Catania Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Catania
Most cities avoid danger. But here, the danger is part of the experience. Catania settled beside a volcano and stayed. Lava flows, earthquakes, and ash are a living memory here, shaping everything from building materials to local legends.
Catania is one of Sicily’s oldest cities, with a history shaped by colonization, conquest, natural disaster, and repeated renewal. It was founded in 729 BC by Greek settlers from Naxos, who named it Katánē, meaning “grater” or “rough ground”, a reference to the jagged lava fields created by nearby Mount Etna.
During the classical Greek period, Catania developed as an important coastal settlement with agricultural wealth drawn from the fertile volcanic soil. In the 5th century BC, it briefly lost its autonomy under the rule of the Syracusan tyrant Hieron I, before regaining independence. The city later came under Roman control in 263 BC, gaining theaters, baths, aqueducts, and roads, many of their remains being still visible today.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, Catania passed through a succession of rulers. It was governed by the Byzantines, then captured by the Arabs in the 9th century, who introduced new agricultural techniques. In the 11th century, the city was conquered by the Normans, who restored Christianity and rebuilt major institutions. Under Norman and later Swabian and Aragonese rule, Catania became an important administrative and cultural center, particularly after the founding of the University of Catania in 1434, one of the oldest in Europe.
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions repeatedly devastated the city, the most destructive being the earthquake of 1693, which leveled much of eastern Sicily. Rather than abandoning the site, Catania was rebuilt almost entirely in the Baroque style, using local lava stone and limestone. This reconstruction gave the city its distinctive architectural character and urban layout. In the modern era, Catania experienced political change, social upheaval, and economic shifts, particularly during Italian unification in the 19th century.
Walking through Catania’s historic center, visitors encounter a compact sequence of landmarks shaped by lava stone and Baroque design. Cathedral Square anchors the city, alive with daily activity and history. Nearby, At ’Piscaria, the fish market, adds color and noise. Elegant interiors await at Biscari Palace, while deeper layers emerge at the Roman Theater of Catania. The vast Monastery of Saint Nicholas Arena completes the route, revealing Catania’s scale, resilience, and cultural depth.
From its name to its lava-stone streets, Catania carries the volcano in plain sight. What you’ll see on this walk is not a city overshadowed by Etna, but one shaped by it, where danger didn’t drive people away, but taught them how to stay.
Catania is one of Sicily’s oldest cities, with a history shaped by colonization, conquest, natural disaster, and repeated renewal. It was founded in 729 BC by Greek settlers from Naxos, who named it Katánē, meaning “grater” or “rough ground”, a reference to the jagged lava fields created by nearby Mount Etna.
During the classical Greek period, Catania developed as an important coastal settlement with agricultural wealth drawn from the fertile volcanic soil. In the 5th century BC, it briefly lost its autonomy under the rule of the Syracusan tyrant Hieron I, before regaining independence. The city later came under Roman control in 263 BC, gaining theaters, baths, aqueducts, and roads, many of their remains being still visible today.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, Catania passed through a succession of rulers. It was governed by the Byzantines, then captured by the Arabs in the 9th century, who introduced new agricultural techniques. In the 11th century, the city was conquered by the Normans, who restored Christianity and rebuilt major institutions. Under Norman and later Swabian and Aragonese rule, Catania became an important administrative and cultural center, particularly after the founding of the University of Catania in 1434, one of the oldest in Europe.
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions repeatedly devastated the city, the most destructive being the earthquake of 1693, which leveled much of eastern Sicily. Rather than abandoning the site, Catania was rebuilt almost entirely in the Baroque style, using local lava stone and limestone. This reconstruction gave the city its distinctive architectural character and urban layout. In the modern era, Catania experienced political change, social upheaval, and economic shifts, particularly during Italian unification in the 19th century.
Walking through Catania’s historic center, visitors encounter a compact sequence of landmarks shaped by lava stone and Baroque design. Cathedral Square anchors the city, alive with daily activity and history. Nearby, At ’Piscaria, the fish market, adds color and noise. Elegant interiors await at Biscari Palace, while deeper layers emerge at the Roman Theater of Catania. The vast Monastery of Saint Nicholas Arena completes the route, revealing Catania’s scale, resilience, and cultural depth.
From its name to its lava-stone streets, Catania carries the volcano in plain sight. What you’ll see on this walk is not a city overshadowed by Etna, but one shaped by it, where danger didn’t drive people away, but taught them how to stay.
How it works: Download the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and its built-in GPS navigation functions guide you from one tour stop to next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The GPSmyCity App
Catania Introduction Walking Tour Map
Guide Name: Catania Introduction Walking Tour
Guide Location: Italy » Catania (See other walking tours in Catania)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 13
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Author: vickyc
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
Guide Location: Italy » Catania (See other walking tours in Catania)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 13
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles
Author: vickyc
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- Cathedral of Catania
- Piazza Duomo (Cathedral Square)
- Palazzo Biscari (Biscari Palace)
- Piazza Bellini (Bellini Square)
- Piazza dell'Universita (University Square)
- Via Etnea (Etnea Street)
- Monument to Vincenzo Bellini
- Roman Amphitheater
- Monastery of St. Nicholas Arena
- Roman Theater of Catania
- Giovanni Verga House Museum
- Museo Civico (Civic Museum)
- At 'Piscaria (Catania Fish Market)
1) Cathedral of Catania (must see)
Catania Cathedral, officially the Cathedral of Saint Agatha, stands as both the city’s main religious landmark and a witness to centuries of upheaval. The site has been sacred since the Norman period, when the first cathedral was completed in the 11th century. Repeated earthquakes and eruptions from Mount Etna caused extensive damage, most dramatically in 1169 and in the catastrophic earthquake of 1693. Rather than erasing its past, each reconstruction added another layer.
The present building is a refined example of Sicilian Baroque, shaped largely in the early 18th century. The façade, designed by Giovanni Battista Vaccarini after 1693, rises in three tiers articulated by columns and niches, with pale limestone set against darker volcanic stone. The broad parvis is edged by a white stone balustrade and lined with Carrara marble statues of saints. The central wooden door is carved with panels illustrating episodes from the life of Saint Agatha. The dome was completed in the early 19th century and the bell tower rebuilt following earlier collapses.
Inside, the cathedral follows a Latin cross plan with three naves. The austere rhythm of columns leads toward an apse that dates back to the 12th century, preserving traces of the medieval structure. Several chapels punctuate the interior, including the Chapel of the Holy Crucifix in the north transept. The cathedral also houses, close to the right transept, the tomb of Vincenzo Bellini, Catania’s most celebrated composer, as well as the burial places of King Frederick III of Sicily, John of Randazzo, and Constance of Aragon.
Saint Agatha herself remains central to the cathedral’s meaning. According to tradition, she was a young noblewoman who refused the advances of the Roman prefect Quintianus and was martyred in the 3rd century. Local belief holds that she continues to protect Catania from enemies, injustice, and even Mount Etna. This faith is captured in the letters carved into the façade: N.O.P.A.Q.V.I.E., an acronym of a Latin phrase affirming that Agatha avenges wrongs committed against her land.
The present building is a refined example of Sicilian Baroque, shaped largely in the early 18th century. The façade, designed by Giovanni Battista Vaccarini after 1693, rises in three tiers articulated by columns and niches, with pale limestone set against darker volcanic stone. The broad parvis is edged by a white stone balustrade and lined with Carrara marble statues of saints. The central wooden door is carved with panels illustrating episodes from the life of Saint Agatha. The dome was completed in the early 19th century and the bell tower rebuilt following earlier collapses.
Inside, the cathedral follows a Latin cross plan with three naves. The austere rhythm of columns leads toward an apse that dates back to the 12th century, preserving traces of the medieval structure. Several chapels punctuate the interior, including the Chapel of the Holy Crucifix in the north transept. The cathedral also houses, close to the right transept, the tomb of Vincenzo Bellini, Catania’s most celebrated composer, as well as the burial places of King Frederick III of Sicily, John of Randazzo, and Constance of Aragon.
Saint Agatha herself remains central to the cathedral’s meaning. According to tradition, she was a young noblewoman who refused the advances of the Roman prefect Quintianus and was martyred in the 3rd century. Local belief holds that she continues to protect Catania from enemies, injustice, and even Mount Etna. This faith is captured in the letters carved into the façade: N.O.P.A.Q.V.I.E., an acronym of a Latin phrase affirming that Agatha avenges wrongs committed against her land.
2) Piazza Duomo (Cathedral Square) (must see)
Cathedral Square is a civic and symbolic space where the city’s past and everyday rhythm come together in a single open setting. Rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1693, the square is a showcase of Sicilian Baroque, shaped largely in the 18th century as part of Catania’s comprehensive rebuilding plan. Its layout is defined by symmetry, broad sightlines, and a strong sense of order, framed by elegant façades and paved in pale stone that reflects the Mediterranean light.
At the center of the square stands the Elephant Fountain, Catania’s most recognizable symbol. Carved from dark lava stone in the 18th century, the elephant, known locally as Liotru, supports an ancient Egyptian obelisk whose hieroglyphs predate the city itself and echoes the city’s long relationship with Mount Etna.
On the north side of Cathedral Square rises the Elephants’ Palace, which serves as Catania’s City Hall. Built in the 18th century after the earthquake, the palace takes its name from the Elephant Fountain and continues to function as the seat of municipal government, reinforcing the square’s civic role. On the south side, stands the Palace of the Clerics, originally built to house members of the cathedral clergy and today forming part of the architectural frame of the square.
Together with the nearby Cathedral of Saint Agatha, these buildings form a cohesive architectural ensemble that reinforces both the civic and religious importance of this place. Cathedral Square is also a place of constant movement. Cafés line the edges of the square, while the nearby Fish Market fills the surrounding streets with sound, color, and activity.
At the center of the square stands the Elephant Fountain, Catania’s most recognizable symbol. Carved from dark lava stone in the 18th century, the elephant, known locally as Liotru, supports an ancient Egyptian obelisk whose hieroglyphs predate the city itself and echoes the city’s long relationship with Mount Etna.
On the north side of Cathedral Square rises the Elephants’ Palace, which serves as Catania’s City Hall. Built in the 18th century after the earthquake, the palace takes its name from the Elephant Fountain and continues to function as the seat of municipal government, reinforcing the square’s civic role. On the south side, stands the Palace of the Clerics, originally built to house members of the cathedral clergy and today forming part of the architectural frame of the square.
Together with the nearby Cathedral of Saint Agatha, these buildings form a cohesive architectural ensemble that reinforces both the civic and religious importance of this place. Cathedral Square is also a place of constant movement. Cafés line the edges of the square, while the nearby Fish Market fills the surrounding streets with sound, color, and activity.
3) Palazzo Biscari (Biscari Palace) (must see)
Biscari Palace is an aristocratic residences of Baroque and Rococo design. Conceived after the devastating earthquake of 1693, the palace was commissioned by Ignazio Paternò Castello, 3rd Prince of Biscari, with construction beginning in 1702 and continuing through much of the 18th century. Completed in 1763 by the fifth Prince of Biscari, its inauguration was marked by lavish celebrations that reflected the family’s status and Catania’s renewed confidence during the reconstruction era.
The palace’s most amazing exterior façade faces Cardinale Dusmet Street, where richly carved balconies curve outward on stone brackets. When this façade was built, it rose directly above the 16th-century city walls, overlooking the sea at their base. The visitor entrance is marked by a stone portal adorned with cartouches and the Biscari coat of arms, opening into a spacious courtyard with an outdoor staircase that prepares visitors for the decorative richness inside.
The interior reveals a fully developed Rococo style. Frescoes, mirrors, and elaborate stucco work animate the grand rooms, culminating in the octagonal ballroom, the palace’s most celebrated space. Decorated by Matteo Desiderato and Sebastiano Lo Monaco, the ballroom is notable for its illusionistic effects and fluid lines. A distinctive spiral staircase shaped like a sea shell leads to a balcony beneath the dome, originally intended to hold an orchestra and now regarded as one of the palace’s most elegant architectural details.
Beyond the ballroom, the palace unfolds through a sequence of named rooms, each reflecting a specific function or theme. The Fief Room displays large paintings of the Biscari family’s feudal lands, while the Princess Apartment, created for the wife of Ignazio V, is paved with salvaged Roman marble. This reuse of ancient material reflects the interests of Ignazio V, a renowned archaeologist whose collections form the basis of the palace museum. Today, although parts of Biscari Palace remain privately inhabited, sections are open for visits and cultural events.
The palace’s most amazing exterior façade faces Cardinale Dusmet Street, where richly carved balconies curve outward on stone brackets. When this façade was built, it rose directly above the 16th-century city walls, overlooking the sea at their base. The visitor entrance is marked by a stone portal adorned with cartouches and the Biscari coat of arms, opening into a spacious courtyard with an outdoor staircase that prepares visitors for the decorative richness inside.
The interior reveals a fully developed Rococo style. Frescoes, mirrors, and elaborate stucco work animate the grand rooms, culminating in the octagonal ballroom, the palace’s most celebrated space. Decorated by Matteo Desiderato and Sebastiano Lo Monaco, the ballroom is notable for its illusionistic effects and fluid lines. A distinctive spiral staircase shaped like a sea shell leads to a balcony beneath the dome, originally intended to hold an orchestra and now regarded as one of the palace’s most elegant architectural details.
Beyond the ballroom, the palace unfolds through a sequence of named rooms, each reflecting a specific function or theme. The Fief Room displays large paintings of the Biscari family’s feudal lands, while the Princess Apartment, created for the wife of Ignazio V, is paved with salvaged Roman marble. This reuse of ancient material reflects the interests of Ignazio V, a renowned archaeologist whose collections form the basis of the palace museum. Today, although parts of Biscari Palace remain privately inhabited, sections are open for visits and cultural events.
4) Piazza Bellini (Bellini Square)
Bellini Square, sometimes informally called Massimo Bellini Theater Square, is a compact and lively space closely tied to Catania’s musical identity. Named after Vincenzo Bellini, the city’s most celebrated composer, the square developed around the opera house and functions as a cultural crossroads. The west side of the square is dominated by the Massimo Bellini Theater, Catania’s principal opera house and one of its finest 19th-century landmarks. Designed by Andrea Scala and Carlo Sala, the theater was completed in 1890 and inaugurated with the world premiere of Bellini’s Norma.
Bellini Square also reflects the city’s layered urban history. On the north side, the façade of the House of the Disabled Veterans recalls 20th-century civic architecture associated with war remembrance and social institutions. Along the east side stands the Tax Court of First Instance of Catania, a functional public building that continues the square’s role as a working part of the modern city rather than a purely ceremonial space.
At the center of the square is a landscaped area, planted with trees that include jacarandas, whose purple blossoms add color in spring and early summer. By day, cafés and shaded benches create a relaxed atmosphere. By night, the square becomes livelier, animated by theater audiences and evening crowds.
Bellini Square also reflects the city’s layered urban history. On the north side, the façade of the House of the Disabled Veterans recalls 20th-century civic architecture associated with war remembrance and social institutions. Along the east side stands the Tax Court of First Instance of Catania, a functional public building that continues the square’s role as a working part of the modern city rather than a purely ceremonial space.
At the center of the square is a landscaped area, planted with trees that include jacarandas, whose purple blossoms add color in spring and early summer. By day, cafés and shaded benches create a relaxed atmosphere. By night, the square becomes livelier, animated by theater audiences and evening crowds.
5) Piazza dell'Universita (University Square)
University Square is one of the city's symbols of Baroque design. Laid out after the devastating earthquake of 1693, it formed part of the city’s 18th-century reconstruction. Compared with the busier squares nearby, University Square has a calmer, more composed atmosphere.
The square takes its name from the University of Catania. Late Baroque palaces associated with the university line the square. For this reason, the square is also sometimes referred to as Student Square. Facing the west side of the square, the University Palace serves as the institution’s main seat. To the right corner of the north side, stands Gioeni Palace, while San Giuliano Palace completes the frame on the east side.
At the center of University Square stand four elaborate bronze lampposts designed by Vincenzo Corsaro, arranged together like a monumental candelabrum. Each lamppost is richly sculpted and illustrates a story drawn from Sicilian legend or history, celebrating virtues traditionally admired on the island: chastity, represented by Gammazita; patriotism, embodied by Paladin; filial devotion, shown by the Brothers Pii; and cleverness, symbolized by Colapesce.
Gammazita is located at the north-east corner, near San Giuliano Palace, depicting a woman who dives into a well to escape a soldier. Paladin stands at the south-east corner, showing a knight overcoming a Saracen. The Brothers Pii, at the north-west corner, near the University Palace, portray siblings saving their parents from a river of lava. Finally, Colapesce, at the south-west corner, represents the legendary youth who dives beneath the sea to support the island and is never seen again.
The square takes its name from the University of Catania. Late Baroque palaces associated with the university line the square. For this reason, the square is also sometimes referred to as Student Square. Facing the west side of the square, the University Palace serves as the institution’s main seat. To the right corner of the north side, stands Gioeni Palace, while San Giuliano Palace completes the frame on the east side.
At the center of University Square stand four elaborate bronze lampposts designed by Vincenzo Corsaro, arranged together like a monumental candelabrum. Each lamppost is richly sculpted and illustrates a story drawn from Sicilian legend or history, celebrating virtues traditionally admired on the island: chastity, represented by Gammazita; patriotism, embodied by Paladin; filial devotion, shown by the Brothers Pii; and cleverness, symbolized by Colapesce.
Gammazita is located at the north-east corner, near San Giuliano Palace, depicting a woman who dives into a well to escape a soldier. Paladin stands at the south-east corner, showing a knight overcoming a Saracen. The Brothers Pii, at the north-west corner, near the University Palace, portray siblings saving their parents from a river of lava. Finally, Colapesce, at the south-west corner, represents the legendary youth who dives beneath the sea to support the island and is never seen again.
6) Via Etnea (Etnea Street)
Etnea Street is Catania’s main thoroughfare and the clearest expression of the city’s post-1693 reconstruction. Although a road existed here in Roman times, the present street took shape after the devastating earthquake. Running north from Cathedral Square toward Mount Etna, Etnea Street was conceived as a monumental axis, guiding movement through the historic center.
The street is visually defined by dark lava-stone façades, rebuilt largely in the 18th century in Baroque style. Many of these buildings were designed by architects such as Giovanni Battista Vaccarini and Francesco Battaglia, whose work established the strong contrast between black volcanic stone and lighter decorative details. Beyond its architectural role, Etnea Street offers commercial facilities. The ground floors of its Baroque buildings are largely occupied by shops, cafés, bars, and restaurants.
Etnea Street also serves as a continuous link between several of Catania’s key squares and landmarks. Along its route stands Gioeni Asmundo Palace at University Square. Continuing north, you reach Stesicoro Square, where Tezzano Palace occupies the left side and Toscano Palace the right side of the square’s northern frontage. Here, the Vincenzo Bellini Monument stands to the east, while the Church of San Biagio marks the west edge.
The route eventually leads to Villa Bellini, Catania’s main public garden, continues to the Botanical Garden of Catania on the left side, and finishes farther out at Gioeni Park, offering a welcome transition from dense urban architecture to increasingly green spaces.
The street is visually defined by dark lava-stone façades, rebuilt largely in the 18th century in Baroque style. Many of these buildings were designed by architects such as Giovanni Battista Vaccarini and Francesco Battaglia, whose work established the strong contrast between black volcanic stone and lighter decorative details. Beyond its architectural role, Etnea Street offers commercial facilities. The ground floors of its Baroque buildings are largely occupied by shops, cafés, bars, and restaurants.
Etnea Street also serves as a continuous link between several of Catania’s key squares and landmarks. Along its route stands Gioeni Asmundo Palace at University Square. Continuing north, you reach Stesicoro Square, where Tezzano Palace occupies the left side and Toscano Palace the right side of the square’s northern frontage. Here, the Vincenzo Bellini Monument stands to the east, while the Church of San Biagio marks the west edge.
The route eventually leads to Villa Bellini, Catania’s main public garden, continues to the Botanical Garden of Catania on the left side, and finishes farther out at Gioeni Park, offering a welcome transition from dense urban architecture to increasingly green spaces.
7) Monument to Vincenzo Bellini
The Monument to Vincenzo Bellini marks Catania’s tribute to its most celebrated composer and a defining figure of Italian opera. Unveiled in 1882, the monument honors Bellini, born in Catania in 1801, whose operas, “Norma”, “The Sleepwalker”, “The Puritans”, and “The Pirate”, secured his international reputation despite his short life.
Designed and sculpted by Giulio Monteverde, the monument takes the form of a stepped, pyramid-like base crowned by a column. Bellini is depicted seated at the top, in a calm, reflective pose in a moment of inspiration, holding a pen and musical scores. The composition has been playfully read as a musical ascent: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, seven steps leading up to the composer himself.
Around the base, four statues represent characters from Bellini’s operas mentioned above, translating music into allegorical form. An elegant iron Art Nouveau fence encloses the monument, reinforcing its 19th-century character. Though debates once suggested placing the monument in Bellini Square or even Cathedral Square, its location here has endured, making it both a cultural landmark and a natural meeting point.
Designed and sculpted by Giulio Monteverde, the monument takes the form of a stepped, pyramid-like base crowned by a column. Bellini is depicted seated at the top, in a calm, reflective pose in a moment of inspiration, holding a pen and musical scores. The composition has been playfully read as a musical ascent: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, seven steps leading up to the composer himself.
Around the base, four statues represent characters from Bellini’s operas mentioned above, translating music into allegorical form. An elegant iron Art Nouveau fence encloses the monument, reinforcing its 19th-century character. Though debates once suggested placing the monument in Bellini Square or even Cathedral Square, its location here has endured, making it both a cultural landmark and a natural meeting point.
8) Roman Amphitheater
The Roman Amphitheater reveals the immense scale of ancient Catania below today’s streets. Built around 200 AD during the Roman Imperial period, it ranked among the largest amphitheaters in Italy. Positioned on the northern side of the ancient city, at the base of Montevergine Hill, it once hosted public spectacles for an audience of around 15,000, with additional standing room likely added for major events.
The amphitheater was constructed using lava stone and brick. Elliptical in plan, it featured radial walls and vaulted structures to support tiered seating, with an external gallery encircling the arena. Its dimensions were considerable, with an arena measuring roughly 268 by 164 feet, and an outer circumference of more than 1,000 feet. Evidence suggests the structure was sophisticated enough to stage naumachiae, or mock sea battles, using water supplied by the city’s aqueduct.
Over time, natural disasters and urban growth gradually erased the amphitheater from view. Although legend claims it was spared by lava during Mount Etna’s eruption in 251, the catastrophic earthquake of 1693 buried most of the structure. Stone from the ruins was reused in nearby buildings, including parts of the Church of San Biagio, and the site was covered and turned into garden ground.
The amphitheater re-emerged only during excavations in the 18th century, when its true scale became clear once again. Today, only about one-tenth of the amphitheater is visible, accessed through an iron gate flanked by Ionic columns. Now part of the Greek–Roman Archaeological Park of Catania, the exposed corridors and walls create a wonderful contrast with the surrounding streets, cafés, and shops.
The amphitheater was constructed using lava stone and brick. Elliptical in plan, it featured radial walls and vaulted structures to support tiered seating, with an external gallery encircling the arena. Its dimensions were considerable, with an arena measuring roughly 268 by 164 feet, and an outer circumference of more than 1,000 feet. Evidence suggests the structure was sophisticated enough to stage naumachiae, or mock sea battles, using water supplied by the city’s aqueduct.
Over time, natural disasters and urban growth gradually erased the amphitheater from view. Although legend claims it was spared by lava during Mount Etna’s eruption in 251, the catastrophic earthquake of 1693 buried most of the structure. Stone from the ruins was reused in nearby buildings, including parts of the Church of San Biagio, and the site was covered and turned into garden ground.
The amphitheater re-emerged only during excavations in the 18th century, when its true scale became clear once again. Today, only about one-tenth of the amphitheater is visible, accessed through an iron gate flanked by Ionic columns. Now part of the Greek–Roman Archaeological Park of Catania, the exposed corridors and walls create a wonderful contrast with the surrounding streets, cafés, and shops.
9) Monastery of St. Nicholas Arena (must see)
The Monastery of Saint Nicholas Arena is one of the largest Benedictine monasteries in Europe. Founded in 1558, it was established by Benedictine monks whose wealth and noble origins earned the monastery the reputation of being a true “palace for monks”. The name “Arena” does not refer to a Roman amphitheater, but to the red volcanic sand characteristic of the area on the slopes of Mount Etna where the order first settled before moving into the city.
The monastery’s survival through natural disaster is central to its story. During the 1669 eruption of Mount Etna, lava flows reached the complex but did not destroy it; the monks constructed a massive stone bulwark that successfully diverted the lava. The eruption instead raised the ground level around the monastery and reshaped the surrounding landscape. It was the catastrophic earthquake of 1693, not the lava, that flattened much of the structure. Reconstruction began in 1702, with the new monastery built directly over what remained of the earlier complex.
Much of the monastery’s distinctive late-Baroque character, especially the ornate window frames and exuberant southern façade, was shaped by Antonino Amato and Francesco Battaglia. The complex expanded with new cloisters, including the rebuilt Marble Cloister and the newly added Eastern Cloister, complemented by long corridors, staircases, and even a hanging garden. Subterranean spaces preserve visible traces of the 1669 lava flow pressed directly against the monastery walls.
Beside the monastery stands the vast Church of San Nicolò l’Arena, the largest church in Sicily, whose unfinished façade and columns reflect financial strain and political upheaval during the 19th century. Today, as part of the University of Catania and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the monastery stands as a world-class example of adaptive reuse.
The monastery’s survival through natural disaster is central to its story. During the 1669 eruption of Mount Etna, lava flows reached the complex but did not destroy it; the monks constructed a massive stone bulwark that successfully diverted the lava. The eruption instead raised the ground level around the monastery and reshaped the surrounding landscape. It was the catastrophic earthquake of 1693, not the lava, that flattened much of the structure. Reconstruction began in 1702, with the new monastery built directly over what remained of the earlier complex.
Much of the monastery’s distinctive late-Baroque character, especially the ornate window frames and exuberant southern façade, was shaped by Antonino Amato and Francesco Battaglia. The complex expanded with new cloisters, including the rebuilt Marble Cloister and the newly added Eastern Cloister, complemented by long corridors, staircases, and even a hanging garden. Subterranean spaces preserve visible traces of the 1669 lava flow pressed directly against the monastery walls.
Beside the monastery stands the vast Church of San Nicolò l’Arena, the largest church in Sicily, whose unfinished façade and columns reflect financial strain and political upheaval during the 19th century. Today, as part of the University of Catania and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the monastery stands as a world-class example of adaptive reuse.
10) Roman Theater of Catania (must see)
Although the visible structure dates mainly to the 2nd century AD, the Roman Theater was built directly over an earlier Greek theater. Together with the adjacent Odeon, the complex formed the city’s principal venue for performance and public gatherings. Constructed primarily from lava stone and limestone, the seating rises northward, uphill, while spectators would have looked south toward the stage, orchestra, and the sea beyond.
The elliptical structure measured roughly 330 feet in diameter and could accommodate around 7,000 spectators across twenty-one seating rows, accessed through corridors built beneath the cavea. The smaller Odeon, with a capacity of about 1,500, was reserved for music and poetry competitions and is among the best-preserved examples of its kind in Sicily.
One of the theater’s most impressive features is the Amenano River flowing directly underneath the structure. Buried by the 1669 eruption of Mount Etna, the river still runs below the orchestra, which is why parts of the lower theater are often partially flooded with clear freshwater. After the 5th century AD, the complex fell out of use, and much of its marble seating and columns were stripped during the Middle Ages. Reused in major buildings such as Catania Cathedral, recycled theater columns can still be seen in the apse.
Excavations began in the 18th century under Ignazio Paternò Castello, Prince of Biscari, and continued into the 19th century, but it was only in 1959 that modern houses encroaching on the site were removed, fully exposing the theater and Odeon. Two of those former residences on the north side of the theater, Pandolfo House and Liberti House, remain integrated into the complex today, serving as entrance spaces and small museums displaying statues, marble fragments, and architectural elements found on site.
The elliptical structure measured roughly 330 feet in diameter and could accommodate around 7,000 spectators across twenty-one seating rows, accessed through corridors built beneath the cavea. The smaller Odeon, with a capacity of about 1,500, was reserved for music and poetry competitions and is among the best-preserved examples of its kind in Sicily.
One of the theater’s most impressive features is the Amenano River flowing directly underneath the structure. Buried by the 1669 eruption of Mount Etna, the river still runs below the orchestra, which is why parts of the lower theater are often partially flooded with clear freshwater. After the 5th century AD, the complex fell out of use, and much of its marble seating and columns were stripped during the Middle Ages. Reused in major buildings such as Catania Cathedral, recycled theater columns can still be seen in the apse.
Excavations began in the 18th century under Ignazio Paternò Castello, Prince of Biscari, and continued into the 19th century, but it was only in 1959 that modern houses encroaching on the site were removed, fully exposing the theater and Odeon. Two of those former residences on the north side of the theater, Pandolfo House and Liberti House, remain integrated into the complex today, serving as entrance spaces and small museums displaying statues, marble fragments, and architectural elements found on site.
11) Giovanni Verga House Museum
The Giovanni Verga House Museum offers a look into the life and work of one of Italy’s most influential writers. The house was both the birthplace and final residence of Giovanni Verga. He inherited the home from his mother and lived here until his death, after which it remained in the family until 1991. Recognized as a national monument as early as 1940, it later came under regional management and was opened to the public as a museum.
The visit begins with a staircase leading to Verga’s apartment, preserved to reflect the atmosphere of a late 19th-century bourgeois home. The first rooms introduce the writer through manuscripts, photographs, and personal objects. In the sitting room, display cases hold copies of his writings, while a sculpted bust of Verga and the death mask of his father add a reflective tone to the space.
The core of the house is the library, the most significant room in the museum. Here, more than 2,500 volumes line the walls, including works by Verga himself and a wide range of Italian and European authors. A central table displays personal items, offering insight into the intellectual world that shaped his literary realism. This setting helps visitors understand the context behind works such as “The House by the Medlar Tree” and “Rustic Chivalry”, the latter achieving renewed fame through its stage adaptation by Eleonora Duse in 1884 and its operatic version by Pietro Mascagni in 1890. The remaining rooms are furnished simply and tastefully, ending with a small dining room connected to the kitchen above by a discreet dumbwaiter.
The visit begins with a staircase leading to Verga’s apartment, preserved to reflect the atmosphere of a late 19th-century bourgeois home. The first rooms introduce the writer through manuscripts, photographs, and personal objects. In the sitting room, display cases hold copies of his writings, while a sculpted bust of Verga and the death mask of his father add a reflective tone to the space.
The core of the house is the library, the most significant room in the museum. Here, more than 2,500 volumes line the walls, including works by Verga himself and a wide range of Italian and European authors. A central table displays personal items, offering insight into the intellectual world that shaped his literary realism. This setting helps visitors understand the context behind works such as “The House by the Medlar Tree” and “Rustic Chivalry”, the latter achieving renewed fame through its stage adaptation by Eleonora Duse in 1884 and its operatic version by Pietro Mascagni in 1890. The remaining rooms are furnished simply and tastefully, ending with a small dining room connected to the kitchen above by a discreet dumbwaiter.
12) Museo Civico (Civic Museum)
The Civic Museum of Catania offers an introduction to the city’s artistic and historical heritage, housed within the imposing walls of Ursino Castle. Built in the 13th century for Emperor Frederick II as a royal fortress of the Kingdom of Sicily, the castle later served as the seat of the Sicilian Parliament during the Sicilian Vespers. Remarkably well preserved, it is one of the few medieval structures in Catania to survive the earthquake of 1693.
The museum took its modern form in 1934, when Guido Libertini, Superintendent of Antiquities, relocated several major collections here following the closure of the Biscari Museum. Ursino Castle brought together archaeology, sculpture, and fine art under one roof. Today, these collections trace Catania’s development from antiquity through the early modern period.
Inside, the rectangular castle is organized around an open-air courtyard, with four circular towers anchoring its corners. The ground floor focuses on archaeology and ancient history, displaying Greek and Roman statues, mosaics, vases, and a renowned collection of Hellenistic and Roman bronze figurines. This level also includes the Arms Room, while the walls of the corridors and courtyard preserve carved names, symbols, and inscriptions left by prisoners from the centuries when the castle served as a jail.
The upper floor shifts to painting and sculpture from the 17th and 18th centuries, featuring works by Matthias Stom, Pietro Novelli, Mario Minniti, and artists influenced by Caravaggio, with some rooms dedicated to individual masters. Additional sections display numismatics, engravings, and the Epigraphs of the Early Christians.
The museum took its modern form in 1934, when Guido Libertini, Superintendent of Antiquities, relocated several major collections here following the closure of the Biscari Museum. Ursino Castle brought together archaeology, sculpture, and fine art under one roof. Today, these collections trace Catania’s development from antiquity through the early modern period.
Inside, the rectangular castle is organized around an open-air courtyard, with four circular towers anchoring its corners. The ground floor focuses on archaeology and ancient history, displaying Greek and Roman statues, mosaics, vases, and a renowned collection of Hellenistic and Roman bronze figurines. This level also includes the Arms Room, while the walls of the corridors and courtyard preserve carved names, symbols, and inscriptions left by prisoners from the centuries when the castle served as a jail.
The upper floor shifts to painting and sculpture from the 17th and 18th centuries, featuring works by Matthias Stom, Pietro Novelli, Mario Minniti, and artists influenced by Caravaggio, with some rooms dedicated to individual masters. Additional sections display numismatics, engravings, and the Epigraphs of the Early Christians.
13) At 'Piscaria (Catania Fish Market) (must see)
Catania Fish Market has operated continuously since the early 19th century and remains inseparable from the rhythms of the sea. Part of the market unfolds beneath the Tunnel of Charles V, a 16th-century stone passage dug under the Palace of the Seminary of the Clerics and the former defensive walls built during the reign of Emperor Charles V. The vaulted tunnel amplifies sound and smell alike: vendors’ shouted prices echo against lava-stone walls, while the scent of saltwater and fresh fish lingers in the air.
From early morning, stalls spill into surrounding streets, piled high with seafood from the Ionian Sea: swordfish, tuna, sea bass, shrimp, anchovies, clams, mussels, and sea urchins, some of it still moving as it is cleaned and cut on the spot. Vendors compete for attention with loud shouted calls in a lively contest for attention, while water is constantly thrown across the pavement to keep the fish fresh.
In recent years, the Fish Market has also become a place where visitors can actively take part in Catania’s food culture. Travelers often wander through the stalls to watch fishmongers skillfully clean swordfish or open sea urchins, sometimes offering a quick taste of the bright orange roe. Small counters nearby prepare seafood on the spot, frying anchovies, calamari, or shrimp and serving them in paper cones for an easy snack while walking through the market. Some vendors also shuck oysters or slice raw fish for simple tastings. Arriving early in the morning gives visitors the best chance to see the market at full energy, when the stalls are busiest and the day’s catch is still being sorted and sold.
From early morning, stalls spill into surrounding streets, piled high with seafood from the Ionian Sea: swordfish, tuna, sea bass, shrimp, anchovies, clams, mussels, and sea urchins, some of it still moving as it is cleaned and cut on the spot. Vendors compete for attention with loud shouted calls in a lively contest for attention, while water is constantly thrown across the pavement to keep the fish fresh.
In recent years, the Fish Market has also become a place where visitors can actively take part in Catania’s food culture. Travelers often wander through the stalls to watch fishmongers skillfully clean swordfish or open sea urchins, sometimes offering a quick taste of the bright orange roe. Small counters nearby prepare seafood on the spot, frying anchovies, calamari, or shrimp and serving them in paper cones for an easy snack while walking through the market. Some vendors also shuck oysters or slice raw fish for simple tastings. Arriving early in the morning gives visitors the best chance to see the market at full energy, when the stalls are busiest and the day’s catch is still being sorted and sold.
Walking Tours in Catania, Italy
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.
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
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
The Most Popular Cities
/ view all