LOTUS EATERS TRAVEL

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ONE DAY ITINERARY CATANIA, SICILY: A PLAN FOR MORNING, AFTERNOON & EVENING.

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Catania is the second city of Sicily, oft overlooked by tourists dismissing it as dirty and even unsafe. When we researched Catania before our trip we found reams of comments on Reddit declaring that Catania simply wasn’t worth visiting. Our experience couldn’t have been further from this.

Whilst it wasn’t quite love at first sight in Catania, a late night walk from the train station did make us feel a little uneasy. It wasn’t a slow burn romance either. As soon as we got to the historic centre and saw the glorious Duomo and the piazza full of life and character – we knew that there was more to Catania than we had expected.

But it was discovering the area around Via Gemmellaro with the lively nightlife that really sealed the deal for us – Catania would quickly become one of our favourite destinations in Sicily.

We think Catania is one of those cities that can be easily misjudged. Go to the wrong areas and you’ll feel you’ve been sold a dud. But, find the best bits, and you’ll be waxing lyrical about just how wonderful Catania is. Like us.

This is why we wanted to put together this guide to spending one day in Catania, to help you fall in love with the city too. Although we spent longer in Catania, we recognize that many people will either pop into the city for only one day, or will use the city as a base to explore more of eastern Sicily.

Interested in finding out about the best day trips to from Catania – you can find our guide here.

Is Catania worth visiting?

Absolutely yes, 100 percent! We loved visiting Catania and it became one of our favourite places in the whole of Sicily.

The city has an unpolished charm to it that is becoming harder to find in Sicily’s more upmarket towns and cities. Catania is good size for visitors to visit in a day. You won’t see everything but you can definitely see the main attractions in this time.

There is also an amazing food scene that is accessible to all that I will explain about later.

Is Catania safe for travelers?

Yes, Catania is generally safe for tourists. When we went we had a preconception like many visitors that the city was not safe. However this idea cannot be further from the truth and we felt safe the whole time we were there, day and night.

All of this said, it is best to stick to the main areas of the city – the historic centre and busy areas at night. Whilst not “unsafe”, we didn’t much like the vibe around the train station at night.

Do note, we also did not travel with a hire car. A local we spoke to did tell us that if you have a hire car in Catania that may be a target for thieves.

It’s also worth adding that there is a Red Light district in Catania quite near to the centre, in the San Berillo district. It may be worth steering clear of this in the evening.

Is one day enough in Catania?

One day is never going to be enough to truly get under the skin of a city. But, Catania is a very walkable city and as such, you can get around the main tourist attractions in one day. Especially if you have a handy one day guide like this one!

Personally, we would recommend spending a little longer in Catania. It makes an excellent base from which to explore more in Eastern Sicily. And as the nightlife and food scene in Catania is so good, there’s always a reason to come back to the city in the evening.

Find our guide to the best day trips from Catania here.

And, if you do only have one day – read on to find out what to do in Catania.

One Day in Catania Itinerary: A map

To make things easier for you, we’ve put together a map with all the key places to visit during one day in Catania.

One Day in Catania Itinerary

Below you can find our suggestions for spending one day in Catania.

A morning in Catania

BUT FIRST, COFFEE

If you are starting the day and are in need of a coffee and pastry (or arancinni if that’s your jam!), we would highly recommend a trip to this coffee shop. Artemisia Caffeterria Bistro has great bakes and coffee, plus it is handily located near to the centre of historic district for your first activity.

After a coffee, stroll to the nearby Bellini Gardens (named after the local composer and not the cocktail). From the gardens, you can catch your first glimpse of Mount Etna on a clear day.

SEARCH FOR TREASURE

From the park, we would recommend walking a loop down Via Sant’Euplio to the Roman Amiptheatre of Catania. Catch a glimpse of this, then head around to Catania’s sprawling market, Mattutino di San Gaetano.

Come here reasonably early hour to catch the best bargains. The market has the the usual things – from leather goods, to toiletries and household sundries. One of the the things that we loved about this market, is that it feels very real – a daily market where locals come to actually buy things, rather than a place targeted at tourists.

The second fun aspect of this market – are the stalls offering items of clothing for as low a price as 50 cents. Simply rummage through the giant heaps of garments laid out on the tables, until you find your hidden gem. A great time was had, particularly by the female half of Lotus Eaters Travel!

HIT THE MAIN SITES

With one day in Catania, we highly recommend taking a walking tour with a local guide.

This tour will tell you far more in a 2 hours than you could hope to do by yourself. The prices in Catania for tours are genuinely very reasonable (around $40). Time of the tour starts at 10:30am and takes in the grand Duomo, The Castle and the history of Catania. Check availability below.

If you don’t opt for a walking tour, be sure to spend time in all the main sites – such as :

• The fish market – a fun, if not slightly smelly experience. Must visit in the morning before it closes.
• Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata – beautiful from the outside and breath-taking inside.
• Chiesa della Badia di Sant’Agata – a smaller church next to the Cathedral. This one is famed for the panormaic view from the tower. Visit before 12:30, or if you miss it you can circle back here for sunset views.
• Teatro Massimo Bellini – a nineteenth century opera house.
• Teatro Antico greco-romano di Catania – the second ampitheatre in Catania – this one requires a ticket.

You can find locations of all these places in our map at the top of this blog post.

An afternoon in Catania

LANGUID LUNCH

Now you’ve finished your tour we have a nice little spot to recommend for lunch. If you are in Catania then you have to try the local dish of Pasta alla Norma, a simple recipe of pasta, tomatoes and aubergines/eggplant.

We went to a La Pentolaccia, a traditional place that specialized in this dish. They had a large terrace out the back which was great. The pasta was so delicious and reasonably priced at 9 euros, while a 500ml of wine was around 4 euros. We never had a better one the whole time we were in Sicily. A must try for those in the city for a day.

If you’d rather something more active, but still foodie – why not try a Sicilian cooking class? Either this Pizza making class, or this one focused on traditional Catanian cuisine.

(Also at this time of day, if you have the chance I would strongly recommend calling into and making a dinner reservation for Vermut. You could also contact them online in advance of your trip). The food and drink here is incredible, but they have queues out the door from 7pm so it’s essential to book. The food and drink are very good value, with dishes costing between 4-6 euros and drinks less than 3 euros.

WANDER ALONG CHURCH STREET

For such a famous street, Via Crociferi is a quiet and peaceful place to meander after lunch. Along this road, you’ll find four churches dating back to the 18th century, in beautiful Baroque style, and a monastery. Depending on when you visit, you’ll find that some of the churches are open to enter.

A SHORT RIPOSO

After sightseeing and lunch, and with a big night ahead, don’t be afraid to indulge in a classic Italian tradition. The Riposo – or rest.

Evenings in Catania are best enjoyed late, especially in the heat of summer. During our trip, we had one or two nights where we sat down to dinner at 23:00. And, had we not taken the chance for a small Riposo, I’m not sure we would have made it.

I you’re reading this and in your 20s, do feel free to discount this advice!

An evening in Catania

MUSIC IN PIAZZA DUOMO

First take a stroll through the Piazza Duomo and take in the numerous buskers playing a mixture of English and Italian songs. We love this area of Catania, it reminded us of the piazzas we spent time in the Southern Italian city of Bari.

Take time to enjoy the atmosphere, maybe taking a perch on the Elephant statue.

If you missed the chance to climb the tower of Chiesa della Badia di Sant’Agata in the morning – then do this now. It is very atmospheric at sunset.

APERITIVO TIME

In Sicily, 18:30 onwards is Aperitivo time. A chance for a small snack and a cold drink, like Aperol Spritz. We liked Bottega Sveva located near the castle, the staff and the vibe of the place was great with a lush terrace. The quality to value level was also strong. A drink here will get you ready to enjoy a fantastic evening in Catania.

DINNER & DRINKS UNTIL LATE

For a less touristic dinner experience I recommend that you head to Via Gemmellaro, where there are numerous bars and restaurants to try.

This is where locals like to hangout and there is a youthful vibe to the place. We highly recommend Vermut restaurant if you can get a seat. If you are unable to get a table for food there is a side standing section with a hole in the wall to buy drinks. The Maitre D’ of the restaurant is exceptionally kind and welcoming.

There are many restaurants along Via Gemmellaro that will also happily accommodate you if Vermut can’t. And, for a more formal dining experience, check out the top rated restaurants, like MOON, along nearby Via Santa Filemena.

After dinner soak up the atmosphere on this street there is are lots of bars and clubs to choose from that are not touristy. We liked The Glory Hole for a late night sticky pub feel.

What is the easiest way to get to Catania from overseas?

If you need to Catania from abroad the best way is to fly to Vicenzo Bellini Catania airport. Modern and clean this is a nice gateway to Sicily.

What are the main differences between Catania and Palermo?

For me the biggest difference between the two cities is the level of tourism and the city layout.

Palermo seems to have a more established tourist area being the capital of the island while in Catania it can feel a bit less discovered and more gritty.

In Palermo there are the two giant ‘pedestrianized’ streets that cross and everyone seems to walk down while in Catania the streets and more windy and less busy. However both match each other for food and sightseeing.

You can find our full comparison of Palermo and Catania here.

Where to next in Sicily?

We’ve got loads of similar guides to help you explore Sicily more. Find them below:

• One day in Palermo: A guide to seeing the best bits
• Visiting Mondello Beach from Palermo
• One day in Cefalu: A day trip from Palermo
• One idyllic day in Syracuse & Ortigia
• Palermo or Catania: Where should you start your Sicily adventures?
• One day in the city of Catania: An unexpected gem
• Day trips from Catania: 9 of the best
• Best things to do in Modica for the day
• A guide to Ragusa: things to do and where to stay
• Modica or Ragusa – which is better?
• Pozzallo Beach – the traditional sandy beach town dream
• Best things to do in Sutera, Sicily
• Walking in Sicily on the Magna Via Francigena
• A two week itinerary in Sicily – how to travel without a car

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Written by John

Blogger. Hiker. Explorer. Chess Fan.

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