Catania owes its unique present-day appearance to 18th century reconstruction in a Baroque style making extensive use of lava rock (Nancy Pauwels (Adobe Stock))
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Catania traces its history back to the year 729 B.C. when Greek settlers who had already settled to the north founded Katane. Through the years, the city in the shadow of Mount Etna has alternately prospered and met with devastation. An earthquake in 1169 led to thousands of deaths, and another in 1693 destroyed much of the city. Catania owes its unique present-day appearance to 18th century reconstruction in a Baroque style making extensive use of lava rock. With a population of around 310,000 inhabitants, today it’s Sicily’s second-largest city after Palermo and can be enjoyed in one day.
Saint Agatha’s Cathedral is named in honor of a teenage girl who was tortured and martyred in 251 for refusing to recant her Christian beliefs. ( mitzo_bs (Adobe Stock))
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Dating back nearly a millennium is Saint Agatha’s Cathedral, named in honor of a teenage girl who was tortured and martyred in 251 for refusing to recant her Christian beliefs. Destroyed by the 1693 earthquake and reconstructed in the mid-18th century, the cathedral’s most impressive sights include its striking gray and white lava and limestone façade, a medieval Roman sarcophagus containing the ashes of Aragonese kings, and a portrayal of the 1669 eruption of Mount Etna in the sacristy. From Feb. 3-5 each year, the city’s patron saint is venerated as part of a large religious festival. The bust of Saint Agatha and her relics are placed in an ornate cart which is pulled through town by her devotees.
The city’s most charming monument, an elephant fountain carved from black lava rock, is found on the Piazze del Duomo. Nicknamed Liotru by the locals, he’s one of the most recognizable symbols of the city. Mystery and legend surround the elephant’s origins. One story holds the statue was the work of an 8th century nobleman who turned to the making of idols. The statue was restored by famed architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini between 1735 and 1737, who added an Egyptian-styled obelisk to the elephant’s back. Why the elephant’s trunk points directly to the Cathedral of Saint Agatha is another matter of speculation, with some suggesting its magical powers could shield the city from the eruptions of Mount Etna.
For fresh fish and foods of all kinds, head to the fish market. (Fotokon (Adobe Stock))
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For fresh fish and foods of all kinds, head to this market where all manner of sea creatures and fresh food await. Nearby seafood restaurants offer a mouth-watering selection of squid, tuna and sea bass along with a variety of shellfish. The Osteria Antica Marina restaurant, smack-dab in the middle of the market, is popular with locals and tourists alike.
The city’s main shopping street runs from Piazza del Duomo to the foothills of the mountain it is named after. By day, it buzzes with shoppers in search of the latest fashions and bargains, while in the evening hours, local enjoy their daily “passeggiata,” or leisurely-walk. Serving as an oasis of green is the Giardino Bellini, where shaded benches invite you to sit and people watch.
Across the street is the Pasticceria Savia, known for its local “granita” (shaved-ice dessert) and Sicilian staple “arancino.” The arancino is a conical, filled ball of rice that’s been breaded and fried. The most typical filling is ragu, a tomato, meat and pea sauce, but other variations with eggplant, mushrooms, sausage and pistachio are popular as well. It is also the topic of a longstanding Sicilian dispute. While residents on the eastern side of the island use the masculine form of its name, ending with an “o,” Sicilians to the west refer to it in the feminine, “arancina.”
