Stand in Piazza del Duomo and the city introduces itself in one sweep: the Fontana dell'Elefante in the middle, the Cattedrale di Sant'Agata behind it, and via Etnea pulling north through the busiest part of the old town. The black lava stone under your feet is the same material the baroque facades are built from, and it gives Catania a colour unlike anywhere else in Sicily.
This is a city for people who like their sightseeing on foot and their evenings long. The late-baroque centre is compact, the ancient Roman remains sit below street level in the middle of ordinary squares, and the sea and the volcano are both within reach of a day's plan.
This guide covers the main sights and experiences in the city, with practical notes on when to go and what to combine. It draws on the places listed for Catania and keeps to what is known about them.
Top things to do in Catania
1. Piazza del Duomo
Start here. It is an attractive, lively baroque square, and it holds the Fontana dell'Elefante, known as U Liotru, the symbol of the city. Three buildings on the square are World Heritage Sites, and the square is also the entrance to the elegant via Etnea, the main shopping street.
Come back in the evening as well as the morning: the square stays busy, and it is the natural meeting point before a walk up via Etnea.
2. Cattedrale di Sant'Agata (Duomo)
An imposing cathedral on Piazza del Duomo, and well worth visiting. The Terme Achilliane and the Museo Diocesano are located here, so you can combine all three in one stop.
Opening hours are Monday to Saturday 07:00-12:00 and 16:00-19:00, and Sunday 07:30-12:00 and 16:30-19:00.
3. Via Etnea
Walk the main shopping avenue, which runs north from Piazza del Duomo. Most of the city's imposing buildings are along it, and it is busy throughout the day and evening. There are lots of churches on the way.
In the evenings local people walk at a relaxed pace along this avenue, so it is worth saving part of the walk for after dark.
4. Teatro Romano e Odeon
The Roman theatre dates back to the 1st century CE, built on the remains of the Greek theatre, and the smaller Odeon was built next to it in the 2nd century CE. It is on Via Vittorio Emanuele II.
It is open daily 09:00-19:00 with last entry at 18:30. Entry is €6, and the first Sunday of the month is free, 09:00-17:00.
5. Castello Ursino (Castello Svevo di Catania)
Built in the 13th century as a royal castle of the Kingdom of Sicily, it later became the seat of the Sicilian Parliament. It now hosts the Museo Civico, with Greek and Roman artifacts from the city, art from the 17th to 19th centuries, and 2000 bronze figurines from the Archaic, Siceliot, Greek, Etruscan-Italic and Hellenistic eras, plus temporary exhibitions.
It is on Piazza Federico Di Svevia and open daily 09:00-19:00, last admission 18:00. Adult admission is €6, youth or senior €3.
6. Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l'Arena
The Benedictine Monastery is the oldest in Sicily and one of the biggest monasteries in Europe. It now hosts the Faculty of Literature of the University of Catania.
Entrance to the exterior areas is free; the interior is by guided tour at €10, starting daily around 13:00 and hourly during summer, with English tours at 13:00 and 16:00. It is on Piazza Dante, next to the Chiesa di San Nicolò l'Arena.
7. Via Crociferi
This street is the centre of ecclesiastical architecture in Catania: in no more than 200 m there are four churches, three monasteries and a college. Walk it slowly rather than as a single stop.
At the northern end you reach Villa Cerami, a baroque villa that hosts the Faculty of Law of the University.
8. Chiesa della Badia di Sant'Agata
On Via Vittorio Emanuele, this church offers guided tours to the dome and the terraces, which is the reason to come: the view from the top puts the whole baroque centre in context.
Guided tours run Tuesday 09:00-12:00, Wednesday to Saturday 09:30-12:30 and 15:30-17:30, and Sunday 09:30-12:30 and 19:00-20:30. Entry is €3.
9. Terme Achilliane
The remains of a small part of a large ancient baths complex, located underground beneath the cathedral square. You can see parts of mosaics and marble floor as well as remains of decorated walls, and the remains are still quite impressive.
Check with the ticket office at the Museo Diocesano, which sells the tickets. Entry is €5, or €13 for a combined ticket including the museum, the Terme Achilliane and the Benedictine Monastery.
10. Museo Diocesano
On Via Etnea, the museum's collection contains religious artefacts from the cathedral and some other churches around the city.
It opens Monday, Wednesday and Friday 09:00-14:00; Tuesday and Thursday 09:00-14:00 and 15:00-18:00; and Saturday 09:00-13:00. Entry is €7, or €13 combined with the Terme Achilliane and the Benedictine Monastery.
11. Teatro Massimo Bellini
A 19th-century opera theatre named after the Catania-born composer Vincenzo Bellini, on Piazza Vincenzo Bellini. The square in front of the theatre is a popular meeting place among local young people, so the neighbourhood is lively and busy by night.
Pair it with an evening walk back down via Etnea, which is close by.
12. Palazzo Gravina-Cruyllas
The birthplace of Vincenzo Bellini, on Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi. There are two museums here: the Museo Belliniano, devoted to the composer, and the Museo Emilio Greco on the first floor, devoted to the Italian artist Emilio Greco.
It opens Monday to Saturday 09:00-19:00 and Sunday 09:00-13:00. Entry is €5; the Museo Emilio Greco is free.
13. Giardino Bellini (Villa Bellini)
A charming 19th-century park north-east of the centre, with multiple entrances and always open. The oldest part, the Prince of Biscari's Maze or Laberinto Biscari, dates back to the 18th century.
It sits just south of the Orto Botanico, so the two make an easy pair.
14. Orto Botanico dell'Università di Catania
A small botanical garden of the University of Catania on Via Etnea, just north of Villa Bellini. You can only enter from Via Etnea even though it backs onto other streets.
It opens Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00 in winter and 09:00-19:30 in summer, and Saturday 09:00-14:00. Admission is free.
15. Anfiteatro Romano
Some modest remains of the Roman amphitheatre in the middle of Piazza Stesicoro. It is a quick stop rather than a long visit, and admission is free.
It opens Tuesday to Saturday 09:00-13:30 and 14:30-17:00, so slot it into a morning or early afternoon rather than an evening.
If you only have one day
Morning. Begin at Piazza del Duomo, where you can see the Fontana dell'Elefante and the three World Heritage buildings around the square. Visit the Cattedrale di Sant'Agata, then go underground to the Terme Achilliane, checking in at the Museo Diocesano ticket office. If time allows, step into the Museo Diocesano itself on Via Etnea.
Afternoon. Walk up via Etnea, the main shopping avenue, and continue to Via Crociferi for its churches and monasteries. From there, head to the Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l'Arena on Piazza Dante and join a guided tour of the interior. Finish the afternoon at the Teatro Romano e Odeon on Via Vittorio Emanuele II, open until 19:00 with last entry at 18:30.
Evening. Return to Piazza del Duomo and walk via Etnea again as the city fills up, then make your way to Piazza Vincenzo Bellini outside the Teatro Massimo Bellini, which is lively and busy by night.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of day to walk via Etnea?
It is busy throughout the day and evening, but in the evenings local people walk along it at a relaxed pace, so an evening walk gives you the avenue at its most characteristic.
How do I visit the Terme Achilliane?
Check with the ticket office at the Museo Diocesano, which sells the tickets. Entry is €5, or €13 for a combined ticket that also covers the Museo Diocesano and the Benedictine Monastery.
Can I see inside the Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l'Arena?
Yes, by guided tour. The exterior areas are free to enter, while the interior tour costs €10 and starts daily around 13:00, hourly during summer, with English tours at 13:00 and 16:00.
Is there a day when the main sights are free or cheaper?
The Teatro Romano e Odeon is free on the first Sunday of the month from 09:00 to 17:00. The Anfiteatro Romano, the Terme della Rotonda, the Chiesa di San Francesco Borgia, the Basilica Maria Santissima dell'Elemosina, the Giardino Bellini and the Orto Botanico all have free admission.
Work out which of these fit your days, check the opening times that matter to you, and start building your route through the lava-stone streets of Catania.