Catania

The city has a history dating back 2,700 years, dominated by several different cultures (Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, etc.) and was a rich commercial centre, mainly due to its port. Again, since the 1970s, the city economy is growing as the urban area and the suburbs, making Catania a large metropolitan centre, mainly between the volcano and the sea. Today, even if you can find there most of the biggest commercial centers in Europe (especially Etnapolis), the 17th-century downtown area is still the center of the day-to-day life.
Catania sits under the most major active volcano in Europe and has been destroyed many times in the past. As a result, Catania is a city where you can find a great variety of landscape and architecture, a lot of dirty buildings and also a lot of abandoned houses, especially in the mountains. However, since the city is a World Heritage Site, a lot of renovations have been made.
Today, you will feel in Catania a mix of nostalgia and joie de vivre, especially at night or during festivals.

Sicilian Baroque

The major feature of this city is its architecture, which is predominantly baroque.
The major characteristic of Baroque architectural is its theatricality. This style dominated Europe in the 17th century as a result of the reformation/counter-reformation where the statement given was one of grandeur. The preceding style was Renaissance, while the succeeding was Neoclassicism. The three major features are a near excessive amount of detail (statues, lots of gold, columns and pilasters, garlands and wreaths etc.), façades which are taller than the nave (to fool the viewer of the size) and frescoes often featuring trompe-l'œil.
Baroque from Catania has several unique features such as use of dark lava stone (basalt), the Bell in the façade itself and grotesque masks and putti.

Tourist information

• Bureau Turismo

  phone: +39 095 742 55 73
  address: via Vittorio Emanuele II, 172
  The Tourist Bureau of the city.
• Info point of the province of Catania at the via Etnea.

• Catania PassThe city of Catania promotes a tourist bundle which combines a transport pass for the city with some discounts to a handful of the city's museums. See yourself if you need one of them: Museo Civico "Castello Ursino", Museo Belliniano, Museo Emilio Greco, Museo Diocesano and Terme Achilliane are free, plus Monastero dei Benedettini is €4 instead of €7.

Sicilian used to be the common language here for centuries, as the Sicilian culture is isolated on an island. Even in Catania, you will notice Italian and Sicilian (as Palermo, Catania has its own dialect) in some neighborhoods, especially in inner areas, while most people speak mainly Italian in the city center.

By plane

• Catania-Fontanarossa Airport

  phone: +39 095 723 9111
  The airport is on the coast south of central Catania. There are frequent flights to Rome FCO; other domestic destinations include Bastia, Bologna, Genoa, Milan, Naples, Perugia, Pisa, Turin, Venice and Verona. International destinations (some seasonal) include Barcelona, Berlin, Bucharest, Madrid, Malta (frequent), Manchester, Paris and Stuttgart. Arrivals: exit straight ahead for the Alibus stop and taxi rank. Turn right (east) through Arrivals hall for car hire desks, TIC (+39 095 723 96 82; M-Sa 08:00 to 19:15) and intercity buses & ticket booths. There's also a cafe, shop, currency exchange, ATMs and (handy, this) a pigeon trap. The airport hotel is 200 m north. Departures: airside is a large hall with shops and two cafes. The non-Schengen area (gates 19-22) is small: there's toilets and a shop but no cafes, so don't go through passport control until an hour or so before your departure.

The simplest way to reach central Catania is on the

Alibus

This bus runs daily 05:30 to 00:00, every 25 min. From the airport via sea-port to the railway station takes 25 min. Coming back allow 30 min, as from the railway station the bus makes a city centre loop before returning to the station roundabout. So if you see a red & blue Alibus standing at the station plaza, take it, otherwise go to the corner of Martiri della Liberta and Viale della Liberta, no marked bus-stop, just leap out waving as the bus approaches.
Because the airport is so close, the inter-city buses running to Catania also call here, so you can usually get a direct connection: see listings below. Buses to nearby towns and villages (run by AST) mostly don't call here, so you'll have to go downtown to change. However the local buses to Donnalucata, Modica and Carlentini do call here, as the airport happens to be on the route. Buy bus tickets from the kiosks by the east exit of the Arrivals hall.

By bus

The transport hub of Catania is the big roundabout Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII (that's "Pope John 23rd" for non-Latins). The metro station is right here, as is the main railway station, and just north is the bus station

Stazione ASTThe main bus terminal is S side of Via Archimede (corner with Viale della Liberta.) But there are no facilities here, and you need to buy your ticket from the ticket offices along Via D'Amico, a short block north. Coach parking lots sprawl over adjacent blocks but the only other active pick-up / drop-off areas are for some SAIS long-distance services, facing Via D'Amico.

The main bus companies running from here are:

• A.S.T.

  phone: +39 095 746 1096
  These run from the city to nearby small towns including Acireale, Caltagirone, Carlentini, Grammichele, Lentini, Modica, Nicolosi for Mount Etna, and Siracusa. They don't run to Taormina.

• Interbus

  phone: +39 095 532 716
  address: Via D'Amico 187
  These run from city & airport to Taormina and Giardini Naxos (every couple of hours, 90 min), Messina (one per day, 4 hours), Ragusa (frequent, 2 hours) and Siracusa (frequent, 70 min). Also to Agira, Avola, Catenuova, Leonforte, Nicosia, Nissoria, Noto, Pachino, Portopalo, Priolo, and Regalbuto. Interbus is part of a conglomeration of Sicilian bus companies. Around Catania the main operator is Etna Trasporti, with blue buses.

• SAIS Trasporti

  phone: +39 095 536 168
  address: Via D'Amico, 181
  These make overnight runs from city and airport to Bari (8 hr), Naples (9 hr), and Rome (10 hr). They also run frequent buses across Sicily via Caltanissetta and Canicattì to Agrigento.

• SAIS Autolinee

  phone: +39 095 536 168
  address: 181 Via D'Amico
  These run from city and airport to Enna (6 per day, 75 min), Messina (hourly, 2 hr) and Palermo (hourly, 2 hr 30 min). At Messina they connect with buses by Giuntabus Trasporti to Milazzo, the ferry port for the Aeolian Islands.

By train

Trains run roughly hourly along the east coast via Taormina-Giardini to Messina (90 min to 2 hr). Three of these per day are direct services to Naples (7-8 hours) and Rome (10 hours), via the Straits ferry. Five trains per day run inland via Enna (1 hour) to Palermo (3 hours). 12 trains a day run south to Syracuse (one hour); two of these connect with onward trains to Pozzallo (2 hr 30 min). The scenic inland route to Caltagirone is suspended indefinitely for engineering works: a replacement bus runs once a day.

• Catania Centrale

  address: Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII
  Small cafe & tobacconist here. Wheelchair access to platforms 2-5 involves lumping over the tracks. The nearest Left Luggage service is 500 m away at Atripical, Piazza Duca di Genova, 6; open daily 09:00-19:00.

There are two small stations to the north, Catania Europa and Catania Ognina. Visitors are unlikely to use them. To the south, the railway runs very close to the airport terminal, but there isn't a stop.

By ferry

Most travellers from mainland Italy use the 20-minute shuttle between Villa San Giovanni and Messina; there are also frequent ferries from Reggio to Messina. A car ferry runs every night between Naples and Catania: it's run by TTT lines and takes 12 hours. Other ferries sail from the mainland to Palermo.
A car ferry runs twice a day between Pozzallo (90 km south of Catania) and Valletta, Malta. It's run by Virtu Ferries and takes one hour 45 min, return fare €80 low season rising to €160 mid-summer. Day-trips are possible from Malta every day, and from Sicily on Wednesday and Friday. On Friday, Saturday and Monday there's a connecting coach between Catania and Pozzallo. This is timed for day-trips from Malta, so if you want to day-trip from Sicily you need to make your own way to Pozzallo.

By foot

Catania has a compact centre and it is most convenient just to walk around.

By bus

To reach outlying accommodation or the university, you'll need the bus, run by

AMTUse their interactive map to find bus lines.

By train

Ferrovia Circumetnea (FCE) is a narrow-gauge railway that loops around the west flanks of Etna then back to the coast and mainline at Giarre-Riposto, 28 km north of Catania. The terminus in Catania is Borgo, with a metro connection to Centrale railway station and downtown. Trains run from Catania Borgo Mon-Sat hourly, all as far as Paterno, most as far as Adrano, and eight per day reach Bronte and Randazzo (2 hours) where these south-side trains terminate. To complete the circuit, you change to the north-side train Randazzo-Linguaglossa-Giarre-Riposto, taking 70 min. There are 3 or 4 of these per day in summer but only one or two in winter. At Giarre the Circumetnea and mainline stations are side by side, with Circumetnea trains continuing for a final km to terminate at Riposto. There is no Sunday or public holiday service on the Circumetnea line.
Visitors to Catania are only likely to use the metro to reach the Circumetnea railway. It's possibly the shortest metro in the world, just under 9 km long, and it's run by the same company. The line starts from Stesicoro in midtown Catania, runs east to the transport hub of Giovanni XXIII, then turns west. Get off at Borgo for the Circumetnea railway. The metro line ends at the suburb of Nesima, which has Park & Ride. The metro runs M-Sa 06:50-21:00 every 10-15 min; no service Sundays or public holidays. Single ticket €1 (valid 90 min), Bus+Metro €1.20 (valid 120 min), Day pass €2 (metro only).
An extension west from Nesima is under construction: it's expected to open as far as Fontana in Nov 2018, and Misterbianco in 2022. They also plan to extend south from Stesicoro to the airport.

By car

Driving in the centre is difficult because of congestion, one-way systems and pedestrianised areas. There are ten main parking lots around the city, and a slew of others serving the airport. Park & Ride is available at the airport, and at Nesima metro station west of the city.

World Heritage Sites

• Piazza del DuomoAn attractive, lively baroque square. Here you can find the Fontana dell'Elefante (Elephant Fountain) or U Liotru - the symbol of the city. There are three buildings here that are World Heritage Sites. The square is also an entrance to the elegant via Etnea, the main shopping street.

• Cattedrale di Sant'Agata

  address: Piazza del Duomo
  An imposing cathedral, well worth visiting. Also see for Terme Achilliane and Museo Diocesano which are located there.

• Museo Diocesano

  phone: +39 095 281635
  address: Via Etnea 8
  The collection of the museum contains various religious artefacts from the Cathedral and some other churches around. It's ticket office also sells tickets to the Terme Achilliane.

• Palazzo degli Elefanti

• Palazzo dei Chierici

• Chiesa della Badia di Sant'Agata

  address: Via Vittorio Emanuele 184

Castello Ursino

phone: +39 095 345830

address: Piazza Federico Di Svevia

A 13th-century castle near center. It hosts Museo civico (Civic Museum).

Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l'Arena

phone: +39 095 7102767

address: Piazza Dante, 32

It is the oldest one in Sicily and it is one of the biggest monasteries in Europe. It hosts now the Faculty of Literature of the University of Catania.

Chiesa di San Nicolò l'Arena

phone: +39 095 7159912

address: Piazza Dante

It is an unachieved church which was supposed to be the biggest one in Sicily.

Via CrociferiIt's a centre of an ecclesiastical architecture in Catania: in no more than 200 m there are 4 churches, 3 monasteries and a college.

• Monastero di San Benedetto

  phone: +39 095 7152207
  A splendid baroque monument.

• Chiesa di San Francesco Borgia

  phone: +39 095 310762
  address: Via Crociferi, 17
  Today the church used for various cultural events. Next to the church is a former Jesuit college.

• Chiesa di San Giuliano

  phone: +39 095 7159360
  address: Via Crociferi, 36

• Villa Cerami

  address: Via Cerami
  A Baroque villa. It hosts Faculty of Law of the University.

Basilica Maria Santissima dell'Elemosina

address: Via Etnea 23

Palazzo Biscari

phone: +39 095 7152508

address: Via Museo Biscari, 10 - 16

It is one the most interesting baroque palaces in Catania. The palace is privately owned. Check with the tourist office to arrange a visit.

Ancient Roman and Greek

• Teatro Romano e Odeon

  phone: +39 095 7150508
  address: Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 266
  The theatre dates back to the 1st century CE when it was built on the remains of the Greek theatre it used to hold up to 7000 spectators. Odeon, a smaller theatrical building, was built next to it in the 2nd century CE.

• Terme della Rotonda

  phone: +39 095 7150508
  address: Via della Rotonda
  The remains of ancient Roman baths.

• Anfiteatro Romano

  phone: +39 095 7472268
  address: Piazza Stesicoro
  Some modest remains amidst the square.

• Terme Achilliane

  address: Via Etnea 8
  The remains of a small part of a large ancient baths located underground is open for the public. It's under the Catania's Cathedral square. Some parts of mosaics and marble floor as well as some remains of decorated walls. The remains are still quite impressive.

Other notable attractions

• Teatro Massimo Bellini

  phone: +39 095 7306111
  address: Piazza Vincenzo Bellini
  A 19th-century opera theatre named after the Catania-born composer Vincenzo Bellini. The square before the theatre is a popular meeting place among the local young people, so its neighbourhood is very lively and busy by night.

• Palazzo dell'Università

  address: Piazza Università

• Palazzo Della Cultura

  phone: +39 095 7428038
  address: Via Vittorio Emanuele 121
  A former monastery, it's now a venue for various exhibitions. It also hosts the access point, an information office of the municipal museums (M-Sa 09:00-13:00).

• Palazzo Gravina-Cruyllas

  phone: +39 095 7150535
  address: Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi, 3
  It is the birthplace of Vincenzo Bellini. Thete are two museums here.

• Museo BellinianoA museum devoted to Vincenzo Bellini, a famous Italian composer.

• Museo Emilio GrecoA museum devoted to Italian artist Emilio Greco.

Quattro CantiA square at the intersection of Via Etnea with Via di Sangiuliano. It is somewhat reminiscent to the other octagonal squares in Italy: Quattro Canti at the piazza Vigliena in Palermo, Quattro Canti in Paternò, and Quattro Fontane in Rome, next to the church of San Carlino by Francesco Borromini.

Porta Garibaldi

address: Via Garibaldi

The gates erected in 1768 in honor of King Ferdinand IV and his family.

Parks and gardens

• Giardino BelliniCharming 19th-century park. The oldest part of it, the Prince of Biscari's Maze or Laberinto Biscari, dates back to the 18th century.

• Orto Botanico dell'Università di Catania

  phone: +39 095 430901
  address: Via Etnea, 397
  Small botanical garden of the University of Catania.

• - Walk the main shopping avenue, running north from the Piazza del Duomo has most of the city's imposing building and is busy throughout the day and evening. Lots of churches. This road is the equivalent of Las Ramblas in Barcelona, so in the evenings the local people put on their Sunday clothes and walk at a relaxed pace along this avenue.
• La Plaja, sandy beaches south of the city along the bay
• The Riviera dei ciclopi, a rocky, volcano coast north of the city, stretching almost to Taormina
• Visit a minor religious festival, but avoid Sant'Agata on the 5th February due to the excessive crowds.
• A vintage self-drive excursion or a themed tour on a classic Fiat 500, starting from Catania or Taormina/Giardini Naxos. The most popular excursions are themed on the Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather movie and on the Etna Wines Road. You can reach villages like Savoca, Forza D’Agrò and Taormina. Contact 500 Vintage Tour - Classic car hire & tours - Taormina - Phone +39 3497234906 - Email: info@500vintagetour.com - Website: 500 Vintage Tour

• EtnaWay

  phone: +39 3281977919
  Guided excursions on mount Etna, with transfer from Catania, Giarre or Taormina by jeep and 4x4. Visit of summit craters and most beautiful places of the volcano.

• Federico II

  phone: +39 095 9890689
  address: via Garibaldi 9
  The school is hosted in a Baroque building located downtown. The school offers year-round intensive language courses, full immersion classes for all levels, while the afternoon provides a program of cultural activities to learn the culture and practice the language. The cultural themes of the lectures are: cinema, art history, songs and music, traditions and mythology, visits to museums and monuments, food and wine tasting. During the summer the school offers the Summer School program, which includes language classes in the morning, and in the afternoon a cooking class, a visit to a monument, and three sports or recreational activities, taking place in beach clubs having an agreement with the school.

Pizzo means protection money extorted by the Mafia. Addiopizzo Catania is a movement of shopkeepers who refuse to pay - please support them by shopping in their stores. They also run educational and cultural outreach activities.
Every morning except Sundays, try haggling at:

• Fera 'o Luni

  address: Piazza Carlo Alberto
  A bustling food and clothes market. The main historic market of Catania.

• La Piscaria

  address: Piazza Alonzo di Benedetto
  A large fish, fruit & veg market just off Piazza Duomo.

Catania is proud of its specialities. A famous speciality is pasta alla Norma which consists in pasta (generally macaroni) dressed with tomato sauce and topped with fried eggplant slices, grated ricotta salad and fresh basil. The fish is also good, as Catania is a large port. The city is also known for horse meat, especially in some areas around the "Benedictine Monastery".
Typical Catanese pastry include the world-wide famous cannolo alla Ricotta, cassatella di Sant'Agata (a small cassata) and pasta di Mandorla (based on almond meal).

Fast food

Like in most of Sicily, you can get a freshly made cold panini in a salumeria, where you choose whatever you want to put in (prosciutto cotto/crudo and cheese are probably the most popular ones), for €1-3. Don’t forget that most of salumerias are closed 13:00-16:00 and on Sunday afternoon.
You can also have some tavola calda (“hot bite”) meal, most of them made with cheese and meat, fried or baked. You will normally pay €1.50 for one piece.
Another Sicilian speciality is arancino, which are deep fried rice balls with various fillings, meat or eggplant or spinach, that sell for €1.50 at most places. They make a good lunch snack.
Also, especially in the evening, some big kiosks sell hot, tasty and fat panini, some even horse meat filling. Most people add fries into the sandwich. Usually, it’s about €2.50-3.00 and they are very popular among teenagers. Because its quite cheap, there is normally confusion at these kiosks.
In summer, a typical breakfast consists of "Granita" (a kind of sorbet of almond or black mulberry) served with a brioscia (sweet round small loaf): it is a nourishing and refreshing combination that can be found in almost any bar of the city.

• Spinella Pasticceria

  phone: +39 095 327 247
  address: 292 Via Etna
  Sicilian cakes, cannolis, arancini, espresso. Outdoor seating.

• Etoile d'Or

  address: Via Cardinale Dusmet 7/9
  Pasticceria open all hours.

Budget

• Camelot

  address: 73 Piazza Federico di Svevia
  Okay for the meat lover, fish is from frozen.

• Cool Food

  phone: +39 392 412 21 85
  address: Via Antonino di San Giuliano, 242
  Restaurant and pinseria (old-style home-made pizzeria). Great atmosphere, good bar with Italian and international drinks, excellent snacks and cakes.

• Trattoria Il Mare

  phone: +39 095 317 024
  address: 7 Via San Michele
  Delicious seafood. Casual atmosphere.

• L'Angolo dello Chef

  address: 21 Via Grimaldi
  Humble home cooking joint. Traditional Sicilian dishes from caponata to polli alla brace.

• Dopo Teatro

  phone: +39 349 435 4002
  address: Via Coppola 4
  Panineria with tables. Known for grilled meats.

• Sicilia in Bocca alla Marina

  phone: +39 095 2500208
  address: Via Beato Cardinale G.B. Dusmet, 35
  Typical Sicilian food and pizza. There's another restaurant in town with this name: it's on Piazza Pietro Lupo but it's not recommended. And there's yet another 10 km north up the mountain.

Mid-range

• Trattoria di Fiore

  phone: +39 095 316 283
  address: 26 Via Pietro Antonio Coppola
  Classic Sicilian food in a small family trattoria.

• Trattoria da Antonio

  phone: +39 095 218 4938
  address: Via Castello Ursino 59
  Reasonably priced fresh seafood.

• Al Cavalier Roxy

  phone: +39 095 340 418
  address: 51 Piazza Federico di Svevia
  Sicilian cuisine.

• Trattoria U Fucularu

  phone: +39 393 385 5925
  address: 20 Via Euplio Reina
  Antipasto buffet, grilled meats.

You'd find all kinds of kiosks in the city which sell various refreshments, such as coffee, limoncello or popular local drinks such as seltz al limone (soda water with fresh-squeezed lemon juice) or mandarino al limone (soda water with tangerine syrup and fresh-squeezed lemon juice).

Budget

In Catania

• Agora Hostel

  phone: +39 095 723 3010
  address: 6 Piazza Curro
  In a backstreet under the Duomo, it's lively and can fill up even out of season.

• Ananda B&B

  phone: +39 095 446 760
  address: Via Muscatello 7
  B&B in the centre, walking distance from the Bellini Gardens, Via Etnea and the Market.

• Suite Inn Catania

  phone: +39 095 715 9383
  address: Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 108
  Clean & central b&b.

• B&B Opera

  phone: +39 337 492 714
  address: Via Antonio di Sangiuliano, 129
  Central b&b, rooms have balconies, bathroom, hairdryer, TV, air conditioning, minibar. Free Wi-Fi.

• Hotel Etnea 316

  phone: +39 095 250 3076
  Bright and airy 3-star guest house ideal for young travellers.

• Hotel Valentino

  phone: +39 095 715 1712
  address: 39 Piazza Turi Ferro
  Central 3-star hotel with friendly staff and a pleasant and peaceful atmosphere.

• BAD: Bed and Breakfast and Design

  phone: +39 095 346 903
  address: Via Cristoforo Colombo 24
  Simple hostel, striving to be funky.

• Hotel Rigel

  phone: +39 095 534 911
  address: 8 Viale della Liberta
  Clean and comfortable 3-star hotel very near bus station.

• Hotel Villa Romeo

  phone: +39 095 534 714
  address: 8 Via Platamonte
  Clean, comfortable 3-star hotel very near the railway & bus stations.

• B&B Globetrotter Catania

  phone: +39 095 281 802
  address: Vicolo della Lanterna, 14
  An antique building that has been recently renovated. B&B (also rents independent apartments) with fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, air conditioning, TV, DVD, HiFi, internet Wi-Fi and hairdryer.

Around Catania and Etna

• Agriturismo San Leonardello

  phone: +39 095 964 020
  address: 165 Via Madonna della Liberta, San Leonardello
  Rustic farmhouse off highway close to Etna, Taormina and the beach resorts of Riposto and Acireale.

• La Pietra Antica O Munti

  phone: +39 095 782 4035
  address: Via Andronico, Puntalazzo
  Farm accommodation on flanks of Etna.

• Agriturismo Arrigo

  phone: +39 095 643 612
  address: C.da Arrigo Soprano, Linguaglossa
  Farmhouse on flanks of Etna.

• Villa Etelka

  phone: +39 095 525 872
  address: 5 Via Prof Enrico Sagone, Valverde
  Villa with sea view and swimming pool.

Mid-range to high

• Hotel Agathae

  phone: +39 095 250 0436
  address: 229 Via Etnae
  3-star accommodation

• Gresi Hotel

  phone: +39 095 322 709
  address: 28 Via Pacini
  Clean, AC, bathroom, balcony, high arched ceilings with paintings.
• The Parco degli Aragonesi, Viale Kennedy, on beach (Tel. +39 095 723 4073) and the Catania Centro, 13 Piazza Trento, downtown (Tel. +39 095 316 933), are the two NH hotels in Catania .

• Hotel il Principe

  phone: +39 095 250 0345
  address: 24 Via Alessi
  Boutique hotel in a restored aristocratic building, very central near Cathedral.

• Hotel La Ville

  phone: +39 095 746 5230
  address: Via Monteverdi, 15
  One of the oldest hotels in Catania, it's a large 3-star family run establishment. Self catering apartments also available.

• Hotel Nettuno

  phone: +39 095 712 2006
  address: Viale Ruggero Di Lauria 121
  Modern 4-star beach hotel with open air swimming pool, restaurants, health spa and meeting facilities. For families and corporate travellers.

• Luxury Hotel Romano Palace

  phone: +39 095 596 7111
  address: Viale Kennedy 28
  Beach resort, very close to airport, with Jacuzzi, private beach and restaurant.

• Four Points by Sheraton Catania

  phone: +39 095 711 4111
  address: Via Antonello da Messina 45, Cannizzaro
  Hotel & conference centre with 162 rooms and 7 suites. With sea-water pool and beach access.

• Villa Cibele

  phone: +39 095 351 480
  address: 17B Via Francesco Marletta
  The hotel is in an elegant early 19th-century building edge of town. Clean & quiet, good if you're touring with your own car.

• Grande Albergo Maugeri

  phone: +39 095 608 666
  address: 27 Piazza Garibaldi, Acireale

• Eco Hostel

  phone: +39 095 7233077
  address: Via Fornai 44
  A modern hostel.

Be careful not to look conspicuously touristy, exposing jewelry, large bags or photo gear that might entice fast pickpockets or robbers. They are abundant all around the city and they recognize immediately anyone who is not from around here.
Also, there will be A LOT of people that WILL stop you and aggressively ask you for money.
As in any other city avoid the station area, expecially at night.
San Cristoforo is the most dangerous neighborhood in Catania and is located near the city centre, at the end of Via Plebiscito. Do not wander the streets alone. Another dangerous neighborhood is Librino, but of no interest for a tourist.

• Mount Etna is an eerie volcanic landscape, with a black terrain of pumice ash and rivers of solidified lava. The top is 3329 m high, so it's always cold, and if the city weather is iffy, then it will be beyond miserable up there. There is a daily bus service via Nicolosi to Rifugio Sapienza ("Etna Sud"), the usual approach to the summit. You need your own car to reach the northern approach at Piano Provenzana ("Etna Nord"). You can also explore the surrounding villages on the narrow gauge Circumetnea train, but you can't approach the summit that way.
• The Riviera dei Ciclopi is a chain of three villages on the coast north-east of Catania. In Homer's legend, Odysseus / Ulysses landed here but a one-eyed giant trapped him and began eating his crew; Odysseus got the giant drunk, blinded him and escaped. The furious giant hurled rocks blind at the escaping ship, narrowly missing.

• Further afield by public transport you can day-trip to Taormina and Syracuse. With your own car you can day-trip to Modica and Ragusa, Piazza Armerina, Enna, Militello in Val di Catania, Caltagirone, and Agrigento.