Via Etnea (Etnea Street), Catania

Via Etnea (Etnea Street), Catania

Etnea Street is Catania's main Street. It extends three miles from the Cathedral Square all the way to the park Tondo Gioeni at the edge of town. The street dates from Roman times but the current Etnea Street came about after the earthquake of 1693.

The buildings along the route were mostly leveled in the earthquake. They were replaced with Baroque style buildings designed by Giovanni Battista Vaccarini and Francesco Battaglia. The street today is pedestrianized to a large extent. The sidewalks are made wholly of lava stone, courtesy of Mount Etna.

Among the buildings along the road is the palace of Gioeni Asmundo in the University square. The San Demetrio Palace and Toscano Palace are both in the Stesicore Square with the Vincenzo Bellini monument. The Post Office Building still serves as a post office. Last is the Villa Bellini, the garden of Catania.

Etnea Street is also shopping street. As you walk along you notice the ground floors of these fine Baroque buildings are shops. The shops seem to alternate among restaurants, cafes and bars. A lot of tasting goes on here. Pasta alla Norma, arancini and cannoli and many other traditional dishes await the hungry stroller.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Catania. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Via Etnea (Etnea Street) on Map

Sight Name: Via Etnea (Etnea Street)
Sight Location: Catania, Italy (See walking tours in Catania)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Catania, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Catania

Create Your Own Walk in Catania

Creating your own self-guided walk in Catania is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Catania Introduction Walking Tour

Catania Introduction Walking Tour

The old Sicilian word "katane" is often translated as "harsh ground" or "sharp stones." Black lava from Mount Etna has swamped the area many times. Other disasters include earthquakes, invasions and wars.

The original village of Katane was occupied by Greek settlers in the eighth century BC. During the first Punic War, Catania became a Roman city. The Vandals...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Historical Churches Walking Tour

Historical Churches Walking Tour

Just as many other Italian destinations, the Sicilian city of Catania is full of churches, especially in the historic center, where the presence of religious sites is particularly high! A good number of local churches date back centuries, and as such represent marvelous pieces of architecture, adding much character to the area. It is also commonplace to find inside most of them, be it a duomo,...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles