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For all the noise, chaos and scruffiness that hit the visitor at first glance, Catania has a strong magnetic pull. This is Sicily at its most youthful, a city packed with cool and gritty bars, abundant energy and an earthy spirit in sharp contrast to Palermo’s aristocratic airs.
Discover the best attractions in Catania including Teatro Massimo Bellini, La Pescheria, and Monastero delle Benedettine.
A Unesco World Heritage Site, Catania's central piazza is a set piece of contrasting lava and limestone, surrounded by buildings in the unique local baroque style and crowned by the grand Cattedrale di Sant'Agata.
Via Etnea runs straight from Piazza del Duomo up to the foothills below Etna. Lined with stores, bars and pavement cafes, it's busy at most times but heaves on Saturday afternoons, when shoppers pile in from the suburbs to strut, schmooze and update their wardrobes.
Mar 11, 2024 · Catania’s striking architecture reads like a potted history of Sicily: many of its distinctive, black-and-white palazzi (mansions) and churches are built from the very volcanic rock that Etna rained down on Catania in 1669.
Mar 1, 2024 · The most efficient way to plan a tour through Sicily is to fly into Palermo and leave from Catania, or vice versa. Palermo and Catania are the island’s two largest cities and are located at opposite ends of the island.
Taking centre stage on Catania's showpiece Piazze del Duomo is the city's most memorable monument, the smiling Fontana dell'Elefante (Fountain of the Elephant; 1736). Made of lava stone and dating from the Roman period, the comical statue is of an adorable elephant, known locally as Liotru and the symbol of the city.
Europe. Check out this year's Best in Travel winners. If your Mediterranean fantasies feature balmy days by sapphire waters in the shade of ancient walled towns, Croatia is the place to turn them into reality. Best Time to Visit. Best Places to Visit. Attractions.
Oct 4, 2024 · The mainstream tourist crowd favors Etna Sud. Hikes up the busier southern slopes start from Piazzale Rifugio Sapienza (1910m/6626ft), a sprawling square named after its eponymous refuge (restaurant and rooms), with a chaotic jumble of souvenir huts, sports shops and fast-food joints.
Nov 16, 2023 · Start by investigating Catania's grandiose historic center and brilliant fish market. After a seafood lunch, hit the road and make for Syracuse where you can trawl through ancient Greco-Roman ruins at the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis and stroll elegant baroque streets in the Ortygia district.