Things to Do and See in Catania

Surrounding the majestic sight of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, there are numerous places to visit in the province of Catania. The provincial capital, despite natural disasters and the destruction of the city at the end of the 17th century, offers travelers an incomparable atmosphere and a wealth of unique sites of interest and tourist attractions: from Piazza del Duomo to the Roman Theater, Villa Bellinisino, and the Cathedral of Saint Agatha. Sicilian Baroque is undoubtedly the defining feature of the historic center. A prime example is the Cathedral, overlooking the square of the same name, dedicated to the city’s patron saint, Saint Agatha, whose statue crowns the main façade designed by Giovan Battista Vaccarini. Also located in Piazza Duomo are the Palazzo Senatorio and elegant noble palaces, arranged around the Elephant Fountain—the city’s symbol and a work by Vaccarini. Another religious building of considerable interest is the Church of the Badìa di Sant’Agata, which impresses with the richness of the decorations adorning its façade. Among the secular buildings, the University, commissioned by Alfonso V of Aragon and dominating Piazza dell’Università, and the Collegiate Church or Royal Chapel stand out. Elsewhere in the province, the entire Val di Noto is worth noting; Caltagirone is famous for its ancient ceramic art, which produced many of the decorations adorning the churches and buildings in the town center, and Militello, located in the Val di Catania, whose historic center reflects the characteristics of the reconstruction period.