What to see in Catania
Catania preserves many important examples of baroque architecture, reason why it was inserted in the UNESCO World Heritage list of Val di Noto in 2002. The particular features of the baroque in Catania can be found in the use of the black lava stone. Walking through its streets you can notice dozens of buildings and churches with black and white facades. The spectacular streets of the old town, which have been restored after the earthquake of 1693, wind through straight lines and flow into the main street of Catania: via Etnea. Full of dress shops and boutiques, this long shopping street leads to the Giardino Bellini, a park rich in tree-lined avenues and fountains, which is the green lung of the city. Into those gardens there are playgrounds for children, you can have long walks far from the city chaos or you can just chill on a bench. Sometimes you can also attend concerts and events.
One of the stops not to be missed is Piazza Duomo with its beautiful baroque cathedral and the Fontana dell’Elefante, which stands out in the centre of the square and is considered the symbol of Catania. The name of the fountain derives indeed from an elephant statue made in basalt on whose back a small obelisk rises. The cathedral of Sant’Agata has been destroyed and rebuilt many times during centuries, until acquiring its actual baroque aspect, dating back to the works done after the earthquake of 1693.
Via Crociferi is one of the most beautiful historic streets of Catania, where many baroque buildings and churches overlook. Among these, the church of San Giuliano and the Collegio dei Gesuiti are worth a visit.
Another important symbol of the city is the Ursino Castle, a fortress dating back to the XIII century wanted by Frederick II. It was royal residence and then seat of the parliament during the Sicilian Vespers. Nowadays it hosts the Museo Civico from 1934.
Catania hides several ancient treasures, such as the ruins of the Roman amphitheater of 300 B.C. It is located in Piazza Stesicoro in an open-air archaeological excavation. A second Greek-Roman theater rises between Via Teatro Greco and via Vittorio Emanuele.
Here is a list of the main monuments to see in Catania:
- Cathedral of Sant’Agata
- Piazza del Duomo
- Ursino Castle
- Teatro Massimo Vincenzo Bellini
- Church of San Benedetto
- Basilica Maria Santissima dell'Elemosina
- Palazzo degli Elefanti
- Fontana dell’Elefante
- Monastero di San Nicolò l’Arena
- Roman Amphitheater
- Giardini Bellini
- Botanical Garden
- Fontana dell’Amenano
- Via dei Crociferi
- Museo Civico Belliniano
- Piazza Università
- Museo Emilio Greco
- Museo Arte Contemporanea Siciliana
- Museo diocesano
- Porta Uzeda
- Church of San Francesco d’Assisi
- Church of San Giuliano
- Terme dell’Indirizzo
- Museo dello Sbarco
- Palazzo del Toscano
- Museo di zoologia
- Terme della Rotonda
- Palazzo Manganelli
- Roman Theater
Museums
Catania is a big city and has many museums. We recommend you some not to miss. One of the most important is the Museo Civico del Castello Ursino, which was originally a fortress wanted by Frederick II. Today the museum hosts an archaeological gallery and an art gallery.
The Casa Museo di Giovanni Verga is another museum that is worth a visit. It is inside an ancient XVIII-century building that was Giovanni Verga’s home and preserves still its original characteristics.
For art lovers we recommend the Palazzo della Cultura hosting important expositions, events and concerts. This palace was obtained from the ruins of the former Monastero di San Placido, destroyed by the earthquake of 1936, and from those of Palazzo Platamone.
In the end, you may visit the Museo Civico Belliniano dedicated to the musician Vincenzo Bellini. It includes Bellini’s former apartment.
Things to see nearby
In 1693 a disastrous earthquake destroyed the towns of southeastern Sicily, but at the same time it marked their rebirth with a brand new aspect. Buildings, churches and main streets were rebuilt in baroque style and acquired an aspect rich in grotesque forms, faces and symbolic representations that give the idea of being in a majestic and vivacious stage made of spectacular perspectives, terraces, domes, balconies and staircases. Not only Catania, but also Acireale and Militello in Val di Catania are some of the main examples of baroque towns in this area. These two towns, together with Catania, are part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Val di Noto. However, in the province of Catania the baroque architecture developed some particular features, such as the combination of black and white in the decoration of facades, which is due to the use of black lava stone and white stone from Comiso.
The area of Catania is rich in typical Sicilian landscapes, such as the wide fields of citrus groves, from where the famous Sicilian oranges and lemons come from. Moreover, among the main natural beauties of this area, we can find the Gole dell’Alcantara, a series of canyon where the flow of a river has created unique ways and rocky formations.
If you go on holiday to Catania, you can’t miss one of its best attractions: the park of Mount Etna. The slopes of the volcano are rich in woods and are perfect for relaxing walks into nature. Hiking lovers, instead, can venture out to discover the craters and the lava deserts at the highest altitudes. If you would like to go on an excursion to Mount Etna you can look for an expert guide or an agency.
Visit also the ancient villages rising on the slopes of Etna, such as Bronte, famous for the production of pistachio, Zafferana Etnea and Trecastagni. Don’t forget to taste the typical specialties of this area.
From Catania, you can easily reach Taormina for a one-day trip. It is one of the most popular and wonderful towns in all Sicily and is only 50 km from Catania.
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