Catania Travel Guide

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It’s hard not to like Catania. It keeps getting destroyed by earthquakes and merciless hot lava flows and suffocating ash from nearby volcano Mt. Etna (most recently in 1693), but the Catanesi keep coming back and rebuilding, sort of like ants. Also, the symbol of the city is an elephant with huge testicles carved out of lava stone.

Catania is the second-largest city in Sicily, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is famous abroad as the hometown of Vincenzo Bellini, composer of Bel Canto opera. Catania is a popular stop on any backpacker’s tour of Sicily, mostly due to its proximity to Mt. Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, which most recently had a major eruption in 2003, forming new craters near Etna’s summit.

Architecturally, Catania is home to several Roman ruins, most notably the 3^rd century AD Odeon, which is remarkably preserved. Catania also features many examples of Baroque architecture, of which the Duomo (Cathedral) is the prime example.

Catania is also home to a little museum with a big name: the Museo Storico dello Sbarco Alleato in Sicilia—Estate 1943 (“Historical Museum of the Allied Landing in Sicily—Summer 1943") which opened recently and focuses on the commonly-overlooked Allied bombing and invasion of Sicily, including the mafia’s role in defeating the fascists.

If possible, plan your visit for the spring or fall; Catania in the summer is oppressively hot, and all the students from the local university have smartly fled the heat, putting quite a damper on the local nightlife.

Worth a visit in the Volcano Etna. This the 2° most active volcano of the World and the tallest of Europe. Generally tourists visit its southern slopes.

The Main Etna excursions start from Rifugio Sapienza in Nicolosi (15 minutes from Catania city center). Here it's possible to visit the summit craters and during the eruptions it's possible to admire the lava flows and fountain. For trekking lovers are also available trekking tours in the northern slope (Piano Provenzana - Linguaglossa) in the forests and ancient eruptions scenario.

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