25/08/2024
C A T A N I A
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Via Bicocca 8 _ Catania
+39 391 7939378
Dominated by the imposing volcano Etna, Catania is a stunning baroque city located on the Ionian sea, in a vast plain cultivated with citrus trees. Built in the dark lava stone of the volcano that has determined the life of the Sicilian city for centuries, Catania reveals an extraordinary compact and homogeneous historical core in Baroque architectures. The extraordinary beauty of this Sicilian city is given from its millennium history, from the monuments of the Greco-Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Norman influences to the Sicilian Baroque style that characterized it after the earthquake of 1693. Catania is a jewel to discover.
WHAT TO SEE IN CATANIA
Undisputed example of the Sicilian Baroque, Catania is a beautiful town with many things to see that you can walk around quietly to be able to visit the markets that, spread a bit throughout the territory, tell the market activity which is one of the oldest activities of Catania. You can’t visit Catania without passing through Piazza del Duomo, the heart of the city, whose current shape dates back to the Seventies and where there are several Baroque-era buildings. On this square you can admire the Palazzo degli Elephanti (seat of the City Hall), the Cathedral and the famous Fontana dell’Elefante which was made of lava stone and depicts the elephant “Liotru”, the symbol of the city that should protect Catania from volcanic eruptions. Don’t miss a visit to the Catania Cathedral, the Saint Agata Cathedral, the origin of which dates back to 1070 but its current appearance is due to the reconstruction in the Seventeenth century which gave it a beautiful white marble facade of Carrara made by Vaccarini, also the author of the Elephant fountain. Among the oldest buildings in the city stands out the famous Castle Ursino, built by Federico II in the first half of the Twentieth century to become the residence of the Aragon rulers in 1400, while today it houses the city's civic museum. Another very old site in the city is the Achillian Terme which dates back to the 4th-5th century and are located under Piazza del Duomo. Some of the most famous attractions to visit in Catania date back to the 17th century and were built or rebuilt after the terrible earthquake of 1693. From Piazza Duomo also starts via Etnea, the main street of Catania and one of the places most loved by both locals and tourists. Considered in the city the shopping street for excellence, here you can find both important shops and elegant Baroque-style buildings. Finally, the Monastery of the Benedettini annexed to the Church of Saint Nicholas is one of the largest monastic complexes in Europe that today houses the Department of Human Sciences of the University of Catania.
Etna dominates from above, the volcano per excellence!
There is so much more to see and to do (eat) in Catania: discover it yourself, get lost in its streets, squares, parties, palaces and surroundings. You will not be disappointed.
