)
Syracuse is 1 hour from Catania by car or train. The (semi-)island of Ortygia in the city centre is one of Sicily’s most beautiful historic cores. Narrow lanes, the Temple of Apollo rebuilt as a cathedral, the Fountain of Arethusa. Plus the Parco Archeologico with the Greek theatre and the Ear of Dionysius.
If I can recommend one thing, definitely stop at the restaurant “” for fantastic fresh seafood. Even Zdeňa, who isn’t a seafood person, admitted it was excellent.
Noto – the most beautiful baroque town (1.5 hours)
The “honey town”, which we originally hadn’t even planned to visit but which stayed with us the whole time. Let me explain. A town in Sicilian baroque style, built from scratch after a terrifying 17th-century earthquake (magnitude 7.3 plus the tsunami that followed).
Every building literally speaks to you. Everything is old, but beautiful. Then we turned off for a coffee at a place called Picnic. Coffee, smiles, and then time to pay. Card, as usual. The owner came over with the terminal, I came over with a tip, and he replied that he had a present for us in return for our kindness. He sat down at our table and started playing old Cosa Nostra songs on the guitar, just for us. Fantastic!
For me the strongest and most authentic experience of the trip, and completely unplanned. Looking back I thought I could happily get engaged here all over again. If there’s one thing that can’t be missing from your list of what to see around Catania, it’s Noto!
One more thing in the town’s favour – every May the streets host a flower festival. The streets are laid out with ornamental patterns made of flowers. Superb!
Gole dell’Alcantara – the basalt gorge (40 min)
Over thousands of years the river Alcantara has cut through the lava layers and created a dramatic gorge with basalt columns. Stepping into the river in summer is a genuinely welcome refreshment – the water is icy cold even in July. It was great fun putting on sandals and walking upstream into the gorge. Then we let the current carry us back down to the pebble beach.
Entry is 5 €. An ideal trip if you’re coming from Taormina.
Where to swim around Catania
Playa di Catania – a long sandy beach right in the city, about 5 minutes by car from the centre. Don’t be fooled by how it looks on the map, though. We thought it was freely accessible along its whole length, but in fact almost all of it is occupied by local businesses and access is charged for in 90 % of cases. If you eat at one of the places, though, entry is free.
San Giovanni Li Cuti – a small lava beach right in Catania, popular with locals. Good for an afternoon swim with several hundred other locals.
Letojanni and Giardini Naxos – 50 minutes from Catania. Pebble beaches with views of Etna, quieter than touristy Taormina, significantly cheaper accommodation.
Where to eat in Catania
Catania has its own culinary pride. Arancino here is masculine – arancino al ragù with meat sauce – and the locals will remind you if you say arancina (that’s Palermo).
At the La Pescheria fish market you can buy fresh seafood straight from the stalls or in the restaurants around it. Granita and brioche for breakfast are first class in Catania – look for pastry shops away from the tourist square.
On Via Etnea and the surrounding streets you’ll find trattorias in every price bracket. The Borgo-Sanzio district is quieter and more local – cheaper restaurants, no queues.
I’d specifically recommend Al Vicolo Pizza&Vino in the city centre. Fantastic pizza, monstrous build-your-own salads and fantastic wine. All wrapped up in a friendly price tag. Definitely drop in.
Where to park in Catania
Do take a look at our original article on renting a car in Sicily. In it I explain how to park and, above all, how not to be afraid of parking somewhere for the first time. In Catania itself I’d recommend this hidden spot, where you’ll park with absolutely no trouble (if there’s space).
