Catania is a city with a story to tell, and in this YouTube video, we’ve got a whole day dedicated to sharing it with you. In this Catania travel guide, we take you through the best things to do in Catania and where to eat while also delving into the city’s rich history. Whether you’re planning to travel to Sicily or just curious about what Catania is like, this video serves as your one-stop guide to getting to know Sicily’s second-largest city, Catania.
The video features a detailed itinerary of things to do and places to eat in Catania, including staying at a B&B in a great location, breakfast at Prestipino, visiting Piazza del Duomo, the Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata, exploring Pescheria di Catania, Teatro Romano Antico, Castello Ursino, and dining at local restaurants such as La Pentolaccia and A Putia Dell’Ostello.
The video is not just a guide to tourist spots but also shares a brief history of the city, including the significance of the elephant as Catania’s symbol and its connection to the city’s culture and mythology.
The hosts, Juliana and Martin, provide a local’s perspective, giving viewers an immersive experience of the city’s unique charm. The video is informative, engaging, and offers practical tips for travelers looking to make the most of their time in Catania.
So, if you’re looking to uncover the essence of Catania, this video promises to be a valuable resource for planning a memorable and enriching experience in this vibrant Sicilian city. Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or a traveler seeking off-the-beaten-path experiences, The PERFECT day in Catania, Sicily is sure to inspire your next adventure.
Watch the video by Tourist to Local
I’m going to try horse. You heard it right, I’m going to eat horse. So, let’s catch you up on things. We’re Juliana and Martin, and we make travel videos. And this time, we’re in Sicily, where I have some family. We’ve seen the tourists, hung out with the locals,
Explored off the beaten path, and shared some great dishes. And now, we’re in Catania. Nestled at the foot of the ever-grumbling Mount Etna, Catania is a city with a story to tell. And guess what? We’ve got a whole day here to share it with you.
We’re talking about elephants that are more than just statues, a migrating castle, a theater that’s seen a lot of drama, and dinners right in the heart of Mount Etna’s aftermath. Welcome to Catania. So, we are very excited today to discover Catania. Oh my gosh, it’s the second-largest city
In Sicily. In terms of where we stayed, we picked this B&B. It’s cute, it’s in a great location, and pretty affordable. That’s right, it has everything that we wanted. But you said it already, the best location. So, we’re nearby everything over here in the center. Luckily,
We can walk to everywhere. So, what do you say we head to our first spot? Let’s get there. They were happy, so we have to be happy. Martin, I can’t think of a more idyllic way to start our
Day in Catania than sitting here right now. Yeah, we’re in a café that has a great spot. It’s going to be like a two-for-one. Yeah, it is, or more like a three-for-one. That’s right because we’re showing you guys everything over here in the center of Catania. But in this café,
We have a great view of everything. It’s a Sunday, by the way, so the city is coming to life. It is, it’s so nice walking here in the morning. Really worth it, getting up early because the sun was starting to come up. You’re passing by these like four-story grand buildings, just boulevards
All the way down. And then you come across this place, which is called Piazza del Duomo. Right, that is correct. That’s the name of the actual plaza we’re in. And right on the other side, there’s another place called Prestipino. Yes, it’s just in front of the cathedral, the cathedral over
Here of Santa Agata. And also, the famous fountain with the elephant, that is the sign of the city. We’re going to explain a little bit more about that, but it’s just beautiful. I already saw three elephants just on our way here today. Yeah, that’s right, it’s full of elephants,
This place. But this café, it’s very famous for their cannoli. So, that’s exactly what we’re having for breakfast. It’s a Sunday, don’t judge us. And we’re having our best time. Yeah, we’re taking advantage of every single meal here, eating as much Sicilian food as possible. Which,
By the way, last week we published a whole video showcasing all the dishes you have to try in Sicily. So, uh, don’t watch that one too hungry. In the meantime, cheers. Cheers. Sometimes when you go to plazas like this, you’re paying for the view, and the food is
Mediocre. But in this case, this is probably the best cannoli we’ve had on our trip here so far. So good. Back to the elephants. So, we have this beautiful statue that is very, very old, made by volcanic rock. During an earthquake in 1693, it was damaged, but they rebuilt
It. Then they built this beautiful fountain that represents three different cultures. Of course, the elephant from Catania. Then we have the obelisk that represents Egypt, that actually they believe they brought it from there. And at the top is Christianity, uh, that is the symbol
Of Santa Agata, that is the saint of the city. It’s like a mix of different cultures, just like Sicily. You know, it’s beautiful. But let’s talk a little bit more about why elephants are the symbol of the city of Catania, because it’s pretty wild. So, picture this, Sicily, a melting pot of
Cultures, right? Back in 278 BC, they’re having a tough time with the Carthaginians. They call up this Greek king, Pyros, who rolls in with not just an army but 26 war elephants. Imagine seeing those beasts for the first time. They help kick the Carthaginians out, and suddenly everyone in
Catania is like, elephants are our heroes. But there’s more. These elephants also get linked to Dionysus, the Greek god of the good times and wine, who’s big in Sicily. People thought Dionysus traveled on elephants, so they became this symbol of joy and protection,
Especially against Mount Etna’s fiery temper. So, the elephant ends up as Catania’s symbol, kind of a mix of a war hero, party animal, and guardian against volcanoes. Pretty wild, huh? And if you’re asking if it’s a female or a male elephant, it’s a male. We know they make sure everybody
Knows it’s a male. Our parents are not going to appreciate the last shot. Oh, look at the church. We took a second to walk into the Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata, which is a stunning example of Baroque architecture that is dedicated to Saint Agata,
Catania’s patron saint. Originally constructed in the 11th century, it’s faced its earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but each time it was rebuilt more magnificent than before. Oh, and speaking of volcanoes, there’s a reason we keep mentioning them. The temperamental
Mount Etna is right here. This moody mountain is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and it was puffing away just a few days before we shot this, probably trying to remind us that it’s
Still the boss around here. But let’s try not to think about that. You know, at tourist to local, we look at the touristic places but also the local part. This is the fish market, and of course,
You have to remember we’re on an island, so this is one of the most fresh and good stuff. He said it, you know. So, this is a good place where the locals buy their food because it’s a very
Important part of the Sicilian food. So, this is very important for the city, and we have seen a couple of things. And what we learned a couple of weeks ago, that we were spending time with locals,
Is you can learn a lot just by visiting a market. The official name of this place is Pescheria di Catania, and it’s a vibrant spectacle. Swordfish heads and mussels shine in the sunlight while vendors yell their prices, and equally as vocal locals yell back. The whole affair is comical.
Amidst this bustling scene, a local man bursts into our shot, and we aren’t surprised. Sicilians have been eager to talk to us and just make sure we’re having a good time. They’re the best hosts.
For us, it turns out this market is also more than just fish. We ran into many antiques here as well, and maybe the fish smells were just getting to our head, but we kind of had this idea for
Some souvenirs we could take back. Now, you guys know by now that Martin and I, we don’t normally buy souvenirs when we travel, and there’s a few reasons for that. One, we barely ever have room to take stuff back, and two, we don’t like buying things that everybody else already has. But I
Think I might have just found my new souvenir to collect, and it was all inspired by after walking through the fish market, coming across the regular market. There was a box of photographs and a box of really old postcards. I went nuts. I got three. I have this idea of putting together
Like a scrapbook of like someone’s postcard from Agrigento from years ago with this cute little message. These people were married in Catania in 1952, and then there’s this old picture of Venice from 1967. These are moments in time that probably no one ever expected some girl from the
United States to be putting in a scrapbook, but I don’t know, there’s something charming about it. And Martin got a coin, right? He loves to buy coins and bills when he’s traveling, especially ones that are really, really old. So, those are some fun, fun little souvenir items that
You kind of have to work for. You’re not always going to find, but when you do, it’s magical. And in the spirit of stepping into the past, let’s head to our next spot. The Teatro Romano Antico is not another ancient ruin where you used to nod and pretend to be deeply moved
By a pile of old rocks. This place is actually cool. Built by the Greeks in the 7th Century BC, then given a Roman facelift a few centuries later, this theater has seen more drama offstage than on it. It survived earthquakes, eruptions from Mount Etna, and centuries of tourists
Tramping through. And guess what? It’s still used today for concerts and events, but these days, with a couple of less togas. From the outside, it doesn’t look that old. It’s like a regular building, but when you get inside, you see this piece of art, and it’s very well preserved for
Something that’s been here for the last 2,700 years. They have the phrase, “As long as they are fed and as long as they are entertained, they’re not going to give you trouble.” So, the fights with the gladiators and also these theaters are what kept them entertained. That’s
Why you can see a lot of these places around ancient Rome. The best part about this theater, in my opinion? There are tons of cats here, right in center stage, making their own little performance. So, the thing that stands out to me about Catania is that it’s totally different
Than the other two cities we’ve seen so far. In Taormina, you have more of the hills, touristy, small little alleys. Agrigento, way more laid-back living. Catania has its own different animal. Part of the charm is its walkability. While here, we walk everywhere, never knowing what will be around
Each corner. Eventually, our wandering led us to this spot across town. Like our friend Agatino that we met earlier was insinuating, Sicily has a plethora of resources and is a very strategic place to be located, which means that castles like this one were needed. That’s right, and also,
Only in Sicily can you find a mixture of cultures like, for instance, finding a Greek theater, then a Roman arch, then an Egyptian obelisk. This castle, like the mixture of cultures, is amazing. That’s what makes Sicily so unique. So, we’re here at Castello Ursino,
And we’re going to take a look inside. It’s €11 to enter this one. Built in the 13th century by Frederick II, this castle was originally a beachfront property until Mount Etna, in his typical dramatic fashion, decided to remodel the landscape. Now, it’s awkwardly inland,
Making it the medieval equivalent of a beach house without a beach. Seriously, with all this volcano action we keep mentioning, you’ve got to wonder about the insurance premiums in Catania. They must be through the roof. Anyway, fast forward to today, and this once fearsome fortress is now
A cultural center, housing the Civic Museum. The museum is crammed with art, artifacts, and the kind of historical stuff that makes you go, “Huh, neat.” But let’s talk about the real surprise, the photography exhibit upstairs. I’m not usually one for getting misty-eyed over
Art. My idea of culture is a deep dive into the world of street food. But this exhibit, it got me. And I think looking at all those photos in the antique market gave me a new perspective on capturing single moments in time. Anyway, enough being sappy. Let’s go eat more food.
In Italy, you can have pasta in a restaurant, you can have it on a terrace, you can have it inside, outside, but we’re going to have it in a cave made of lava from Etna. That’s something to tell. So,
We learned that this place is open for lunch, but the cave part is only open for dinner after 5:30, 7:30, after 7:30. So, what do you guys say we come back here for dinner? But in the meantime, let’s
Find a different lunch option. So, for lunch, we found La Pentolaccia, that is over here in the San Berillo district. We wanted to come over here because we heard at night it’s a popular place to come over here, but at night, you guys already know, we have an appointment over there. So,
We’re over here for lunch, and we’re going to try a Catanian dish that is very famous. So, we were on the hunt for Catania’s most famous pasta dish. We’re going to find it over here. The name of the dish is Pasta alla Norma, and while you can find it all over Sicily,
The real deal is from Catania. At its base, you have perfectly cooked pasta, which is topped with fried eggplant, a vibrant tomato sauce, and a crumbly ricotta salata. And those of you loyal subscribers who saw last week’s food video already know about this dish because we shared it in our
Video showcasing 12 dishes to try in Sicily. So, you already know we love this one. So good. The pasta over here is incredible. This place is now crowded, so it should be a good place to eat. After lunch, we decided to walk around the San Berillo District. It seems like there’s tons of
Street art, a nice place to just get lost, and there seems to not be many tourists here at this time of day. This neighborhood has seen it all, from being a thriving hub in the 1950s to getting
A bit of a shady rep, and now it’s strutting its stuff as an up-and-coming area. It’s a mishmash of old and new, where graffiti art gives ancient walls a modern facelift, and trendy bars sit next to time-worn buildings. Now, let’s be real, after soaking in all that culture and history,
We did what any self-respecting thirty-something would do. We headed straight back to our bed and breakfast for some quality time with the air conditioning and a few hours of blissful disassociation. Turns out, once you hit the big 3-0, naps become more of a necessity,
Especially when you’re in the business of making travel videos. By the way, subscribe if you like what we do. Your support keeps us going. Well, that and a good afternoon nap. Fast forward, it’s time for dinner, so we’re going back to our cave.
Turns out, they weren’t sitting in the cave for whatever reason this night, but we were still allowed to take a peek, and our table was technically still underground, but just cave-adjacent. And that’s okay because Martin has a great point. Is it
Rock bottom to be eating in a cave? Now, what’s interesting about today also is, I’m going to try horse. You heard it right, I’m going to eat horse. Actually, it’s not something very strange over here in Sicily. If you go into the supermarket and you go into the
Baby food aisle, you will find jars made out of horses. So, it’s something common over here on the island. Actually, I was very surprised when my little cousin was small, and my aunt, she was giving that. I was like, “What? Horse?” Well, it’s going to be the first time I will try it,
And I will let you guys know how it was. Like a hamburger, almost. The way that they prepared it, it’s exactly like a hamburger. I give it a four out of five. Personally, I just rather have a
Regular hamburger, but it was fun to try. I’m not as risky as Martin, and I ordered just a pizza. They do freaking good pizza here. I’ve heard that a lot of the locals of Catania come here,
And I can see why. This looks delicious. It was probably meant to share, but I will be eating the entire thing by myself. Whoa. So, I went for one with buffalo cheese, basil, tomato. Amazing.
And we’re ending the day where we started it, back in Piazza del Duomo. The best way to see it, and look at the sun right now, it’s turning that into gold. Yeah, ten times more busy though than this morning. But anyway, we left you guys this video for
You guys to watch next. We’re having a whole big series around Sicily, seeing some really cool places. So long. Make the world your neighborhood. See you guys next time. Bye.
Video “The PERFECT day in Catania, Sicily (Italy) – Things to do and Where to Eat” was uploaded on 02/04/2024. Watch all the latest Videos by Tourist to Local on Gretopia