Catania - Destination in Sicily

Catania - the metropolitan city beneath the volcano Etna

The city of Catania is located on the east coast of Sicily between the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. It is the second-largest city in Sicily after Palermo and the capital of the province of Catania.

Catania, along with the towns of Caltagirone and Militello, is one of the late Baroque towns of the Val di Noto, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A good starting point for a city tour is Piazza del Duomo in the center of Catania. Here you will find:

• the Fountain of the Elephant, the emblem of Catania,
• the Cathedral and
• the Museo Diocesano on the south side of the Piazza del Duomo,
• as well as the traditional fish market, Pescheria di Catania.

One of the most magnificent streets in Catania is Via Etnea, with many stores and squares. It is about three kilometers long and runs dead straight from Piazza del Duomo towards Etna.

The airport Fontanarossa is located two kilometers south of the center of Catania and is the largest airport in Sicily.

The city of Catania is directly connected with highway A18/E45. This leads south towards Syracuse and north to Messina. The A19/E932 highway, on the other hand, leads inland to the north coast as far as Palermo.