Sicily · Italy
Where to stay in Catania
Catania is a city in Sicily, Italy, home to about 312,000 people.
- Best months
- May, June and September
- Nearest airport
- CTA4 km · Catania-Fontanarossa Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Rome
- Language
- Italian
About
About Catania
Catania is the second-largest city in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy, after Palermo, both by area and by population. Despite being the second largest city of the island, Catania is the centre of the most densely populated Sicilian conurbation, which is among the largest in Italy.
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 centre of the day-to-day life.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Catania
See
- Piazza del Duomo
- Cattedrale di Sant'Agata
- Museo Diocesano
- Palazzo degli Elefanti
- Palazzo dei Chierici
- Chiesa della Badia di Sant'Agata
- Castello Ursino
- Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l'Arena
- Chiesa di San Nicolò l'Arena
- Via Crociferi
- Monastero di San Benedetto
- Chiesa di San Francesco Borgia
Do
- Via Etnea
- EtnaWay
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Catania
36 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Catania International Airport Hotel | 3.2 km | |
| 5 Balconi B&B | 0.6 km | |
| 8room Hotel | 1.3 km | |
| Airone City Hotel | 3.2 km | |
| Asmundo di Gisira | 0.2 km | |
| At Sveva Bed and Breakfast | 0.6 km | |
| B&B Bella Stella | 0.5 km | |
| B&B Doralice | 0.2 km | |
| B&B Etna Inn | 10.8 km | |
| Bad B&B and Design | 0.2 km | |
| Bed and fly Aeroporto Catania | 3.4 km | |
| Catania Hills Residence | 5.7 km | |
| Da Gianni e Lucia Rooms | 0.5 km | |
| Duomo Suites & Spa | 0.1 km | |
| Etna Suite Group | 0.9 km | |
| Etnea Style Catania Luxury Rooms | 0.8 km | |
| Ferrini Home - Residence 150 | 1.3 km | |
| Ferrini Home - Via Monte Sant'Agata | 0.7 km | |
| Gattopardo House | 0.4 km | |
| Globetrotter Catania | 0.3 km | |
| Grand Hotel Baia Verde | 5.8 km | |
| Hotel Biscari | 0.4 km | |
| Hotel Villa del Bosco | 3.3 km | |
| Iuvara Rooms B&B | 0.9 km | |
| Katane Palace Hotel | 1.2 km | |
| La Cot BnB | 0.6 km | |
| Let's B&B | 0.6 km | |
| Liberty Hotel | 0.8 km | |
| Magione del Re | 0.7 km | |
| Naca Suite | 0.6 km | |
| Palace Catania | UNA Esperienze | 0.7 km | |
| Palazzo del Verga | 0.3 km | |
| Quattro Canti Suites | 0.3 km | |
| Romano Palace Luxury Hotel | 2.7 km | |
| TK hotel | 6.5 km | |
| UrbanPop | 0.4 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Catania
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Catania are May, June and September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; October is the wettest, with about 92 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Catania: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), about 4.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Comiso Airport (CIY, 71 km) and Reggio Calabria Airport (REG, 80 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Eruptions of Mount Etna and Stromboli can cause disruptions of the flights, such as in July 2024.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
CTA · Catania-Fontanarossa Airport
CIY · Comiso Airport
REG · Reggio Calabria Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Catania
Eat
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 salata (salty ricotta) 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).
Drink
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).
Stay safe
Catania is the safest major city in Sicily, even during the night as there are a lot of students and people around throughout the city centre. 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. However using common sense is more than enough the avoid all problems. You may encounter some people asking for money. Just ignore them and say "Non ho niente, mi dispiace" (I don't have anything (=money), I'm sorry). As in any other city avoid the station area, especially at night.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Catania: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Catania?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Catania are May, June and September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; October is the wettest, with about 92 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Catania?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), about 4.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Comiso Airport (CIY, 71 km) and Reggio Calabria Airport (REG, 80 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Catania?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Catania
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.