Catania

Catania is a real place, where to live the true Sicilian essence, rich of a troubled past
When we talk about Catania, in addition to talking about its many beauties, we cannot forget to mention the immense strength of a population scourged over millennia, by earthquakes, eruptions and dominations. This population, after every misfortune, has found the determination to rise from the ashes, like the famous Arabian Phoenix. Today Catania is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place of art and culture, hosting millions of tourists every year. This city can also be called the city of writers: appealing to Giovanni Verga, Luigi Capuana, Ercole Patti, Federico De Roberto or the journalist Giuseppe Fava.
Here to get an idea of the real flavor of this magnificent place the best thing is to take a nice walk through the streets of the country. Catania is dominated by baroque churches, such as the Church of San Benedetto, Palazzo Asmundo Francica-Nava, and the Church of San Francesco Borgia, where the great composer Vincenzo Bellini played the organ. The Massimo Bellini Theater and the Villa Bellini, two of the city’s main attractions, are dedicated to him. Certainly in Catania, you cannot miss to visit the cathedral of St. Agatha and its square. The church impresses with its magnificent Baroque cathedral facade that alternates black lava stone with clear Syracuse limestone. This combination creates a perfect match.
A very interesting stop is also the Castle of Ursino, a monumental thirteenth-century fortress built by Emperor Frederick II of Sicily. Visiting Catania and going back in time, you cannot fail to visit the Roman theater and the Odeon. They are the most precious fruits of archaeological excavations in the city. Concerning private residences, Palazzo Biscari is the most important in Catania and is an important testimony of the Sicilian Baroque.
Catania’s seafront promenade runs until it reaches two of the area’s most characteristic seaside towns: Aci Castello and Acitrezza, where you can admire the three “faraglioni”. Legend tells that the Cyclopes, including Polyphemus, lived here. Who hurled the three gigantic boulders at Ulisses in this part of the sea. Aci Trezza is also the site of the Malavoglia, narrated by Giovanni Verga.