Catania

Catania, Italy

The baroque cathedral front of Sant'Agata in Catania, seen low past the elephant fountain in warm golden evening light.

Catania is a working Sicilian port rebuilt in black lava stone beneath Mount Etna, with loud markets, baroque squares and very good food.

The place

Catania sits on Sicily's east coast, facing the Ionian Sea, with the bulk of Mount Etna rising behind it. The city stands only about 7 metres above sea level, and that low position matters, because Etna is an active volcano and its past eruptions are written into the streets. Much of the old centre is built from dark volcanic stone, which gives the baroque façades a sooty, serious look against the pale sky. About 311,600 people live in the city proper, with many more in the towns around it, so the place feels like a working port rather than a museum. Scooters, market stalls, students and office workers share the same narrow streets. The main axis is Via Etnea, a long straight avenue running north from the cathedral square towards the volcano, and on a clear day it frames the summit at its far end. The fish market behind the square is loud and wet from early morning. Catania also has the airport that most visitors to eastern Sicily use, so many people pass through without staying. That is a pity, though honesty helps: the city is gritty in places, with graffiti, patchy pavements and traffic that ignores crossings. Summers are hot, and August can be punishing. Spring suits walking far better. Catania rewards people who like cities that are lived in, eat well, and treat a volcano as a neighbour rather than an attraction.

Its story

Catania began as a Greek colony. Around 729 BCE settlers from nearby Naxos took over a native village here, called it Katane, and placed their acropolis on the hill of Monte Vergine, just west of today's centre. The harbour shipped out grain grown on the plains inland, and the local population gradually took on Greek ways. An old legend from this period tells of two men, Amphinomos and Anapias. When Etna erupted, they abandoned their belongings and carried their elderly parents to safety on their shoulders, and the lava was said to part around them. The tale shows how long the city has lived with the mountain. The record since has been harsh. A powerful earthquake destroyed most of Catania in 1169. In 1669 a major eruption sent lava towards the city and nearly swamped it. Then the earthquake of 1693 devastated much of what had survived. The rebuilding that followed gave Catania the baroque face it shows today, with churches and palaces in dark local stone. Learning carried on through all of this: Sicily's first university opened here in 1434. The layers explain the walk through the centre today. Ancient remains lie below street level, a medieval royal castle stands among later squares, and every era has been built on top of the one before, often with material from the last disaster.

What to see

Culture

Catania has a strong local pride, and it centres on music, writing and one saint. Vincenzo Bellini, the opera composer, was born in the city, in Palazzo Gravina-Cruyllas, which now houses a museum about his life. The Teatro Massimo Vincenzo Bellini, opened in 1890, stages a season from December to May that includes his own works. Giovanni Verga, born here in 1840, became the leading voice of Verismo, an Italian literary movement close to Naturalism. His novels follow fishermen, stonemasons and other working people, written in a blend of literary Italian and the local dialect. That mix is still audible: Sicilian is spoken in markets and bars, and locals often switch between it and Italian. The great public event is the feast of Sant'Agata in early February, when the city fills with devotees, candles and a long procession that goes through the night. Even outside the festival, her image is on shop shrines and church doors. Daily life follows a southern rhythm: coffee standing at the bar in the morning, a long lunch, an evening stroll on Via Etnea, and dinner late. Conversations are animated, and raised voices are usually friendly. People are generally patient with visitors who try a few words of Italian. Cover your shoulders and knees before entering the cathedral or any church, and keep your voice low if a service is under way.

What to wear

Catania's most distinctive traditional dress belongs to the feast of Sant'Agata. Devotees wear a plain white cotton tunic called a sacco, a black cap and a white handkerchief or gloves, and the long lines of white figures in early February are among the strongest images of the city. Rural Sicilian costume also survives in the coppola, the flat wool cap worn by older men, and in embroidered bodices and wool skirts seen at folk festivals, but these are now mostly ceremonial. On an ordinary day, people in Catania dress neatly and casually: linen shirts and cotton dresses in summer, jackets and scarves in the cooler months, and clean leather shoes or trainers. Evening walks on Via Etnea call for a little more care than a beach town would. Visitors should pack light, breathable cotton or linen, a sun hat and sunglasses for the heat. Carry a scarf or shawl, plus something with sleeves, to cover shoulders and knees at churches. The lava-stone pavements can be polished and slippery after rain, so shoes with grip matter more than style. In winter bring a waterproof layer. For any trip up Etna, add sturdy boots and a warm layer, since it is much colder at altitude.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. March and April are the most comfortable, with mild days that suit walking. July and August are hot, and winter is mild but can be wet and windy. Etna ash has disrupted flights in some summers, so keep your schedule flexible.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Catania Fontanarossa airport is close to the centre. A regional train runs from Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa station, a short walk or shuttle ride from the terminal, to Catania Centrale, and buses also serve the airport. Intercity buses and trains connect the city with the rest of Sicily.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources