Catania is the second largest city on the island of Sicily. Located on the east coast of Sicily it borders the Ionian Sea. Catania is located in one of the most seismic areas in the world and at the foot of Mount Etna, an active volcano.

History

Catania has a multi-cultural history starting in 729 BC with the colonization of the Chalcidians, a Greek people from Naxos. In 263 AD Catania was conquered by the Roman armies and became home to a Roman populace. The city symbol, the elephant, reflects the appearance of an Arabian influence around 900 AD. Catania functioned as a key player in the Sicilian economy and as a popular port until 1169 when it was destroyed by a violent earthquake.

Art & Museums

Catania is home to the Duomo, a cathedral acknowledged as one of Vaccarini’s architectural masterpieces, and built in the late 11th century. The Palazzo Biscari, one of the most beautiful secular buildings in Catania, was built after another severe earthquake in 1693. The Teatro Antico reflects a roman heritage through its layout and is believed to have been built on an older Greek site which was made up largely of lava stone and marble. The Pinacoteca hosts a beautiful collection of centuries old paintings, as far back as the 15th century, all native to the South-Italy region.

Nightlife

Catania is host to several popular nightspots ranging from Café De Mar with an Arabian feel to the Brew Pub, where they brew their own beer. Popular concerts and operas are caught at the Teatro Massimo or numerous other theaters. Catanian nightclubs and restaurants run from traditional catanian feel to unforgettable ethnic experiences at Arabian, kitsch, and Japanese locales.

How to get there

The Catania Seaport allows commercial businesses and their passengers onto Sicily’s shores. An international airport, the Catania Fontanarossa or Aeroporto di Catania, caters to the myriads of tourists that flock to Sicily every year. Catania Centrale, the train station, allows access to Catania from other inland island stops and is also a main node on the Sicilian Motorway System for those who wish to travel by car. For those wishing to take the scenic route, the Circumetnea is a smaller railroad system which takes you around the base of Mount Etna and descends from 976 m above sea level to or from the Giarre-Riposto coast line, along Sicily’s northern coast.