Things to do in Catania for 1-2 Days: Itinerary Guide
Catania is often seen as just a transportation hub on your way to Sicily’s more famous spots, like the coastal paradise of Taormina or the historic castles of Syracusa. But before you get lost in planning your next coastal getaway, make sure to spend some time in Catania to immerse in the local Sicilian culture. It’s easy to overlook, but trust us, this city has a charm all its own. After spending 5 days soaking in the authentic Sicilian vibe, we’re here to tell a different story and inspire you to experience Catania in all its glory. We’ve curated a list of the 12 best things to do in Catania to help you experience the city like a local and make the most of your stay! Plus, we’ll throw in some insider tips on how to get the most out of your visit and where to stay.
Let’s dive in!
Quick Summary: Best Things to do in Catania
If you are short on time and want some quick suggestions for what to do in Catania, these are our favourite 5 out of the 12 on the list!
✅ Favourite Activities:
Do a Historical Walking Tour or Follow our Walking Route
Monastero dei Benedettini
Catania Street food Tour or Visit the Fish Market
🌋 Mount Etna Day Trip
Marvel at the incredible night life and Street Performances
🏨 Where to Stay in Catania:
Budget: Lidoro Bed and Breakfast
Fanciest Stay: Hotel Bastiò Private Suites
📲 Recommended E-Sim: Airalo
🚌 Book your Bus/Trains in Italy: Omio
🚑 Travel insurance we used: Safety Wing
Is Catania Worth Visiting?
Catania has a bit of a mixed reputation. Often labeled as shabby, gritty, and chaotic, with its graffiti-covered walls and bustling streets, it’s a city many travelers overlook, treating it merely as a transit hub to explore the rest of Sicily. Honestly, we almost made the same mistake when planning our Sicilian itinerary. But let us tell you—we’re so glad we didn’t.
Despite its rough-around-the-edges look, there is something truly charming about the culture there. Catania may lack the polished elegance of Taormina or the ornate Baroque beauty of Ragusa and Notto, but what it does have is an undeniable vibrancy that’s hard to match. There’s a raw energy here that makes you feel alive.
Nowhere else during our time in Italy did we encounter streets so lively at night, where locals spill out of bars and restaurants to share drinks and meals, plazas hum with crowds gathered around talented street performers, and the atmosphere feels entirely authentic—not staged for tourists.
So, is Catania worth visiting? Absolutely. Don’t come with a checklist of landmarks; come to immerse yourself in the unique culture, the unpolished charm, and the lively spirit of the Catanese way of life.
12 Best Things to do in Catania
Having spent 5 nights touring through Catania, we came to a realization. this isn’t a city built for ticking off a checklist of iconic landmarks or joining endless tours. Instead Catania is savoured through their rich culture and lively atmosphere.
It’s not about chasing sights but about soaking in the local experiences—embracing the chaos of the markets, indulging in mouthwatering Sicilian cuisine, and living in the moment like a true Catanese – despite the city’s occasionally rough-around-the-edges look.
This list highlights the best experiences Catania has to offer, showcasing what truly makes it special.
1) Baroque and Beautiful Walking Route
The best way to experience Catania is by wandering its streets, soaking in the stunning Baroque churches, vibrant plazas, and fascinating ancient ruins. Instead of listing nine separate landmarks as the “must-see” spots, the truth is that Catania is best enjoyed on foot through a walking route.
Guided Walking Tour
If you’re eager to dive into the city’s rich history and hear its captivating stories, consider joining a Guided Walking Tour of Catania’s highlights—it’s a fantastic way to connect with the city’s unique charm.
Independent Walking Route
Alternatively, you can explore independently. Most of the main sites are relatively close together and easily manageable in an afternoon. We’ve mapped out a convenient route to help you hit the highlights. This is exactly what we did—strolling at a relaxed pace, sampling some mouthwatering Catania street food along the way—and it turned out to be the perfect way to spend our afternoon.
📍 These are some of the highlight stops on this walking route:
- Ursino Castle
- Chiesa della Badia di Sant’Agata
- Piazza Del Duomo with Fontana Dell Elefante
- Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata to Piazza Universita
- Via Etna
- Via Crociferi
- Greek Roman Theatre
2) Be Marvelled at Monastero dei Benedettini
The Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l’Arena in Catania is one of Europe’s largest Benedictine monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1558, it has a rich and turbulent history, reflecting the resilience of Catania itself. Of all the sites in Catania, we feel this one is definitely worth a visit. Seeing its opulent interiors and uncovering its fascinating history is awe-inspiring!
The monastery was built over ancient Roman ruins, which can still be seen today when you enter into the basement. In fact, the Monastery was later turned into a school and the student library is intricately integrated with a glass bridge where you can admire the ancient Roman mosaic flooring. How cool is that?
The monastery was expanded drastically over the years but it faced significant damage during the 1669 Mount Etna eruption and the devastating 1693 earthquake but was rebuilt as a grand Baroque complex. You can actually see just how close the lava got to the monastery, forming an entire wall of volcanic rock.
The tour we took there lasted around 75 minutes and the guide was excellent! We could see just how passionate he was about the stories and really immerses you into that era. If you want to do the same tour as us, check out this Monastery Benedettini Guided Tour.
3) Visit the Catania Fish Market
Sicily is renowned for its seafood, so a visit to La Pescheria (the Fish Market) is a must! Situated just off Piazza del Duomo, this lively market offers a window into the heart of Catania’s local life, where vendors sell fresh seafood, produce, and other regional treats. It’s noisy, smelly, and chaotic, but it is a fascinating full-sensory experience.
The market opens early, around 7 AM, and typically closes by 2 PM, so be sure to rise early to catch it at its peak. While there, wander through the market stalls, grab a bite of fresh street food, and just take it all in.
4) Discover Sicily’s Cuisine through a Food Tour
After exploring Rome, Tuscany, the Dolomites, the Amalfi Coast, and Sicily, we can confidently say that our favorite Italian food was hands down in Sicily. So, if you’re in Catania, a street food tour is an absolute must!
On this Street Food tour, you’ll indulge in some of the best arancini, horse-meat meatballs, seafood cones, authentic cannoli, and much more. Plus, you’ll be taken to some of the city’s iconic historical sites, making it the perfect blend of a walking tour and delicious food tastings—definitely a win!
5) Via Etna for shopping and Visit COIN
From Catania, you can catch a stunning view of Mount Etna right from the heart of the city. Head to Via Etna, a street that, on clear days, offers a perfect line of sight to the volcano. What makes it even better is that it’s one of the city’s top pedestrian-friendly streets, lined with charming boutiques, shops, and eateries.
We loved strolling down Via Etna, shopping during the day and soaking in the lively Catanese vibe in the evenings.
For those seeking Italian fashion, there’s a great selection of local stores. Since we were on a budget, we asked our AirBnB host for recommendations on where to find affordable Italian fashion, and she pointed us to COIN. We ended up scoring some fantastic Italian-designed pieces at a great discount!
Cool side story: Our AirBnB host was actually one of the clothing designers for White Lotus Season 2. How awesome is that? Especially since we had just spent four days exploring Taormina and had binged the entire season!
6) Enjoy the street performances and musicians at Piazza del Duomo
One of our favorite experiences in Catania was taking an evening stroll after dinner and enjoying the street performers. Every night, we returned to Piazza del Duomo and Piazza Università, captivated by the incredible singers and musicians.
We’d sit on the benches for hours, listening to the performances while savoring our evening gelato. One singer, in particular, stood out—her voice was absolutely beautiful. It was especially heartwarming to see her dad sitting nearby, offering her support as she performed.
This was definitely one of the best free activities to do in Catania.
7) Grab a fried seafood cone at Scirocco
In addition to arancini, another must-try street food in Catania is the fried seafood cone.
These portable cones are packed with fresh octopus, squid, fish, and shrimp, all perfectly deep-fried to give a crispy exterior and juicy interior. One of the best seafood cones we had during our time in Sicily was from Scirocco. If you’re not in the mood for fried, they also offer a refreshing fresh octopus salad, squeezed with lemon.
A seafood cone costs around 8€ and makes for the perfect afternoon snack. Scirocco is a small spot with just a counter serving food, but they do have a few tables outside for you to enjoy your meal.
8) Our favourite restaurant in Catania
Yes, food again!
After trying several restaurants in Catania, our absolute favorite was Ristorante da Antonio. Tucked near Castello Ursino, it’s just outside the more tourist-heavy areas, and we noticed it was mostly filled with locals who seemed to be regulars.
What made this place stand out was their perfectly grilled seabass and sarde beccafico, both seasoned to perfection and juicy on the inside. We followed that with spaghetti alla vongole, one of the dishes we sought out throughout our entire trip in Italy.
To top it off, we enjoyed two shots of Rosorio di Mandarino—our first time trying it—and it was absolutely delicious! Imagine limoncello, but with a sweet, citrusy mandarin twist.
After that night, we tried to find other places serving Rosorio di Mandarino, but unfortunately, no one quite matched the perfection we had at Antonio’s.
9) Day Trip to Mount Etna Volcano
One of the best and must-do day trips from Catania is to visit one of Italy’s most impressive Volcanoes, Mount Etna. While you can catch a glimpse of it from within the city, for the full experience, make sure to take a day trip and hike to the summit of this natural wonder.
When browsing for tours, you’ll notice a wide range of prices. This variation depends on whether the tour sticks to the lower slopes or includes a full summit experience.
Reaching the top involves a bit of an adventure: first, you’ll take a chairlift, followed by a specialized 4×4 vehicle, which adds an extra cost of around 50–60€ per person. Some people also opt to just hike up but be warned—it’s a seriously long trek!
Summit Mount Etna Tour
If you want to summit Mount Etna, check out this Guided Etna Summit Hike which includes the cost of all transport and cable car.
Lower Etna Volcanic Landscape Tour
If instead you prefer to hike in the surrounding volcanic landscapes of Etna without summiting, then check out this Etna inner craters hike.
Mount Etna 4×4 vehicle Tour
Finally, if you prefer the least amount of physical effort to explore Mount Etna, check out this Etna 4×4 tour.
10) Enjoy the night food and drink scene at Magna Sicily
Alright, last food item on the list, we promise!
But this one was so much fun, we had to share it with you. Just off Piazza Duomo, there’s a lively street lined with outdoor terraces buzzing with energy. Looking to mix things up from the usual Italian fare, we headed to Magna Sicily.
While the food here isn’t as refined as some of the other places we visited, what it lacks in sophistication, it more than makes up for in affordability and fun.
Their tapas-style menu lets you scan a barcode and order through their app, with each item costing just a few euros—including a long list of cocktails. We planned to just grab a drink, but ended up spending 2-3 hours snacking on tasty bites and soaking up the Catania nightlife.
It’s not fine dining, but if you’re looking for cheap drinks, delicious tapas, and a guaranteed good time, this spot is a must! (We wish we had taken more photos of the cocktails but we downed them too quickly!)
11) Go for the best Thai massage in Sicily
Sometimes, the best experiences are the ones that are unexpected. Having done a lot of hiking while traveling through Namibia, we were yearning for a good massage once we arrived in Sicily.
Massage prices in Italy were pretty steep, so we decided to try a local Thai massage instead. It turned out to be run by a Thai family, and not only were they incredibly skilled, but they were also some of the friendliest people we’ve ever met.
We ended up going back twice, and on our second visit, only I was getting a massage. They noticed my wife sitting nearby and, true to classic Asian hospitality, asked if she was hungry. Before she knew it, she was sitting in the backroom with the whole family, enjoying a delicious home-cooked Thai meal!
Experiences like this are priceless. While there’s no guarantee you’ll get invited to lunch, you can count on an affordable, excellent massage every time.
If you want to get the best Thai Massage in Catania, head over to Sabijai Thai. Oh, also ask for the daughter or the mom, they are the best!
This post is part of our series about Italy. If you want to learn more about Italy, planning your trip, and some of the best experiences there, check out the guides below:
12) Visit Etna’s Wineries
From our travels through Peru and Guatemala, we’ve discovered that the areas surrounding volcanoes are some of the most fertile lands for agriculture. It’s no surprise, then, that Mount Etna is surrounded by countless wineries. The region produces its own distinctive wines, making a vineyard tour one of the best day trips from Taormina or Catania.
On this Etna Wineries and Food Tasting tour, you’ll visit two unique wineries, and savor a traditional lunch with breathtaking views of the stunning volcanic landscapes, and also sample some local produce like Sicilian Honey and olive oil.
Catania Itinerary for 1-2 Days
We loved spending 4 days in Catania and soaking up the atmosphere there, but if you only have 1-2 days, we would recommend the following itineraries:
With One Day in Catania:
We recommend starting your day early to visit the Seafood Market, stop by Scirocco for their delicious seafood cone, then join up with either the Street food tour (starting at 10am) or the walking tour (starting at 10:30am). Then finish off the day dining at Ristorante Da Antonia and strolling through the plazas at night enjoying the street performances.
With Two days in Catania:
Follow the same itinerary for day one, then on day two, do our independent walking route (as shown in #1) then head over to Monastery Benedettini to do the tour (usually starting at 1pm). Finish off the day strolling through Via Etna, shopping, and then go to Magnus Sicily for some evening drinks!
If instead you want to do a day trip, then on day two do this Guided Mount Etna summit hike or Guided Volcanic landscape tour or a Wine Tasting Tour in Etna.
How many days in Catania
We recommend a minimum of 2 days to properly enjoy what Catania has to offer. We stayed for 4 nights and really loved our experience there. Yes, we didn’t have exciting attractions to do everyday, but we really got to savour the authentic local Sicilian life here.
What was that saying again?
“La dolce far niente” – The sweetness of doing nothing.
There are also several day trips you can do from Catania which can easily extend your stay up to a week. Some trips you can consider include to the surrounding beaches, a super cool underground Catania Tour, a Cyclops Riviera Cruise from Catania, a day trip to Syracusa and Ortigia, or even a day trip to Taormina
(but we also wrote a full guide of how you can visit Taormina independently)
How to Get to Catania
Reaching Downtown Catania from Catania airport is super easy thanks to its efficient train and bus systems.
Catania Airport to City Center
From Catania Fontanarossa airport, simply hop onto the bus or train and you will be downtown within 20-30 minutes.
You will need to walk around 600 meters from the terminal to get to the ‘Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa’ train station or wait for the free shuttle, which departs every 10 minutes.
We normally like to book our tickets ahead of time to make sure we have everything ready and to not lineup at the ticket office. We booked all our tickets with Omio in Sicily and it worked perfectly! Both the train and bus tickets cost 4€ per person.
There is also the option of AliBus which costs 4€ per ticket and gives you access to the other AMT urban lines for 90 minutes.
Catania Airport to Surrounding Cities
If like us, you are planning on heading straight to Taormina or Syracusa from the Airport, then you can easily take the bus directly from the airport to those neighbouring towns. It is then easy to take a bus from those towns directly to Catania Centrale for your Catania Stay.
Private Transport in Catania
Finally, if you are a large group or would prefer a private transfer, then we highly recommend using WelcomePickups. We’ve used them several times before and always had excellent experiences. They have english speaking drivers, are super professional and punctual, and get you to your destination hassle-free!
Where to Stay in Taormina
Catania has a reputation for not always being the safest city, so we highly recommend staying in the downtown area, near Piazza Duomo, Castello Ursino, and Via Etna.
These areas are popular with tourists and generally very safe. We walked through these neighbourhoods multiple times, even late into the night, and always felt secure. Take a look at these fantastic options, with their standout features, centrally located and just steps away from the main attractions and lively action!
Hotel | Features | Price | |
| $ | ||
| $$ | ||
| $$$ |
Where to Go After Catania
After Catania, you can either head East to visit Taormina, or head West to go to Syracusa/Ortigia, Notto, and Ragusa. It is also possible to rent a car and do the entire Sicilian roadtrip, going through Cefalu, Palermo, Agrigento, and more! We didn’t have the time on our visit to Sicily to do the entire island and instead focused on the South Central and South Eastern parts. We will share our full itinerary shortly!
Using WISE card in Italy
When taking cash out of an ATM while abroad, you will most likely be charged both a foreign exchange fee and a foreign transaction fee by that country’s ATM. With my Canadian card, this can easily be 3-4$ + 2.75% + a markup on the exchange rate charged by my bank, and then another 3-5$ charged by the foreign ATM.
This can be really costly. For this reason, we recommend using WISE card which has only minimal fees and just about no foreign currency exchange markup. This helps me save at least 5-7$ every time I take out money from an ATM. If you want to see our full review of the card showing exactly how WISE can help you save, check out our WISE Travel card Review post.
Summary: Things to do in Catania
Catania was an unexpected highlight of our trip through Sicily. Often overlooked as just a transport hub and dismissed for its gritty appearance, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed our time there! Spend 2 to 4 days in Catania, and you’ll get a true taste of the authentic “joie de vivre” of the local Sicilians!
Looking for more travel inspiration?
Incredible volcanoes and ancient Mayan civilizations: Tikal and Antigua in Guatemala.
Hiking in the Andes and discovering Machu Picchu: Travel itinerary in Peru, hiking to Machu Picchu
Exploring ancient cave dwellings and riding hot air balloons in Cappadocia
Exploring and sailing on the Turkish Coast
Hiking in one of the US’s best national parks and road tripping through Utah
Discover Vietnam and the exciting northern Ha Giang Loop, as well as the Unesco city of Hoi An.
Discover Japan through the bustling city of Tokyo, the ancient culture of Kyoto, savouring the food of Osaka, the bowing deers of Nara, or off-the-beaten path on the coast of Izu Peninsula.