Catania

HISTORY: It seems that Catania was founded as a Greek colony around the 8th century BC, and it was one of the first cities in Sicily to submit to the Roman Republic in the 3rd century BC. The city was conquered by the Vandals and Ostrogoths in the 5th century AD, and was regained by the Eastern Roman Empire in 535, under which it remained until the 9th century. In 1072, it fell to the Normans led by Roger I of Sicily.

In the 14th century, Catania gained an important role, as it was chosen by the Aragonese for the Royal seat. Here, in 1347, it was signed the peace treaty that ended the war between Aragonese and Angevines. In the 16th century, the city became part of the Spanish Empire. In 1860, Sicily was conquered by Giuseppe Gabribaldi and, from 1861, Catania, along with the entire island, become part of the Kingdom of Italy.

GEOGRAPHY: Today, Catania is the second largest city of Sicily, after Palermo, with about 320,000 inhabitants. Its metropolitan area reaches one million inhabitants. The city is located on the east coast of Sicily, at the foot of Mount Etna, the biggest volcano in Europe. Catania is situated about 63 kilometers from Syracuse, 97 kilometers from Messina and about 210 kilometers from Palermo.

TRANSPORT: The main airport of the Southern Italy is Vincenzo Bellini International Airport, known also as Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, located near Catania. From the airport, every 25 minutes, there are buses named ALIBUS that reach the city center. The trip takes about 20 minutes and a ticket costs 4€.

Frequent trains connect Catania with other major cities of Sicily. A train ticket from Catania to Syracuse is 6.90€ and the trip takes about an hour. To Palermo, a ticket costs 13.50€ and the trip takes between three and four hours. You can also take a bus to Palermo, for about the same price. To explore the area, you can also rent a car, but keep in mind that driving in Sicily is not easy at all.

LANDMARKS: The main landmarks in Catania are the Baroque Piazza del Duomo, the main square of the city, the adjacent Cathedral of Sant'Agata (Duomo di Catania), Via Etnea, the main shopping street, on which some of the most important buildings of the city are found, Teatro Massimo, a 19th century opera house, Castello Ursino and the list can continue…

MORE INFO: Official Website | Catania Airport | Car Hire | Train Timetables & Fares | Bus Timetables & Fares | Hotels in Catania