Catania is the Sicilian city that makes you do some homework. The Castello Ursino has been shut for restoration since February 2025, the Teatro Massimo Bellini has paused its guided visits, and Mount Etna put an ash warning on the airport as recently as 29 October 2026.
None of that stops a great trip in Catania. It just means a lot of older lists send you to doors that aren't open.
These are the best things to do in Catania right now, in 24 picks grouped by area. We built the list from official ticket and museum pages, local press and the questions travelers ask Google most, all checked on 31 October 2026, and we tell you what each pick costs, when it's closed and what we'd skip. For the bigger picture of where to stay and how long to allow, start with our Catania travel guide.
Updated October 2026 with current ticket prices, opening days and closures.
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Short on Time in Catania? Book These First
- Mount Etna: the Etna morning or sunset tour with pickup and tasting is the easiest way up without a car, rated 4.8 from more than 4,400 reviews on GetYourGuide.
- Food: the guided street food walking tour covers the market and the classics in one go.
- Underground Catania: the guided underground tour with tickets fills the gap left by the closed castle.
- A base in the old town: Asmundo di Gisira, rated 9.6 on Booking.com.
| Place | Status | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Castello Ursino | Closed for restoration since February 2025; reopening is expected in 2027 with no firm date | Walk around the outside and the moat, then spend the time at the Roman sites |
| Teatro Massimo Bellini visits | Guided visits suspended from May 2026 for maintenance; reported to run to the end of 2026 | Book a concert or look at the theatre's city itinerary tour |
| Orto Botanico | The university's own pages say temporarily closed (undated) | Check with the University of Catania before you go |
| Etna summit zone | Access above 2,500 m depends on the volcano's alert level | See the Etna section and book a guide |
Things to Do in Catania's Old Town
Most of the things to do in Catania's center sit within a 20-minute walk of Piazza Duomo, so start here and fan out. Everything below is on foot.
1. Start at Piazza Duomo and the Elephant
The square is the center of Catania, and it's free. The lava-stone elephant fountain is called u Liotru by locals, and the cathedral façade fills one side.
Go early, before the cafés set out their tables. The dark stone is why Catania is called the black city: the old town was rebuilt in volcanic stone after the 1693 earthquake.
Cost: Free.
2. Visit the Cathedral and Roman Baths
Inside the Cathedral of Sant'Agata you're in the church of Catania's patron saint. Local listings say entry is free; cover your shoulders and knees, and expect to be limited to the aisles during Mass.
The better ticket is next door. The Diocesan Museum is €7, the Achillean Baths under the cathedral are €5, and museum plus baths is €10. Terrace access is listed from €3, which is the reduced rate, so check the full price.
We'd pay for the baths. Standing in a Roman bath chamber under a baroque cathedral is the most Catania thing you can do on a wet day.
Tip: Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. The hours we found online were the 2025 summer timetable, so check the winter hours before you go.
3. Get to La Pescheria Before Noon
The fish market behind Piazza Duomo is loud, wet and wonderful: swordfish heads on ice, sea urchins, men shouting prices over each other. It runs Monday to Saturday mornings and is closed on Sundays.
Come between about 9am and noon, when it's busiest and the stalls are fully laid out. By early afternoon it's being hosed down.
Not into raw fish? Come anyway, then eat the fried version at one of the kiosks around it (see our food section below). A street market in nearby Piazza Carlo Alberto, the fera 'o luni, is reported to run most days except Sunday, mainly in the morning.
That's one local source, so check on the day.
Tip: Wear shoes you don't love. The floor is wet.
4. See the Roman Theatre and Odeon
Catania's Roman theatre is wedged between apartment blocks in the old town, and that's what makes it good. The seats curve up into houses with washing on the balconies.
Entry is €8 (€4 reduced). It's open daily, 9am to 7pm, with last entry at 6:30pm, at Via Vittorio Emanuele II 266. A €10 combined ticket (€5 reduced) adds the Terme della Rotonda and the Terme dell'Indirizzo, two Roman bath sites.
Skip the combined ticket if you're short on time. Those baths are free to enter on their own, Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 1pm and 2:30pm to 6:30pm, Sundays 9am to 1pm, and closed Mondays.
Allow: 45 minutes to an hour.
5. Go Underground at the Roman Amphitheatre
Piazza Stesicoro hides what's left of Catania's Roman amphitheatre. You can see a curve of it behind railings from the square, but you only get the scale by going in. It reopened to visitors in July 2024 at about €4. Ticketing was due to move to a new operator in spring 2026, so confirm the price and hours on the day.
If you want more of the buried city, the guided underground tour with tickets takes you below the streets with a guide. It's rated 4.7 from about 750 reviews. The tunnels under the Castello Ursino are not open while it's closed, so don't expect that route.
Cost: About €4 (2024 price; confirm).
6. Walk Via dei Crociferi and MACS
Via dei Crociferi is a short, camera-controlled pedestrian street of baroque façades and churches, and it's best early, before the day trippers. San Francesco Borgia is free and open Tuesday to Saturday 9:30am to 6:30pm and Sunday 9:30am to 1:45pm; it's closed Mondays.
We couldn't confirm hours for the other churches, so treat them as a bonus.
The MACS contemporary art museum is at the corner of Via Crociferi, at Via San Francesco d'Assisi 30. It costs €7, opens Tuesday to Thursday 11:30am to 3pm and Friday to Sunday 10:30am to 5:30pm, and is closed Mondays.
The page is undated, so confirm before you go.
Tip: Monday is a bad day for churches, museums and the baths. Plan your market and your walking for Monday instead.
7. Take the Benedictine Monastery Tour
The Monastero dei Benedettini is a vast baroque monastery that's now part of the University of Catania, and you see it on a guided visit only. It's €10 for adults, runs about 75 minutes, daily from 10am to 5pm, and is guided in both Italian and English. Book online, because places are limited.
The address is Piazza Dante 32.
Worth it? Yes, if you like architecture and quiet courtyards. It's the one big sight where the guide really does make the visit. It's a lot of walking, so don't pair it with the amphitheatre on the same afternoon.
Tip: Part of the site is university space, so some areas close to visitors on working days.
8. Climb the Badia di Sant'Agata Dome
For the best view of the rooftops with Etna behind them, climb the dome of the Badia di Sant'Agata, on Via Vittorio Emanuele II 182. A €7 combined ticket covers the terrace and dome plus three smaller churches, and it's valid for three days. The ticket office is listed as open 9:30am to 8:30pm daily, but call to confirm the day's times.
It's tight, hot in summer, and the stairs are steep. It's still the best picture of Catania.
Cost: €7 combined ticket.
Tip: Combine Your Tickets
If you're doing the Diocesan Museum, the Achillean Baths and the monastery, buy the integrated ticket instead. It's €15, covers the museum, the baths and the Monastero dei Benedettini, and is valid for 30 days according to the museum's own ticket page.
Check it covers what you want at the desk.
9. Stroll Via Etnea and Villa Bellini
Via Etnea runs dead straight from Piazza Duomo toward the volcano. On a clear day Etna sits at the end of the street like a backdrop someone forgot to move.
It's a camera-controlled pedestrian zone, so you can wander without watching for cars.
Halfway up, the Villa Bellini gardens are the place for a bench in the shade. Public-garden hours change by season and the park closes early on concert days, so don't plan around a closing time.
Cost: Free.
10. Book Palazzo Biscari for a Look Inside
The baroque Palazzo Biscari is only visitable on a short guided tour of about 30 minutes, by reservation, at Via Museo Biscari 10. Tickets are €10 (€7 reduced). English tours are listed at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30, and the palace is closed on Mondays and Fridays; Tuesday to Thursday it opens 10am to 1pm and 4pm to 7pm, and weekends 10am to 9pm.
The site shows only the current week's calendar, so book direct and confirm.
This is the pick for people who've already done the churches and want to see how Catania's nobles lived.
Cost: €10.
11. Visit the Museum of the 1943 Landings
The Museo Storico dello Sbarco in Sicilia 1943, at Le Ciminiere on Viale Africa, is an easy rainy-day pick. It's €8 (€4 reduced), open daily 9am to 7pm with last entry at 6pm, and a €12 combined ticket covers two of the Ciminiere museums.
It's not on most lists, which is a reason to go. If you came to Sicily for the history of the 1943 invasion, this is the place that tells it.
Cost: €8.
Eat and Drink in Catania
Catania is the best place in Sicily to eat standing up. Street food here is cheap, serious and everywhere in Catania.
12. Graze Through the Fish Market
The kiosks around the fish market sell fried fish in paper cones, small rice balls and sandwiches, and it's the quickest lunch in town. One well-known stop is Scirocco Sicilian Fish Lab, a street-food kiosk by the market in Piazza Alonzo di Benedetto.
Eat it standing up, right there, and keep the rest of the day's budget for dinner.
Cost: Cheap; prices vary by stall.
13. Eat Arancini, Norma and Cannoli
In Catania it's arancino, a rice ball often shaped like a cone to look like Etna. Palermo says arancina, and the Accademia della Crusca has said both forms are acceptable, so you won't get arrested either way.
Then order pasta alla Norma: pasta with fried aubergine, tomato and salted ricotta, named after Bellini's opera Norma. Bellini was born in Catania, and he gets the credit.
Finish with a cannolo.
If you'd rather have someone order for you, the guided street food walking tour is rated 4.6 from about 340 reviews. Wondering how much to leave?
Our tipping in Italy guide has the answer.
Tip: Don't eat at the first café on Piazza Duomo. Walk two blocks.
14. Order Granita and Brioche for Breakfast
The classic Sicilian summer breakfast is granita, a half-frozen, sweetened ice, with a warm brioche on the side. You tear off the brioche, dip it, and repeat.
Sicily's regional tourism site describes granita eaten with a warm brioche for breakfast, and it's easy to find at any bar in the center. Go in the morning, and in summer.
In winter, take a cappuccino.
Cost: A few euros.
15. Try the Horse-Meat Grills on Via Plebiscito
From late afternoon the butchers on Via Plebiscito light open-fire grills for horse meatballs, sausages and steaks. It's an old Catania tradition, and not for everyone.
A proposed national ban on slaughtering horses for food was in the news in February 2026, and we couldn't confirm what happened to it. Ask locally before you plan a dinner around it.
Tip: If horse meat isn't for you, the same streets have regular grills and bars.
16. Have an Evening Drink Behind Teatro Massimo
The streets behind the Teatro Massimo Bellini are where Catania drinks at night. The bars spill onto the pavements, and it stays busy late.
It gets loud and late, so ask for a quiet room if your hotel is near. The tourist-heavy streets around Piazza Duomo are quieter and a bit pricier.
Tip: The old San Berillo quarter and the streets around Catania Centrale station are best avoided late at night, as you would in any port city.
Things to Do Near Catania
Catania is the best base for eastern Sicily, and these are the things to do in Catania's surroundings we'd actually make.
17. Visit Mount Etna (With a Plan B)
Etna is the reason many people base themselves here, and it has its own Mount Etna guide. The short version: you can reach Rifugio Sapienza, at about 1,900 m, by car or the AST bus, ride the cable car up, and go near the summit craters only under local rules.
It's an active volcano, and the rules change with the alert level. On 29 October 2026 INGV issued a red aviation notice for ash, with Catania airport capping arrivals, and it was reported back at orange the next day. INGV's weekly bulletin for 19 to 25 October reported degassing and occasional ash, with no lava flows. Under a Belpasso ordinance of 10 August 2026, the area around the active craters is guide-only and everything above 2,500 m closes at the top alert level.
| Option | What it is | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| AST bus | Catania station to Rifugio Sapienza | €6.60 round trip (confirm) | Leaves 8:15am from Piazza Giovanni XXIII, returns 4:30pm |
| Funivia dell'Etna | Cable car from about 1,900 m to 2,500 m | €54 round trip | Child 5–10: €30 |
| Guided jeep or snow-cat extension | Above the cable car with a guide | From €78 (March 2026 price list) | Check the operator for the current price |
| Guided day tour | Pickup in Catania, lava cave, tasting | Varies | Easiest with no car |
Our recommendation: if you don't have a car, book a guided half-day. The Etna morning or sunset tour includes pickup and a tasting. Hikers who want to go higher should look at the summit craters trek with a volcano guide, and it only runs when the alert level allows. See our Sicily tours guide for more.
Tip: Dress for another climate. It's far colder up there than in the city.
18. Taste Wine on Etna's Slopes
Volcanic soil makes distinctive wine, and a tasting is the best excuse to see the slopes without hiking. The full-day Etna and wine tour is rated 4.9 from around 190 reviews, and it's the pick for people who want the volcano without the effort.
If you only have a morning, the Etna morning tour above includes a tasting too.
Cost: Varies by tour.
19. See the Alcantara Gorges
The Gole dell'Alcantara are a narrow lava canyon north of Etna, with cold river water running through them. The municipal staircase down to the gorge was priced at €2 per person and listed as open 4 April to 31 October 2026. That season has just ended, so check the winter situation. At the main park entrance, entry prices of roughly €7 to €13 by season have been reported, so check the park's own site.
Without a car, the Etna and Alcantara Gorges full-day tour with lunch is rated 4.8 from more than 3,000 reviews and covers both.
Allow: About an hour by car from Catania, and 1 to 2 hours at the gorge.
20. Cruise the Cyclops Coast at Aci Trezza
North of Catania, the sea stacks off Aci Trezza are said, in Homer's story, to be rocks thrown by the blinded Cyclops. They sit inside a marine protected area, so follow the buoys and signs.
Aci Castello's Norman castle sits right on the black rock and is the classic picture. Hours and prices there have been inconsistent, with about €3 reported, so call the Comune before going out of your way.
The easiest way to see the coast is from the water. The Cyclops Coast cruise with appetizer and snorkeling leaves from Catania and is rated 4.7 from nearly 1,000 reviews. For a land route, local buses run to Aci Trezza in about 25 to 30 minutes for under €2, though the line numbers changed in July 2026, so ask at the stop.
Allow: Half a day.
21. Swim at La Playa or Li Cuti
La Playa is the long sandy beach south of the center, with paid lidos and free sections, and it's mostly a summer and early-autumn spot. San Giovanni li Cuti is a small cove of black lava sand and rock north of the center, free to use with limited space.
Some stretches of the Catania coast are closed to swimming each year, so check the city's bathing ordinance before choosing a spot. For Sicily's best sand, see our guide to the best beaches in Sicily.
Tip: Catania isn't a beach resort. Treat it as a city that happens to have a coast.
22. Take the Train to Taormina
The classic day trip. Trains to Taormina-Giardini take roughly 40 to 60 minutes and run most of the day, and the station is below the town, so you need a bus or taxi up the hill. Book on Omio's Catania to Taormina page, or read our trains in Italy guide first.
The Teatro Antico is the draw. The park's ticket page lists €12 full price (€6 reduced), with last entry at 5pm in late October and earlier in winter, so check. Isola Bella is €5 on the same page, but one source reports it closes to visitors in November and December, so confirm that before you go.
If you'd rather not organize it, the Taormina, Isola Bella and Castelmola day trip does it from Catania; it's rated 4.2 from about 250 reviews. For the full picture see our things to do in Taormina and the Teatro Antico guide.
Cost: Train a few euros each way; theatre €12.
23. Spend a Day in Syracuse and Ortigia
Syracuse is just over an hour south by the fastest trains, and slower ones take longer, so check the timetable. The Neapolis archaeological park is €14 (€7 reduced), and in late October it closed at 5:15pm, so winter hours will be shorter.
Book trains on Omio's Catania to Siracusa page.
Do Neapolis in the morning and walk across to the island of Ortigia in the afternoon. For a sea view, the Ortigia island and sea caves boat tour is rated 4.7 from more than 3,000 reviews.
Our Syracuse and Ortigia guide has the rest.
Allow: A full day.
24. Time It With the Festival of Sant'Agata
Every year, Catania's biggest party is the Festa di Sant'Agata, on 3 to 5 February, within a longer festive period. It's one of the largest religious festivals in Italy, with processions through the old town.
The city's dossier for UNESCO intangible heritage status was handed to the culture minister on 30 October 2026, so it's a candidate, not a listed festival. The 2027 programme hasn't been published yet.
Rooms go fast, so book early.
Tip: If you hate crowds, avoid those three days.
What to Do in Catania in One Day
If you only have a day, this is the order we'd use. Be at La Pescheria by 9am, then walk to Piazza Duomo and the elephant, step into the cathedral, and do the Roman Theatre before lunch. Eat street food, then take the city highlights walking tour or walk Via dei Crociferi and climb the Badia dome for the view.
End on Via Etnea.
With two days, give the second one to Etna.
How Many Days in Catania?
Two days is the sweet spot for a first visit. One day covers the old town and the market. The second goes to Etna, the coast or the wine.
Add a third if you want a day trip to Taormina or Syracuse without changing hotels. If you're building a Sicily itinerary, one night still works.
Getting Around Catania
Walk. The old town is compact, and most sights are within 20 minutes of Piazza Duomo.
Don't drive into the center. The ZTL, a limited-traffic zone in the historic center, is camera-controlled and reportedly active around the clock, with fines of around €100 arriving by post. If your hotel is inside it, ask the hotel to register your plate. A car makes sense only for Etna and the coast, and you can compare rental prices with DiscoverCars. Our driving in Italy guide covers the rules.
From the airport, the Alibus costs about €4 and runs roughly every 20 minutes, and a fixed €27 taxi fare has been trialled to the center until 31 December 2026, so ask the driver. The metro does not reach the airport yet. For a fixed-price arrival, Welcome Pickups meets you at arrivals. See our Catania airport guide for more.
Best Time to Visit Catania
April to June and September to October are the best months: warm enough to eat outside, cool enough to walk and climb. July and August are hot, with highs in the low 90s °F (about 32–34°C) on long-term averages, and Etna's ash can disrupt flights. Winter is mild, around 61°F in January, and good for sightseeing. Early February brings Sant'Agata.
Our best time to visit Sicily guide breaks it down by month.
Where to Stay in Catania
Stay in the historic center, within walking distance of Piazza Duomo and Via Etnea.
- Asmundo di Gisira: Via Gisira 40, rated 9.6 on Booking.com. A boutique pick in the old town.
- Palace Catania | UNA Esperienze: Via Etnea 218, rated 8.8. A larger hotel on the main street.
- Benedettini Home: Via Teatro Greco 141, rated 9.3. Near the Roman theatre.
Scores were checked on Booking.com on 31 October 2026. For more options, see where to stay in Sicily and our Sicily hotels guide.
Your Catania Booking Checklist
- Book your hotel: Asmundo di Gisira, or one of the others above.
- Book Etna and city tours: the Etna morning or sunset tour and the street food walking tour.
- Arrange your airport transfer: Welcome Pickups.
- Hire a car (only for Etna and the coast): DiscoverCars.
- Book day-trip trains: Catania to Taormina and Catania to Siracusa on Omio.
- Get an eSIM: Yesim works across Italy; see our Italy eSIM guide.
- Buy travel insurance: Visitors Coverage, especially in Etna's ash season.
Heading on around the island? Our Sicily travel guide is the next stop, and things to do in Sicily has the wider list.
Frequently asked questions
Is Catania worth visiting?
Yes, for one or two nights. Catania is worth it for the fish market, the baroque old town, cheap street food and the easiest access to Mount Etna. It's grittier than Taormina or Ortigia and it isn't a beach resort, so treat it as a lively city base rather than a postcard.
What is Catania known for?
Mount Etna, Saint Agatha and food. The volcano dominates the skyline and the city's history, Sant'Agata gets a huge festival every 3 to 5 February, and street food such as arancini, pasta alla Norma and granita is what most visitors remember.
Why is Catania called the black city?
Because much of it is built from dark volcanic stone from Etna. After the 1693 earthquake destroyed the city, Catania was rebuilt in baroque style, often in lava stone trimmed with pale limestone.
Which is nicer, Palermo or Catania?
It depends what you want. Palermo is bigger, with more grand monuments and museums. Catania is smaller, easier to walk, and closer to Etna and the east coast. Many first-time visitors fly into one and out of the other.
What can you do in Catania when it rains?
Go indoors: the Diocesan Museum and the Roman baths beneath the cathedral, the Museo Storico dello Sbarco at Le Ciminiere, MACS, or a guided visit to the Benedictine monastery. Check Monday closures, because several of these shut that day.
Is Catania safe for tourists?
Yes, for ordinary visitors who take normal city precautions. Watch your phone and bag in crowds and on buses, and avoid the San Berillo quarter and the streets around Catania Centrale station late at night.
What can I do in Catania in one day?
Be at the fish market by 9am, then see Piazza Duomo, the cathedral and the Roman theatre before lunch. Eat street food, climb the Badia dome or walk Via dei Crociferi in the afternoon, and finish on Via Etnea. Give a second day to Etna.
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