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The city has a history dating back 2700 years, dominated by several different cultures (Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, etc.) and was a rich commercial center, mainly due to its port. Again, since the '70s, the city economy is growing... Read more
The city has a history dating back 2700 years, dominated by several different cultures (Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, etc.) and was a rich commercial center, mainly due to its port. Again, since the '70s, the city economy is growing as the urban area and the suburbs, making Catania a large metropolitan center, mainly between the volcano and the sea. Today, even if you can find there most of the biggest commercial centers in Europe (especially Etnapolis), the old 17th century downtown area is still the center of the day-to-day life.
Catania is situated under the most major currently active volcano in Europe and has been destroyed many times in the past. As a result, Catania is a city where you can find a great variety of landscape and architecture, a lot of dirty buildings and also a lot of abandoned houses, especially in the mountains. However, since the city is a World Heritage Site, a lot of renovations have been made.
Today, you will feel in Catania a mix of nostalgia and "joie de vivre", especially at night or during festivals.
The major feature of this city is its architecture, which is predominantly baroque. The major characteristic of Baroque architectural is its theatricality. This style dominated Europe in the 17th century as a result of the reformation/counter-reformation where the statement given was one of grandeur. The preceding style was Renaissance, while the succeeding was Neoclassicism. The three major features are a near-excessive amount of detail (statues, lots of gold, columns, and pilasters, garlands and wreaths, etc.), façades which are taller than the nave (to fool the viewer of the size) and frescoes often featuring trompe-l'œil. Baroque from Catania has several unique features such as the use of dark lava stone (basalt), the Bell in the façade itself and grotesque masks and putti.
Visit museums:
Catania is proud of its specialties. A famous specialty is pasta alla Norma which consists in pasta (generally macaroni) dressed with tomato sauce and topped with fried eggplant slices, grated ricotta salad, and fresh basil. The fish is also good, as Catania is a large port. The city is also known for horse meat, especially in some areas around the "Benedictine Monastery".
Typical Catanese pastry include the world-wide famous cannolo alla Ricotta, cassatella di Sant'Agata (a small cassata) and pasta di Mandorla" (based on almond meal).
Like in most of Sicily, you can get a freshly made cold panini in a salumeria, where you choose whatever you want to put in (prosciutto cotto/crudo and cheese are probably the most popular ones). Don’t forget that most of salumerias are closed between 1-4 PM and on Sunday afternoon.
You can also have some tavola calda (“hot bite”) meal, most of them made with cheese and meat, fried or baked.
Another Sicilian specialty is arancino, which are deep fried rice balls with various fillings, meat or eggplant or spinach. They make a good lunch snack.
Also, especially in the evening, some big kiosks sell hot, tasty and fat panini, some even even horse meat filling. Most people add fries into the sandwich. They are very popular among teenagers. Because it's quite cheap, there is normally confusion at these kiosks.
In summer, a typical breakfast consists of "Granita" (a kind of sorbet of almond or black mulberry) served with a brioscia (sweet round small loaf): it is a nourishing and refreshing combination that can be found in almost any bar of the city.
In the proximity of Ursino Castle, there is a good selection of restaurants. Good food quality and decent prices. Among the others are:
Also:
You'd find all kinds of kiosks in the city which sell various refreshments, such as coffee, lemoncello or popular local drinks such as seltz al limone (soda water with fresh-squeezed lemon juice) or mandarino al limone (soda water with tangerine syrup and fresh-squeezed lemon juice).
The Addiopizzo Catania is a movement of shopkeepers who refuse to pay the racket to the Mafia. Catania's consumers sustain them by going shopping in their stores.
Every morning, except Sundays, two fascinating markets are held:
Be careful not to look conspicuously touristy, exposing jewelry, large bags or photo gear that might entice fast pickpockets or robbers. They are abundant all around the city and they recognize immediately anyone who is not from around here.
Also, there will be A LOT of people that WILL stop you and aggressively ask you for money.
As in any other city avoid the station area.
San Cristoforo is the most dangerous neighborhood in Catania and is located near the city center, at the end of Via Plebiscito. Do not wander the streets alone. Another dangerous neighborhood is Librino, but of no interest for a tourist.
Sicilian used to be the common language here for centuries, as the Sicilian culture is isolated on an island. Even in Catania, you will notice Italian and Sicilian (as Palermo, Catania has its own dialect) in some neighborhoods, especially in inner areas, while most people speak mainly Italian in the city center.
English is understood in tourist places.
LOCAL TIME
3:10 am
May 29, 2022
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LOCAL CURRENCY
EUR
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The port of Catania was probably the most enjoyable stop during our cruise. The weather was excellent, our ship was moored right next to the center, and there were less tourists in the city than in many other Italian cities! Catania city is not small, it’s the second largest city... |
The
"MSC Splendida"
arrived on the Southern side of the Italian coast. This tour was dedicated to the exploration of Sicily, the volcanic slopes of Etna, the Strait of Messina and the
volcano of Stromboli,
which sticks out of the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.... |