Duomo
First-timersAround Piazza del Duomo and the fish market. Central and lively.
Catania city guide
Things To Do In Catania
A Baroque city built from black lava stone under Europe's highest active volcano, with a fish market that roars every morning and the cheapest nightlife in Sicily.
12
Hostels in the city
8.5
Average, from 9,419 reviews
~3,300 m
Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano
1669
The lava reaches the city
€6.60
Return bus to Etna
A city that keeps rebuilding under the volcano
Catania has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once. Lava from Etna reached the city walls in 1669, and an earthquake in 1693 flattened it. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style, using the dark volcanic stone that gives it its black-and-white look, and the late Baroque towns of this corner of Sicily, Catania among them, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Etna is always there, smoking over the end of Via Etnea, and it erupts regularly. It is the reason many people come, and the city is the easiest base for it.
Catania is a big, busy university city with an energy Palermo does not have: louder in the morning, livelier at night, and cheaper. Two days covers it, and Etna, Taormina and Siracusa are all day trips.
Where to stay
The historic centre is compact. Stay near the Duomo or along Via Etnea.
Via Etnea
ConvenienceThe long main street towards the volcano, with shops and cafés.
Teatro Massimo
NightlifeThe streets around the opera house, full of bars at night.
Via Crociferi
AtmosphereBaroque churches and quiet lanes near the university.
Station
TransportNear the central station and the Etna bus. Convenient, rough at night.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 8 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
How long have you got?
The routes we would take, in the order we would take them.
Things to do
Things to do in Catania
Start in Piazza del Duomo, with the lava-stone elephant fountain, the Liotru, the city's symbol, and the Cathedral of Sant'Agata. Behind it, La Pescheria, the fish market, is one of the great sights of Sicily: fishmongers shouting, swordfish heads on the counters, and ice and water everywhere. Go before noon.
Walk up Via Etnea, the long main street pointing straight at the volcano, and turn off onto Via Crociferi, a street of Baroque churches and convents.
The Monastero dei Benedettini, one of the largest monasteries in Europe, is now part of the university and open for guided tours, with its gardens built over a lava flow. The Roman theatre is half-buried among houses, and the Castello Ursino, once on the sea, was left inland by the 1669 lava flow.
The Villa Bellini, a public garden off Via Etnea, is the city's park.
Free things
Free things to do in Catania
La Pescheria is free and one of the best things in the city. So are Piazza del Duomo, Via Crociferi and Via Etnea.
The Villa Bellini gardens are free, with a view of Etna on a clear day.
The lava coast north of the centre, at Ognina and Aci Castello, is free to walk and swim from in summer.
State museums and sites are free on the first Sunday of the month.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Catania
Catania eats well and cheaply. The arancino, masculine here and pointed like the volcano, is the city's snack. Pasta alla Norma, with aubergine, tomato and ricotta salata, was named in Catania after Bellini's opera.
Horse meat is a local speciality, grilled at street stalls on Via Plebiscito in the evening. The pistachios come from Bronte, on the slopes of Etna, and turn up in everything.
Breakfast in summer is granita with a brioche. Street food costs €2 to €4, and a trattoria meal €15 to €22.
Nightlife
Going out in Catania
Catania has the cheapest and liveliest nightlife in Sicily, driven by its students. The streets around the Teatro Massimo Bellini and Via Gemmellaro fill every night, with bars spilling onto the pavement and drinks at €3 to €5.
In summer, the nightlife moves to the beaches south of the city and the lava coast to the north.
The night starts after ten and goes on late.
Getting around
Getting around Catania
The centre is walkable. City buses and a single metro line cover the rest.
The airport is close to the city. The Alibus runs to the centre and the station in about twenty minutes, for a few euros.
For Etna, one AST bus a day leaves Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII, outside the central station, at 8:15 and returns from Rifugio Sapienza at 16:30. The return ticket is €6.60. It fills up in summer, so get there early.
Buses and trains reach Taormina in about an hour and Siracusa in about an hour and a quarter. The Circumetnea railway circles the volcano through the villages on its slopes.
Costs
What Catania costs
Catania is cheap. Dorms start around €18 to €22, street food costs €2 to €4, and drinks are among the cheapest in Italy. A careful day is €45 to €60.
Etna is the big cost. The cable car from Rifugio Sapienza is around €50 return, the cable car with a 4x4 bus and guide higher up around €80, and guided summit tours more. The bus up is only €6.60 return.
Taormina and Siracusa are more expensive to stay in, which makes Catania the better base.
Safety
Staying safe in Catania
Catania is generally safe, with petty crime to watch for: pickpockets in the market and on buses, and occasional bag snatching from scooters. Keep your bag on the side away from the road.
Some neighbourhoods near the centre, including parts of San Berillo and San Cristoforo, are rough at night.
On Etna, the weather changes fast and it is cold at altitude even in summer. Above a certain height you may only go with an authorised guide, and access changes with volcanic activity. Check the current status before you go.
Emergency number is 112.
Day trips from Catania
A volcano, a Greek theatre over the sea, and the most beautiful old town in Sicily.
Mount Etna
Europe's highest active volcano. The cable car from Rifugio Sapienza goes to about 2,500 metres; above that, 4x4 buses and guides. Check the current activity before you go.
Taormina
A cliff-top town with a Greek theatre framing Etna and the sea.
Siracusa and Ortigia
The Greek city of Archimedes, with the island old town of Ortigia.
Aci Trezza and Aci Castello
Fishing villages on the lava coast, with the rocks the Cyclops threw at Odysseus.
Noto
The finest Baroque town in Sicily, in honey-coloured stone.
What's on
What is on while you are there
The festival of Sant'Agata in February is one of the largest religious festivals in the world.
18 Sep – 17 Jan
Titanic: The Immersive Exhibition
Step aboard a multimedia recreation of the RMS Titanic, where reconstructed environments and interactive installations bring the legendary ship's story to life. Housed within…
25 Sep – 2 Oct
The Puritans
Bellini's beloved opera seria returns to Catania with a new stage design that brings fresh visual life to this tale of love and political…
7 October
China Moses
China Moses brings a powerful presence to the jazz stage, blending traditional jazz and blues with modern soul and R&B influences. Her voice has…
15 October
Chico Pinheiro Quartet
Chico Pinheiro Quartet brings together the fluidity of contemporary jazz with the lyrical and rhythmic complexity of Brazilian tradition. You will experience a technically…
17–19 October
Beauty & Fitness Show
Catania hosts this three-day gathering where wellness, beauty, and sport converge under one roof. You can explore exhibitors showcasing everything from natural cosmetics and…
23 October
Catania OFF Fringe Festival
Catania OFF Fringe Festival presents a full day of diverse performances on October 23, including contemporary theater, comedy, dance, and circus acts. The festival…
26 October
The Stars of the Stuttgart Ballet
The Stuttgart Ballet is a professional ballet company based in Stuttgart, Germany, founded by John Cranko and known for its full-length narrative ballets. Teatro…
27 October
James Carter Organ Trio: Tribute to John Coltrane
The James Carter Organ Trio brings decades of jazz tradition rooted in blues, funk, and swing to life with a powerful rhythmic drive. This…
Hostels
Where to stay in Catania
Catania has good-value hostels in the historic centre, many near the Duomo and Via Etnea. These are the top-rated right now, live from Hostelworld.
5 Balconi B&B
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Casa Verdi - House of Travelers
Dorms from €16 a night
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Ostello degli Elefanti
Dorms from €28 a night
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The Yard Hostel
Dorms from €24 a night
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UrbanPop
Dorms from €15 a night
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Eco Hostel
Dorms from €24 a night
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At Sveva Bed and Breakfast
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City-in Hostel B&B Catania
Dorms from €19 a night
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When to go
April to June and September to October are ideal. July and August are very hot.
Jan
Mild and quiet
Feb
Sant'Agata, 3–5 February
Mar
Spring. Snow on Etna
Apr
Easter processions
May
Excellent. Etna open
Jun
Hot. Beach season
Jul
Very hot
Aug
Very hot. Beaches packed
Sep
Excellent
Oct
Superb. Harvest on Etna
Nov
Mild, some rain
Dec
Quiet. Snow on the volcano
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. Catania is one of the hottest cities in Italy in summer. Etna is much colder, with snow in winter.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Transport assumes walking and buses. Etna cable car around €50 return, more with a guide.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Catania travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
How do I get to Mount Etna from Catania?
One AST bus a day leaves Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII, outside the central station, at 8:15, and returns from Rifugio Sapienza at 16:30. The return ticket is €6.60. Tours with transport are the alternative.
Can I climb to the top of Etna?
Only with an authorised guide above certain altitudes, and access depends on volcanic activity. The cable car goes to about 2,500 metres, and 4x4 buses and guides go higher.
How much does Etna cost?
The bus is €6.60 return. The cable car is around €50 return, and around €80 with a 4x4 bus and a guide.
Is Catania a good base for Sicily?
Yes, for the east. Etna, Taormina, Siracusa and Noto are all day trips, and it is cheaper than Taormina.
What is the fish market like?
La Pescheria, behind the Duomo, is one of the great markets in Italy: loud, wet and full of swordfish. Go before noon.
Is Catania safe?
Generally, yes. Watch for pickpockets and scooter snatches, and avoid some neighbourhoods near the centre late at night.
When is the best time to visit Catania?
April to June and September to October. July and August are very hot.
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