Catania City Guide

Rooftop view down Via Etnea in Catania at sunset, baroque domes and bell tower in front of Mount Etna
HoliplanetItaly · Holiplanet City Guides

CataniaCity Guide

Points of interest & local experiences

Lava-stone Baroque, a morning fish market and Etna on the skyline, with fares, closures and opening days checked on official sources.

Explore Catania Explore the places
Restaurant tables under an awning in a side street of CataniaDining Market stalls under floating umbrellas in a Catania streetShopping The Baroque façade of Catania Cathedral on Piazza del DuomoAttractions An elderly couple walking down a Catania street towards a dome and snowy EtnaLive Local Rooftop view over the domes of the Badia di Sant’Agata and the CathedralStay
Header photography & credits

Cover photograph: Photo: NOVA · Unsplash License · source. Dining: Photo: anastasiia mazurok · Unsplash License · source. Shopping: Photo: Shana Van Roosbroek · Unsplash License · source. Attractions: Photo: Samir Kharrat · Unsplash License · source. Live Local: Photo: Joshua Kettle · Unsplash License · source. Stay: Photo: Efrem Efre · Pexels License · source. Images illustrate the destination or category.

Catania, selected by Holiplanet
Independent picks, checked facts and practical ideas.

Holiplanet’s Catania guide

What are the best things to do in Catania?

Things to do in Catania start in Piazza del Duomo, where the lava-stone elephant U Liotru faces Vaccarini’s Cathedral of Sant’Agata, and just behind it at La Pescheria, the noisy morning fish market reached down a staircase of volcanic rock. Walk Via Etnea, 3 km aimed straight at the volcano; take the guided tour of the Benedictine monastery, whose garden sits on the lava of 1669; find the Roman theatre hidden among the houses; and give a whole day to Etna, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2013. After the 1669 eruption and the 1693 earthquake the city was rebuilt on the same spot in black lava stone and pale limestone, which is why it belongs to UNESCO’s Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto. Each February and on 17 August the city pours into the streets for Sant’Agata. This Catania city guide gathers what we checked on official sources on 26 October 2026, including what is closed right now.

Getting Here & Getting Around

How do you get to Catania and around the city?

There is no metro to Catania airport: the extension is stalled and not expected before 2030. Take the Alibus instead, €4 for 90 minutes, roughly every 18 minutes from 04:40 to 00:30, reaching Catania Centrale in about 15 minutes. In town, a 90-minute AMTS bus ticket costs €1.40 and the single metro line runs from Monte Po to Stesicoro.

01 · Travel essentials

Getting here

From Catania Airport (CTA): the AMTS Alibus runs a circular route every day: first departure 04:40, last 00:30, about every 18 minutes in the daytime and every 25–35 minutes late at night. It reaches Catania Centrale in about 15 minutes, then Via Etnea and Piazza Stesicoro. The €4 ticket, sold on board by cash or card, is valid 90 minutes on other AMTS city lines; ordinary AMTS and metro tickets are not valid on the Alibus.

No airport metro yet: the Stesicoro–Aeroporto extension has stalled; in November 2025 the Circumetnea’s director general put completion at 2030.

By train: Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa station is linked to the terminal by an AMTS shuttle bus (€1.40, sold with the rail ticket). Regional trains run to Messina, Taormina, Siracusa and Caltagirone.

By coach: Etna Trasporti and Interbus run from the airport to Taormina (about 85 min, €7) and Siracusa (about 70 min, €6.20), also stopping at the Via Archimede bus station.

Alibus tickets · Alibus route and times · Airport train + shuttle · Coaches from the airport · Airport metro delay

02 · Travel essentials

Getting around

Buses: AMTS fares rose on 8 April 2025: €1.40 for 90 minutes and €3.50 for a day, or €2.00 and €4.10 if bought on board. Line D serves the Plaia beaches and line 534 Aci Castello.

Metro: one underground line, 8.7 km and 12 stations from Monte Po to Stesicoro. It runs about 06:00–22:30 Monday to Thursday, to 01:00 on Friday and Saturday, and 07:00–22:30 on Sunday. A ride costs €1.00; the MetroBus ticket, with unlimited buses, is €2.00 for 120 minutes.

Circumetnea: the 110 km railway round Etna is cut short by metro works. Trains now run only between Santa Maria di Licodia and Riposto, with replacement buses from Nesima metro, Monday to Saturday.

Driving: the historic centre is a camera-controlled ZTL. Ask your hotel before driving in.

Bus fares · Metro tickets · Metro hours · Circumetnea works

03 · Travel essentials

Taxis and transfers

Radio Taxi Catania answers 24 hours a day on +39 095 8833, on WhatsApp at +39 342 073 6541 and through the appTaxi app. Local press reported in June 2026 that the city is trialling a fixed €27 fare between the airport and Piazza Duomo or Catania Centrale until 31 December 2026, and a €12 Taxi by Night fare for up to four people inside the historic centre, 20:00–05:00. Agree the fare with the driver before you set off.

Uber: active in Catania, where the app lists Comfort and Van rides and licensed taxis through itTaxi.

Transfers: private-hire cars with driver (NCC) work only on advance booking: book airport or Etna transfers ahead.

Alternatives to a taxi: the Alibus, the airport train shuttle, and the metro until 01:00 at weekends.

Radio Taxi Catania · Call Radio Taxi · Taxi fares 2026 · Uber in Catania

04 · Travel essentials

Apps to download

  • AMTS Smart TicketingThe official city-bus app: tickets, passes and QR validation, Alibus included. App Store
  • FCE CataniaMetro tickets, passes and the ten-ride carnet from the Circumetnea. App Store · Google Play
  • appTaxiBook a Radio Taxi Catania car. App Store
  • TrenitaliaRegional trains to Taormina and Siracusa, and the airport station with its shuttle. App Store

Install before arrival. On the Alibus you can also pay the driver by card.

Last updated October 2026. Transport and app information checked 26 October 2026; fares and timetables change, so check your date and route with the operator.

Lava stone, Baroque & Roman Catania

What should you see first in Catania?

Eight places that explain the city, each with why it is worth your time and the hours or prices read on its official page.

Fontana dell'Elefante with its lava-stone elephant and obelisk in Piazza del Duomo, Catania, with people walking past
Photo: Dmitry Romanoff · Unsplash License · source
01Holiplanet Pick · Must-see

Piazza del Duomo & Sant’Agata

Why go: Vaccarini’s Baroque cathedral keeps the chapel with Saint Agatha’s relics and the tombs of Aragonese kings, while U Liotru, the lava-stone elephant on its fountain, has become the city’s symbol.

Cathedral website →

Directions ↗

02Holiplanet Pick · Market

La Pescheria

Why go: the ancient morning fish market, down a lava-stone staircase off Piazza del Duomo, where stallholders shout the day’s catch. Come early.

About the market →

Directions ↗

03Holiplanet Pick · Built on lava

Monastero dei Benedettini

Why go: cloisters, Roman house remains, an 18th-century kitchen and a garden laid over the 1669 lava. Guided tours only, daily 10:00–17:00 in Italian and English, €10.

Book a tour →

Directions ↗

04Holiplanet Pick · Roman Catania

Teatro Romano & Odeon

Why go: a Roman theatre wedged among the houses of Via Vittorio Emanuele. Daily 09:00–19:00, last entry 18:30; €8, reduced €4; €10 with the Rotonda and Indirizzo baths.

About the theatre →

Directions ↗

05Holiplanet Pick · Medieval

Castello Ursino

Why go: Frederick II of Swabia’s 13th-century castle, now the Museo Civico. Daily 09:00–19:00, ticket office to 18:00; full ticket €6 on the Ministry of Culture listing.

Visitor information →

Directions ↗

06Holiplanet Pick · Views

Museo Diocesano & terraces

Why go: rooftop terraces over the domes towards Etna, and below the cathedral the Terme Achilliane, Roman baths with the Amenano running through. Museum €7, baths €5, both €10.

Tickets →

Directions ↗

07Holiplanet Pick · Baroque street

Via dei Crociferi

Why go: Catania’s most theatrical Baroque street, lined with churches. San Francesco Borgia opens Tuesday–Saturday 9–13 and 14:30–18:30, Sunday 9–13, €4.

Opening hours →

Directions ↗

08Holiplanet Pick · Noble palace

Palazzo Biscari

Why go: the largest noble residence in Catania, its rococo salons shown on 30-minute guided visits by reservation, in English at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30. €10, reduced €7.

Book a visit →

Directions ↗

Hours and prices from official pages, checked 26 October 2026. Teatro Massimo Bellini’s guided tours have been suspended since 10 May 2026 for maintenance.

Tours & experiences · indicative prices

Which tours and experiences are worth booking in Catania?

A cable car onto Etna, a summit trek, a wine train and a sail along the Cyclops coast. Prices from each operator’s own page.

A red Funivia dell’Etna cable car cabin above the rim of a Silvestri crater
© Funivia dell’Etna · source

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · Volcano

Etna Tour 3000

About 2.5 hours · cable car, 4x4 and volcanological guide

The cable car climbs from 1,920 to 2,500 m; 4x4 vehicles and a guide then take you towards 3,000 m, the highest point the authorities allow. Daily 08:30–15:15.

€82 per person

Cable car only, to 2,500 m: €54

Tour 3000 →
Steaming summit craters of Mount Etna under a blue sky
© Guidetna.it · source

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · Summit trek

Etna’s summit craters on foot

5–6 hours · certified alpine and volcanological guides

From Piano Provenzana in the north, or by cable car and 4x4 to about 2,820 m in the south, then on foot to 3,250–3,400 m. Guide, insurance and helmet included.

North €120 · South €130 per adult

Children €100 north, €120 south · pay on the day

Summit craters →
A green and white Circumetnea railcar crossing lava fields towards snow-capped Etna
© Strada del Vino dell’Etna · source

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · Wine

Etna Wine Train

Thursdays and Saturdays · until 28 November 2026

Meet at 09:15 at Linguaglossa station, ride the Circumetnea to Randazzo, then taste at two wineries with a guide, back around 16:00. Book 48 hours ahead.

€175 per adult

Ages 11–17 €95 · ages 4–10 €65

Wine train →
Guests on the deck of a sailing yacht facing the sea stacks of Aci Trezza
© Go-Etna · source

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · Sea

Sailing the Cyclops coast

4 hours · skippered Sun Odyssey 44

A skippered yacht sails from the Port of Catania to the Riviera dei Ciclopi and its sea stacks, with an aperitif on board.

€90 per person

Sailing tour →

Prices checked 26 October 2026 on the Funivia dell’Etna, Guidetna, Strada del Vino dell’Etna and Go-Etna websites. Confirm live prices, hours and inclusions before booking. Holiplanet Picks are editorial, not paid.

Wellness · bathing in the city

Where can you swim and relax in Catania?

Catania has two coasts: the long sand of the Plaia to the south and black lava rock to the north, towards Aci Castello. Out of season, the historic baths of Acireale are not an option: they are closed.

The Plaia

A long sandy beach south of the centre, with private lidos and three municipal free beaches. In 2026 the city’s Mare per Tutti scheme set up 12 accessible stations there with amphibious chairs. Bus D from Piazza Borsellino.

Accessible beaches 2026 → Directions ↗
San Giovanni Li Cuti

A lava-rock cove with a municipal solarium and step-free access, reopened on 5 June 2026 after cyclone Harry damaged it in January. The 220 m stretch by the village harbour is closed to bathing.

Solarium 2026 → Directions ↗
Aci Castello & Aci Trezza

North of the city the coast turns to lava rock, within the Isole Ciclopi marine protected area. Bus 534 runs all year.

Marine protected area →
Terme di Acireale: closed

The historic Santa Venera baths are not operating: works on the park and the historic building began in February 2025 and no reopening date has been given.

Works at the baths →

Bathing is banned in 2026 at Ognina harbour, the tourist harbour, the whole port area and the Simeto mouth. Bathing bans 2026 →

Day trips · volcano, coast & Greek theatres

Which day trips from Catania are worth it?

Etna by public bus, Taormina and Siracusa by coach or train, and the Cyclops coast at the city’s edge.

Snow-covered Mount Etna with a smoke plume rising above the city and the curve of the Gulf of Catania
Photo: Samir Kharrat · Unsplash License · source

Before you go

Buses and trains get you there

An AST bus leaves Piazza Giovanni XXIII for Rifugio Sapienza at 08:15 and returns at 16:30, about two hours each way, €6.60 return (August 2026 guide). Coaches and regional trains serve Taormina and Siracusa; AMTS bus 534 goes to Aci Castello.

Etna by bus →
Extinct side craters and lava fields on the slopes of Mount Etna under a bright blue sky
Photo: Anastasiia Rozumna · Unsplash License · source

Directions ↗

Day trip · Volcano · UNESCO

Mount Etna

AST bus to Rifugio Sapienza, 1,910 m · about 2 h

One of the world’s most active volcanoes, with eruptions documented for at least 2,700 years. Rifugio Sapienza is the last point reached by car or bus; from there the cable car rises to about 2,500 m.

Cable car →
Ruined brick arches and columns of Taormina's ancient theatre framing the bay and coastline below
Photo: Stepan Dudycha · Unsplash License · source

Directions ↗

Day trip · Greek theatre

Taormina

Coach about 85 min, €7 · train about 1 h 12

The Teatro Antico frames the bay and, on clear days, Etna. Tickets €12, reduced €6; open 09:00–17:45 until 31 October, so check winter hours. Trains stop at Taormina-Giardini, below the town.

Teatro Antico →
Palazzi on the sea walls of Ortigia island in Siracusa glowing in golden evening light above the sea
Photo: Alexandra Smielova · Unsplash License · source

Directions ↗

Day trip · Ortigia & Neapolis

Siracusa & Ortigia

Interbus IN01 about 70 min, €6.20 · train 1 h 05–1 h 24

Ortigia’s palazzi rise from the sea walls; the Neapolis park keeps the Greek Theatre, €14 or €7 reduced. Coaches stop about 1.25 km from the Ortigia bridge.

Neapolis tickets →
Faraglioni sea stacks of Aci Trezza silhouetted against a golden sunset sky, long-exposure sea in the foreground
Photo: Ludovica Dri · Unsplash License · source

Directions ↗

Day trip · Cyclops coast

Aci Castello & Aci Trezza

AMTS bus 534 all year, 06:00–22:40

The sea stacks of Aci Trezza and the Cyclops Islands form a marine protected area a short bus ride north.

Isole Ciclopi →

Access details checked 26 October 2026; coach fares and times come from a travel guide updated in August 2026. Etna access depends on weather and volcanic activity: confirm on the day.

No ticket, or nearly

What can you do in Catania for free?

The great square, two markets, the main street, a public garden and several Roman ruins cost nothing.

Shopper seen from behind under a stone arch at Catania's fish market, stallholders and red umbrellas beyond
Photo: pierre matile · Pexels License · source
Piazza del Duomo

The cathedral square and U Liotru, the lava elephant, cost nothing at any hour.

Two markets

La Pescheria in the morning and Fera ’o Luni on Piazza Carlo Alberto, both closed on Sunday.

Via Etnea & Villa Bellini

Walk the 3 km street towards the volcano to one of the city’s two oldest public gardens.

Roman ruins for free

Terme della Rotonda, Terme dell’Indirizzo, the Ipogeo Romano (booking) and the Katane exhibition.

First Sunday

State and regional museums and sites open free on the first Sunday of each month.

San Nicolò l’Arena

The church beside the monastery is free; its rooftop walkway costs extra.

Free means no admission fee for the space listed, based on official pages checked 26 October 2026. Guided tours cost extra.

Walks · beyond the postcard

Where can you walk in Catania?

Four routes on foot through the centre, each one a different layer of the city. Start early in summer.

Via dei Crociferi in Catania with baroque church facades, the San Benedetto arch and people strolling in warm light
Photo: Alisa Skripina · Pexels License · source
01

Via Etnea, towards the volcano

From Piazza del Duomo, follow the 3 km street north past the Collegiata to Villa Bellini, with Etna filling the end of the view.

About Via Etnea →
02

Baroque Via dei Crociferi

Baroque churches in a row; look into San Francesco Borgia, open Tuesday to Sunday.

Opening hours →
03

Roman Catania

The theatre on Via Vittorio Emanuele, the free Rotonda baths behind it, then the amphitheatre on Piazza Stesicoro (€6, reduced €3).

Tickets →
04

In Saint Agatha’s steps

From the Cathedral to the three Agathine churches: Sant’Agata la Vetere, Sant’Agata alla Fornace and the Carcere.

Route →

Culture · faith · music

What makes Catania’s culture different?

The city of Vincenzo Bellini keeps its puppet theatre and its saint at the centre of public life. Giovanni Verga’s house museum is closed for maintenance.

Interior of Catania Cathedral looking towards the frescoed apse and altar, visitors small in the nave
Photo: Aron Marinelli · Unsplash License · source

The city’s saint

Sant’Agata, twice a year

From 3 to 5 February, and again on 17 August, Catania follows its patron saint through the streets: the guilds’ towering candelore and the silver fercolo carrying her reliquary bust make it one of the largest Catholic festivals in the world.

Saint Agatha’s Catania →
01

Teatro Massimo Bellini

Opened in 1890 with about 1,200 seats; the 2026–27 season includes La bella addormentata from 1 to 6 December. Guided tours are suspended.

Season →

Directions ↗

02

Opera dei Pupi

Sicilian puppet theatre is on UNESCO’s Representative List; Catania is one of its two schools, with Palermo.

UNESCO listing →
03

Teatro Stabile di Catania

Founded in 1958; its 2026–27 season, Materia Viva, plays at the Teatro Verga and Sala Futura.

What’s on →

Directions ↗

04

Bellini’s city

The composer was born here, pasta alla Norma takes its name from his opera, and the Bellini Festival runs from 23 September to 3 November.

Bellini and Catania →

Did you know?

Arancino, not arancina

In Catania the rice ball is masculine: ask for an arancino,.

Rebuilt on the same spot

After the 1693 earthquake Catania rose again where it stood, while Noto moved to an entirely new site.

The Monday market

Fera ’o Luni means ‘Monday market’, after the only day it once opened.

Sicily’s oldest DOC

Etna DOC, created in 1968, is Sicily’s oldest wine appellation, built on Nerello Mascalese and Carricante.

After dark · jazz · stage

What is there to do in Catania in the evening?

Jazz, opera and contemporary stages. On 31 October 2026 the Benedictine monastery also opens for an evening tour, Luci e Ombre, from 20:00 to 22:00.

Silhouettes of two people walking down a Catania street towards the setting sun between dark palazzi
Photo: yaennckew · Unsplash License · source

Getting home

Late metro and a fixed night taxi

The metro runs until 01:00 on Friday and Saturday. Local press reports a fixed €12 Taxi by Night fare inside the historic centre from 20:00 to 05:00 for up to four people; Radio Taxi Catania answers around the clock on +39 095 8833.

Taxi fares 2026 →
Holiplanet Night Pick · Jazz

Catania Jazz

Running since 1983, the festival opened its 43rd season on 23 October 2026 at the Teatro Metropolitan; subscriptions start at €120.

See the programme →

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Night Pick · Opera

Teatro Massimo Bellini

La bella addormentata from 1 to 6 December 2026, Carmen from 14 to 21 February 2027; some shows move to the Metropolitan.

Browse the season →

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Night Pick · Contemporary arts

Zō Centro Culture Contemporanee

Live music, performance and contemporary arts in the Le Ciminiere area.

What’s on at Zō →

Directions ↗

Dining in Catania · Holiplanet’s 8 picks

Where should you eat in Catania?

Eight independent picks from our Catania restaurant directory: two MICHELIN-starred tables, a Bib Gourmand bistro, an osteria beside the fish market, a fish butcher, fusion by the sea and a pizzeria on Via Crociferi. Not ranked, not paid.

Fishmongers cutting fish on wet stalls and shoppers crowding Catania's La Pescheria under red umbrellas
Photo: Yoav Aziz · Unsplash License · source

Before choosing a table

Start with the local flavours

Catania cooks from the market and the mountain. Order pasta alla Norma, named after Bellini’s opera; an arancino, masculine here; the morning’s fish from the Pescheria; and anything with Bronte pistachio, a DOP since 2009. For dessert, the olivette and minnuzze of Sant’Agata, or a cannolo; to drink, Etna DOC wines from Nerello Mascalese and Carricante.

See Holiplanet’s eight dining picks →

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · One MICHELIN Star 2026

Ristorante Coria

Contemporary Sicilian · Via Prefettura 21

Chefs Domenico Colonnetta and Francesco Patti cook in Palazzo San Demetrio, steps from the Duomo; a MICHELIN star since 2012.

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · One MICHELIN Star 2026

Sapio

Etna-inspired tasting menus · Piazza Antonino Gandolfo 11

Chef Alessandro Ingiulla’s tasting menus retell Etna’s cuisine through local produce; dinner Tuesday to Sunday, closed Monday.

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2026

Me Cumpari Turiddu

Sicilian bistro · Piazza Turi Ferro 36

A retro bistro, café and deli with an open kitchen, cooking seasonal Sicilian dishes from small producers and Slow Food Presidia.

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · Featured by Gambero Rosso

Vuciata – Kitchen Market

Market osteria · Via Gisira 8

Beside the Pescheria: market seafood such as swordfish carpaccio, outdoor tables and Sicilian-only wines.

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · MICHELIN Guide

Angiò – Macelleria di Mare

Seafood · Viale Africa 28/H

A fish butcher that cures and smokes seafood into charcuterie, such as tuna ham, served alongside a seafood menu.

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · Featured by Gambero Rosso

Amocù by Seby Sorbello

Contemporary fusion · Via Vecchia Ognina 147/B

Chef Seby Sorbello mixes Sicilian tradition with Asian and Latin American influences, with a terrace for summer evenings.

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · Featured by Gambero Rosso

Uzeta Bistrò Siciliano

Sicilian bistro · Via Penninello 41

Once a tapas bar, now a relaxed bistro in the historic centre with a seasonal menu rooted in regional traditions.

Directions ↗

Holiplanet Pick · Gambero Rosso Pizzerie guide

Locanda Cerami

Pizzeria and restaurant · Via Crociferi 69

An awarded pizzeria on Baroque Via Crociferi, with outdoor tables, dozens of pizzas and meat and fish dishes.

See all 30 restaurants in Catania →

Shopping & local flavours

What should you buy in Catania?

The best shopping here is edible: two street markets, pistachios from the volcano’s slopes, Etna wines and the sweets of Sant’Agata.

Narrow street in historic Catania lined with market stalls, awnings and shoppers between ornate balconies
Photo: Mateusz Butkiewicz · Unsplash License · source
La Pescheria

The morning catch on wet stalls behind Piazza del Duomo, every day except Sunday.

Fera ’o Luni

The big open-air market between Piazza Carlo Alberto and Piazza Stesicoro, roughly 07:00–14:00; closed on Sunday.

Via Etnea

The city’s main street runs 3 km from the cathedral towards the volcano, with shops, cafés and pastry shops.

Bronte pistachio

Pistacchio Verde di Bronte DOP is picked by hand only in odd-numbered years and makes up just over 1% of world output.

Etna wines

Etna DOC bottles from the wineries on the volcano’s slopes.

Sweets of Sant’Agata

Olivette and minnuzze, made for the saint’s feast, alongside cannoli and iris.

From italia.it, Il Post and the Strada del Vino dell’Etna, checked 26 October 2026. Market hours are not officially published: go in the morning.

Plan ahead · seasons & practical tips

When is the best time to visit Catania?

April to June and September: warm, with the sea swimmable. July and August are hot and dry, October is the rainiest month and February belongs to Sant’Agata.

SpringMarch – May

Highs of 18–25 °C. The Etna Wine Train runs from March, and Etna Comics filled Le Ciminiere from 30 May to 2 June in 2026.

SummerJune – August

Highs of 29–32 °C and almost no rain. Beach season at the Plaia and San Giovanni Li Cuti; Sant’Agata returns on 17 August.

AutumnSeptember – November

Sea at 23–25 °C, but October is the wettest month. Bellini Festival to 3 November.

WinterDecember – February

Mild days around 16–17 °C, snow on Etna and the great feast of Sant’Agata from 3 to 5 February.

Watch the volcano

Summit access on Etna can be limited or closed at short notice for weather or volcanic activity; certified guides decide on the day.

Tourist tax

Catania charges a tourist tax per person per night. An increase was announced for 2026 and we could not verify the new amounts, so check the current rate with your property.

First Sundays

State and regional sites are free on the first Sunday of the month.

Temperatures are 1991–2020 averages from Climi e Viaggi; events from italia.it and the organisers, checked 26 October 2026.

Suggested itinerary

How should you plan one day or a weekend in Catania?

Two plans built only from places in this guide. Sapio and Angiò close on Monday; the Pescheria is a morning affair.

MorningPescheria and the Duomo
The fish market at its loudest, then the cathedral and the Museo Diocesano terraces.
MiddayVuciata by the market
Market seafood and half paccheri alla Norma at the outdoor tables on Via Gisira.
AfternoonCrociferi and the monastery
Walk Via dei Crociferi to the Benedettini for a guided tour (daily until 17:00), then the Teatro Romano until 19:00.
EveningDinner, then the Massimo
Sapio or Coria for a tasting menu, and a walk past the Teatro Massimo Bellini.

A weekend: onto the volcano

Day 1 follows the one-day plan above. Day 2 climbs Etna by public bus.

Day 2 · MorningBus to Rifugio Sapienza
The 08:15 AST bus from Piazza Giovanni XXIII reaches 1,910 m in about two hours.
Day 2 · MiddayTour 3000
Cable car to 2,500 m, then 4x4 and guide towards 3,000 m, about 2.5 hours.
Day 2 · AfternoonBack down
The return bus leaves at 16:30; the last cable car descent is at 17:15.
Day 2 · EveningMe Cumpari Turiddu
Seasonal Sicilian cooking from small producers on Piazza Turi Ferro.

Stay in Catania · 3 picks from our hotel directory

Where should you stay in Catania?

Stay between Piazza del Duomo and the Teatro Massimo and you can walk to almost everything in this guide: an 18th-century palazzo a minute from the cathedral, an Art Nouveau villa off Via Etnea and a design hotel beside the opera house. Three picks from Holiplanet’s Catania hotel directory, each with a Booking.com guest score of 9.0/10 or higher.

The arched entrance hall of Palazzo Marletta with a Liberty-style glazed door
Photo: Palazzo Marletta Luxury House Hotel official website · source
Luxury house hotel · Piazza Duomo

Palazzo Marletta Luxury House Hotel

An eighteenth-century residence a minute from Piazza del Duomo, with luminous restored interiors and the highest Booking.com guest score in this selection.

Booking.com 9.6/10

278 reviews · Via Erasmo Merletta 7

Official website → +39 095 668 0166 Directions ↗
Chandelier-lit lobby lounge with period furniture at Liberty Hotel
Photo: Liberty Hotel official website · source
Art Nouveau villa · Via Etnea

Liberty Hotel

A 1900s Art Nouveau villa off Via Etnea with chandelier-lit salons, a quiet garden courtyard and richly decorated period rooms.

Booking.com 9.1/10

735 reviews · Via San Vito 40

Official website → +39 095 311 651 Directions ↗
Courtyard terrace with a living green wall at Habitat Boutique Hotel
Photo: Habitat Boutique Hotel official website · source
Design boutique hotel · Teatro Massimo

Habitat Boutique Hotel

A design-led boutique hotel beside Teatro Massimo Bellini, with a living green wall in the courtyard and the MICHELIN-listed Materia restaurant.

Booking.com 9.0/10

1,188 reviews · Via Teatro Massimo 29

Official website → +39 095 826 6755 Directions ↗

Booking.com overall guest scores and review counts read on 26 October 2026; scores change. Editorial selection, not a ranking.

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Editorial images are illustrative. Always check official attraction information, current transport notices and restaurant availability before visiting.

Stay longer · live locally

Living in Catania — From Visiting to Belonging

Our dedicated guide compares neighbourhoods, rents and everyday life for anyone relocating to Catania.

Thinking of moving to Catania?

Living in Catania: the relocation guide

The historic centre, Borgo–Sanzio, Corso Italia, Ognina, Picanello, Cibali and more compared, rents by area, life beside a volcano, healthcare, schools and paperwork, from official sources.

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Catania real estate · September 2026 snapshot

What does property cost in Catania?

Average asking prices rose about 2.5% in a year. The seafront to the north and the Corso Italia area cost the most to buy; the seaside Plaia has the highest asking rents. These figures are a starting point, not a valuation.

For sale · average asking price€1,334/m²+2.54% year on year
For rent · average asking price€9.70/m²/month+1.78% year on year
Sale price by area€772–€1,819/m²Fontanarossa–Playa to Bellini–Corso Italia

Highest asking rent: Fontanarossa, Playa and Vaccarizzo, €13.14/m² a month, driven by summer lets. Source: asking prices, Immobiliare.it, September 2026 (read 26 October 2026), advertised prices. Recorded values from the Agenzia delle Entrate’s OMI for 2025: a city average of €1,059/m² (−0.6%) on 4,227 sales (+9.4%), with the top zone San Giovanni Li Cuti–Ognina at €1,783/m² and the historic centre at €1,148/m².

OMI property values →

Four local agencies

Independent editorial profiles from our Catania agency directory, chosen for different areas and services. None is sponsored. Contact each agency directly for listings and terms.

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Holiplanet Pick

Engel & Völkers Catania

Luxury residential · sales · rentals · Via Teramo 9

Licence-partner shop run by ALM Real Estate for luxury homes, villas, investment property, rentals and valuations; the team speaks five languages.

Official site ↗ +39 095 722 1364

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For local businesses

Featured Partner opportunities

Editorial recommendations remain independent. Any future paid placement will be clearly marked ‘Sponsored’; no paid partners are featured here.

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