Nods on Catania City
Catania is an Italian municipality of about 300,000 inhabitants, the capital of the Metropolitan City of Catania in Sicily.
The city of Catania is located in the southeast of Sicily, on the coast washed by the Ionian Sea, less than 20 minutes by car from Europe’s highest active volcano, His Majesty “Etna.”
Catania was founded in 729 BC by the Greeks and conquered by the Romans in 263 AD.
Remains of the prosperity of Greek and Roman rule include the theatre, the amphitheater, and the baths, while the churches and the castle bear witness to the passage of Arabs, Normans, Swabians, and Aragonese. The Ursino Castle, built by Emperor Frederick II of Swabia in the 13th century, is now home to the Civic Museum.
Catania was destroyed in 1693 by a violent earthquake and immediately rebuilt according to a plan by G. Lanza, Duke of Camastra, carried out by the Sicilian architect G. B. Vaccarini, a disciple of Bernini of Rome.
Vaccarini’s style is still recognizable today in the Baroque of the historic center, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Catania hosts the largest Catholic festival in Sicily and the third largest in the world, the Feast of Saint Agatha, a deeply felt celebration throughout the community.
Catania’s coasts reflect the city’s black-and-white architecture: to the south lies La Playa, with kilometers of golden sand, and to the north, the black lava cliffs culminating in the mythical Riviera dei Ciclopi and the sea stacks of Aci Trezza.
The flavors, aromas, fruits, and typical dishes of Catania’s culinary tradition are incomparable—don’t miss a visit to the wonderful fish market or to the Fiera in Piazza Carlo Alberto.
From Catania by car
Catania is the main city on the east coast of Sicily. Full of history and culture, you can move through its districts by car to visit squares and museums comfortably. Don’t forget to explore the surroundings: Aci Trezza, Aci Castello, an excursion to Mount Etna, Caltagirone, and all the most beautiful destinations in this part of Sicily.
If your trip lasts long enough to venture further, don’t miss gems like Taormina, Noto, the national parks of eastern Sicily—or even reach Palermo via the highway connection for a grand tour of Sicily.
