If you’re planning a visit to Sicily, Italy, and you’re wondering if you should visit Catania, located in eastern Sicily and the second largest city on the island, here’s our simple answer:
If you’re flying in or out of Sicily via the Catania airport, stay a night or two there so you can check out some of its highlights. If you like vibrant city life, spend some time there.
It’s not going to be the peaceful experience you’ll have in smaller Sicily towns, but Catania definitely has history, passion, tasty food, and cool views of Mount Etna volcano.
Let me walk you through my two nights in Catania and share a few tips that may help you. I stayed there in late February when it was off-season in Italy.
A quick note: I was traveling solo as a female but sometimes use “we” in my article to avoid using “I” all of the time.
Some Quick Facts About Catania, Sicily
Before sharing visit details, let’s load you up with a few facts about Catania, so you can put your visit in context:
—The city has about 315,000 residents, and there are about a million people in the general area. The city also has beaches although we didn’t make it to them. The beach areas received some damage during Cyclone Harry in January 2026.
—Catania got hit by a bad earthquake in 1693 and was rebuilt in a Baroque style using black lava stone from the famous Mount Etna volcano. This earned Catania its nickname of “the Black City.”
—The historic city center of Catania is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
—Catania’s been around for a loooonnnng time–since 8th century BC.
—Catania has an underground city that you can tour. It features Roman-era aqueducts and more.
Sights to See in Catania, Sicily…and the Scoop on Staying There
OK, let’s get to it! I arrived in Catania on a Saturday evening, tired from my trip (I flew from the U.S. to Rome and then Rome to Catania) but also eager to explore the city. Pretty quickly, it reminded me of Lima, Peru, which I’ve visited a few times. Beautiful architecture with some gritty city life around it. Not gritty as in unsafe or ugly, just….a lot going on. Definitely a city with stories to tell.
The four-room B&B where I stayed (shout out to Opera Boutique) was located on a hill about a block or so from Via Etnea, the popular pedestrian-friendly street filled with cafes and shops. After getting settled, I quickly made a beeline toward Via Etnea and watched my step heading down the steep decline.
Right away, the rush of city life and energy was there. Young people–or mostly young, especially compared to the people I saw in SIcily’s smaller towns–were all around, dressed in black and flirting with each other, vaping, sometimes arguing. Street performers did what they could to attract passerby and get a few Euros tossed their way. Servers from restaurants beckoned passerby to try the pasta, pizza, or drinks at their place.
I strolled for awhile before deciding where to eat, taking in the crowd but also the view of Saint Agatha Cathedral (closed for the evening) and the famous elephant statue called u Liotru that symbolizes Catania–located right across from Saint Agatha. It’s a good stopping point, but it also was crowded on Saturday night.
I eventually stopped for pesto pizza (delizioso) and a bright orange aperol spritz. OK, two of them.
After getting a little lost, I eventually made it back to my B&B. While my phone’s GPS was helpful overall during my Sicily trip, it sometimes got things wrong and sent me on a goose chase that evening. I recommend that you have a backup plan for situations like that, whether it means paying attention to where you’re going as if you didn’t have GPS or keeping your phone charged well. Also, take a screenshot of where you’re staying and its address.
The next morning, I enjoyed Via Etnea with far fewer people and far-off views of beautiful Mount Etna. I was able to go inside Saint Agata Cathedral (called Cattedrale di Sant’Agata or Basilica Cattedrale Sant’Agata in Italian) and learned a little more about its history. It was originally built in 1078 but then was almost completely lost by an earthquake in 1169 and then another earthquake in 1693. It was rebuilt in its current Baroque style and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The cathedral honors Saint Agatha of Sicily who lived in the third century. Saint Agatha is the patron saint of Catania and of breast cancer patients. It’s also said that she helps to protect the city against volcanic eruptions. There’s a massive festival to celebrate Saint Agatha that’s held in early February in Catania. I was there just a couple of weeks after the festival.
I came across a flea market in the same area where the fish market is held Monday to Saturday (more about that below). As a lover of outdoor markets here in Florida, it was great to compare flea markets in the Sunshine State versus Sicily, especially one I didn’t expect to encounter. As it turns out, flea markets still give you a great sense of the local culture, with old albums, vases, books, ceramic plates, and other items that were (mostly) unique to Sicily.
I enjoyed breakfast at Prestipino Cafe, where I ordered un espresso e un cornetto, per favore (an espresso and a croissant, please), along with a fresh-squeezed orange juice. Sicily is known for its citrus fruits. Everything was delicious, but the chocolate filling in my croissant got messy and I noticed a family of tourists gently laughing at my mess. Oops!
I took several pics inside Prestipino of the traditional Sicily desserts they had on display, giving me a sneak preview of things I’d try later in my trip.
I eventually made it back to the B&B and took an Uber to get my rental car. Since I’m focusing here on Catania, I’ll skip the rest of my trip (although you can read about it here) and jump ahead to my second night in Catania–the last night of my trip before returning home.
My return to Catania got me into the city around 12:30 in the afternoon, where the B&B hostess let me know if I wanted to make it to the Saturday fish market, I’d have to hustle. I did just that and again, as a perennial fan of outdoors markets, it didn’t disappoint. There were so many types of fish around. While I wasn’t looking to buy any to cook, they were still great to see for pictures and the atmosphere.
Much like my previous Saturday in Catania, the city was bustling and there were even more tourists than before. In addition to the fast-moving feel of the fish market, restaurants were doing a brisk business and I saw signs for horse meat (carne di cavallo), which is famous in Catania and a few other parts of Italy.
The fish market was a definitely a highlight of my time in Catania.
Ultimately, my need for sweets prevailed and I purchased some praline-style almonds from a street vendor–almonds are yet another agricultural item well grown in Sicily. This may not have been a balanced lunch but they were just what I wanted. We’ve all had those days, right?
The street area was quite busy (and honestly, smoky from people who smoke/vape). Beyond a pizza for dinner, those were the highlights of that day in Catania.
I made it to the airport early the next morning with some confusion as a few of us thought our ticket counter hadn’t yet opened, only to realize it was open in a different part of the terminal. There’s sometimes confusion like that in Sicily, so make sure to advocate for yourself when something is unclear during your visit. Knowing some basic Italian can help.
If I were to return to Catania, I would make time for at least a half-day tour of Mount Etna (elevation: 11,000 feet). It’s one of the oldest and most active volcanoes in Europe, located in Etna National Park. Although I was traveling through Sicily independently, I would want a tour for Etna as you can only reach the summit craters with a certified guide, and the guides can help instruct you on any safety measures needed. I recently learned about a tour operator/DMC called Enjoy Your Sicily through their Facebook group Sicily Travel Tips, and I would reach out to them for an Etna tour. (They also do private tours/experiences around other parts of Sicily.) Next time!
Tips for Your Catania Visit
If you plan to stay in Catania before and/or after exploring other parts of Sicily like we did, here are some tips to consider.
—Stay near the street Via Etnea. This pedestrian-friendly street is the hub of activity in downtown Catania and you’ll be just minutes from the Saint Agatha Cathedral, the fish market, and other famous sites. It may be a little loud on the weekends but again, if your stay is brief, that will pass quickly.
—Follow common-sense safety tips. Catania was the only place during my stay where I felt a little more guarded than usual–not completely unsafe, but cautious. Avoid having anything valuable in pockets that can be easily reached. Walk like you know where you’re going. Watch out for strangers who may try to ask for money or lord knows what else (one strange-looking man approached me for something on Sunday morning but I didn’t understand what he said). That all said, I got lost on my way back to the B&B on my first night and was wandering around and never felt completely unsafe–just lost. I eventually called an Uber to get me back to my place.
—Wait to rent a car until you are leaving the city. It may seem convenient to land at the Catania Fontanarossa Airport and get your rental car and then go stay in the city, right? After all, the rental car companies are all right there beside the airport. Right? Wrong. False. If you plan to stay overnight in Catania, we recommend for your own peace of mind to return to the airport area the next day and get your car. Driving in Catania seemed a bit chaotic, and I was thankful not to have to worry about driving there or find parking–especially after traveling hours to reach Sicily from the U.S. The ride from the airport to the B&B was only 15 minutes, so it’s not a huge trek back to fetch your rental car.
—Have a little cash on hand. It’s true that we live in a cashless world, even in Sicily for the most part. However, Catania is one of those cities that charges a tourist tax. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the tourist tax can’t be charged as part of your online booking. For smaller accomodations, it’s easier for them to request that tax in cash (Euros) so they don’t have to pay expensive bank fees. I ended up having to go to an ATM to get cash, but it reminded me that I should always have some real cash on hand.
—Enjoy trying different foods. Even if gritty urban life isn’t your thing, Catania knocks it out of the park with its food options. Whether you want to try some of the best offerings at the fish market, go exotic with the horse meat, fill up on dessert items, or just have traditional pizza and vino, it’s all there waiting for you.
—Don’t miss Mount Etna! We said it before but we’ll say it again. Not having time for a Mount Etna tour was probably the biggest regret of my trip, so we’ll save you any heartache and say: Make time to go see this unique volcano.
Buon viaggio!
Italy Dreams 