5 Things to do in Catania

Just 24 hours in Catania

 We recently had a short stay in Catania. With just a short time in Sicily's second largest city here are some tips on things to do.

1. Visit the Cathedral Square (Piazza Duomo).  Here you can see the statue of a basalt elephant on the top of a high pillar and fountain.  The elephant is the symbol of the city.  

Elephant fountain in the Piazza Duomo

Facing the elephant is the Duomo itself, a Baroque cathedral dedicated to Saint Agatha.  The famous composer, Vincenzo Bellini is buried here.

The Duomo, Catania

2. To the side of the Duomo is another church, the church of Saint Agatha, which has a dome you can visit for wonderful views over Catania and Mount Etna.  Try going up there at sunset, the views are superb.

The dome of Saint Agatha's church

Sunset from the dome of Saint Agatha's church

3. There is good shopping to be done on the Via Etnea, one of the main streets in the city. But if shopping is not your thing how about heading to the Villa Bellini, the biggest and most beautiful park in Catania.  Here you get great views north to Mount Etna.

Fountain in the Villa Bellini park

Bandstand in the Bellini gardens

4. While on the subject of gardens there is also the small but perfectly formed Botanical Gardens just further north from Villa Bellini.  There is no entry fee and it has an amazing collection of cacti to see among lots of other specimens.

Botanical Gardens, Catania

Hairy cactus

5. To see a real slice of the hustle and bustle of Catania's life head down to the fish market (La Pescheria) just below the cathedral. It is open on weekday mornings from 7am to 2pm.  The fish catches are tipped out onto the stalls then beautifully arranged in curves and swirls, with a few swordfish heads pointing their swords skywards.  There is also a fruit and vegetable market along the nearby streets.  It is a hive of activity and well worth seeing.

Fish Market, Catania

Catania, La Pescheria

If you are staying overnight a great traditional restaurant to eat at is the Ristorante Royal Ceres on Via S. Giuseppe near the Piazza Duomo. We had a lovely meal there.