Index: Description / Attractions / Museums / Natural resources / Typical Products / Festivities and Events / Catania Tourism / Catania Hotels /Services: (flights, car rent, map, weather, f.a.q.) / Useful resources

Description Catania is a great place to pass your holidays. This magnificent and ancient city is extended between the Ionian sea and the Mount Etna. Seems that the ancient name of the city was "katane". The city was founded in the 729 a.C by the calcidesi citizens from Naxos. The city during its history saw other dominations like that one of Syracuse, that one of Rome, the muslim occupation, the conquest by the Normans, etc...

In XIII the century with the advent of the Aragonese was founded the Siculorum Gymnasium, the first prestigious Sicilian university. During the '600 Catania was destroyed by the great eruption of 1669 and the catastrophic earthquake of 1693. The reconstruction saw the birth of a wonderful historical center in baroque style.

• Attractions: Via Etnea (Etnean street) This street can be considered the historical nucleus of the city center. During its length you can admire the splendid baroque palaces characterizes by the presence of the typical black lava rock.

• The Dome and Fountain of the Elephant Placed in the center of the public Dome square, there is a fountain with an Elephant in lava rock, planned by the architect Gian Batiste Vaccarini. The elephant is symbol of the city and the population call it commonly “u liotru”. Above the elephant there is and ancient Egyptian obelisco belonged to the roman circus of Catania.

• The Cathedral The Cathedral was constructed between 1078 and the 1093 by the count Ruggero. Initially was built as a church, later used like a fortress with two powerful towers. About the original system remain only the absidale part and the transects. The cupola and the facade were built up in the XVIII sec. and the bell tower raised in the successive century. Its inside is subdivided in three parts. In the first part of the city there are the paintings of Sant'Antonio Abbot by Guglielmo Borremans and the Martyrdom of Sant'Agata by Filippo Champions.

• Castello Ursino (Ursino Castle) The Ursino castle was constructed for Federico II di Svevia between 1230 and 1250. Its origin come from the Orsini family, which were received in the castle when they were expelled from Rome for its Ghibelline ideas. The eruption of the Etna of 1669 changed the topography of the castle. In fact, before this, the castle was located on rock cape that dominated the sea, after the eruption, it was completely reached by the lava flows. Today, the castle accommodates the Civic Museum. Here are placed 8043 pieces between archaeological reperts, epigraph, coins, sculptures, paintings, sarcophagi, and Greeks - Roman mosaics.

• Timetables: from monday to  saturday h 9,00-13,00
• Closed Sunday
• Cost: Free

• The “fish market” and “A fera o luni” These are the most known markets of Sicily. Both are situate in the historical center of the city. They make part of the culture and folklore of the citizens of Catania. It's easy to remain hit by the game of colors and sounds. There is no risk to being astonished if the vendors to draw your attention, call to you with an high tone of voice.

• The Museum Giovanni Verga It is the house in which the famous Sicilian writer Giovanni Verga born and died. It's a palace of XIX the century and it is made up of various atmospheres: the drawing-room, the library and the bedroom. Very interesting is the library, which conserve 2500 volumes belonged to the writer of the "Malavoglia".

• Timetables of opening:
• From the tuesday to friday h 9,00-14,00/h 15,00-19,00;15,00
  
• Wednesdays h 9,00-14,00 - 17, 30;
• saturday h 9,00-14,00;
• Sunday 9,00-13,00;
• closed monday.
• Rates: € 3,00 (from 18 to  25 years); € 2,00 (from 25 to 65 years).

• Museum of the Sea The Museum of the Sea collects tools and nautical instruments donate by the fishermen. You can find vary types of fishing net, “fusi” used to hoist the net on the boat, vary containers that served to transport the fish captured. There are other things like amphoras for the wine transfers from the greek-roman age.

• Timetables: only opened on reservation. Tel. 3339713831
• Closed the monday
• Rates: € 1,00

• Paleontological museum The fossil museum accommodates varies Sicilian vegetables, earthlings and navy from the age of Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Miocene and the Pleistocene.

• Timetables of opening: on reservation. Tel: 095/7195767
• Free

• Diocesans museum The Diocesan Museum is closely to the historical, cultural and religious vicissitudes of our territory. There are nine rooms that represent several thematic like Sant' Agate and her ancient treasures of the Cathedral.

• Timetables (October-May):
  
• From tuesday to saturday, h 9,00-12,30/16-19,30,
• monday and Sunday on reservation.
• Rates: € 4,20: entire €2,50: reduced for groups of students, persons with more than 60 years)

• Natural resources The Flat of Catania is the most extensive and important farm plain the Sicily. It has been formed by the alluvial of the Dittaino river and the Simeto river. The Etna has rendered its terrain very good for farm productions cause its volcanic activity.

• Typical Products The most important products of Catania are the Pasta to the Norm, with sauce of tomato, fried eggplants, salata annealed basil; u muccu, frittata of baby fishes; the Sardinians to beccafico. The most important products are the arancini, balls of rice, the salad crispelle full of anchovies. Between cakies are known the cannoli with the annealed, pastes of almond, torroni and torroncini.    

• Festivities and events The festivity of Sant' Agate, 5 February There are 3 days to develop the festivity of the Saint of the city: the 3, the 4 and 5 February. The most important ones are the 4 and 5 of February where the saint goes around the city center.

Useful resources: Pictures of Catania / Catania Travel / Video of Catania / Budget accommodations in Catania / How to book an Hotel in Catania / Vacations in Catania / Reservations in Catania / Best hotels in Catania / Cheap travel in Catania / Catania travel guide /