Photo: Dariolp83 · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Catania
A lava-stone baroque city under Etna, with a roaring fish market.
A black-and-white baroque city built from Etna's lava, rebuilt after an earthquake in 1693, with a roaring fish market, Roman ruins under the streets and the volcano smoking above. Cheap, loud and the gateway to Etna.
Places to see
- Piazza del Duomo and the Elephant FountainSight · The baroque main square, with a smiling elephant carved from black lava carrying an…Free
Catania CathedralChurch · The cathedral of Saint Agatha, with a white marble baroque front over older Norman apses…Free
Fontana dell'Amenano and the fish marketMarket · A fountain whose water falls like a sheet, beside the steps down into the Pescheria, a…Free
When to go
- Jan16° / 8°Often wetQuiet
- Feb16° / 8°Often wetVery busy
- Mar18° / 9°Some rainQuiet
- Apr21° / 11°Some rainBusy
- May25° / 15°Mostly dryBusy
- Jun30° / 19°Mostly dryBusy
- Jul33° / 22°Mostly dryBusy
- Aug33° / 22°Mostly dryBusy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Piazza Duomo and Via Crociferi. Black lava-stone baroque around the elephant fountain, the fish market and the theatres; the easy base.
Via Etnea. The long main street north to the Bellini garden, with good-value rooms.
Flying in
Catania Fontanarossa (CTA): Alibus to the centre and the station, about 25 min, ≈ A$7.
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Catania; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
Mostly on foot. A single ticket is ≈ A$2. The centre is walkable. The metro and buses cost about €1.20 (check); the Circumetnea train and buses go up toward Etna.
Tourist tax
Catania's city tax: usually about €1.50–2 a person a night in hostels and B&Bs, more in hotels, for the first nights; under-14s don't pay. Paid at check-in (check).
Day trips
Taormina, about 1 h by bus or train. A hill town over the sea with a Greek theatre.
