Visit Catania in One Day: A Tried and Tested Itinerary

Catania is the second biggest city in Sicily and spending a day exploring what it has to offer is simply a must. After glimpsing the city below from your plane window you’ll want to jump straight in to your Catania airport transfer and get going. There is so much character and history to admire in this beautiful city, but these are the sights we think you really must visit if you only have a day to explore.

Centro Storico

Heading to the old town centre is an excellent way to begin a day exploring Catania. The Baroque buildings and short streets around here really illustrate its historic character – the Piazza del Duomo is a must-visit. The unusual Elephant Fountain is in the centre of the square along with a beautiful marble fountain dedicated to one of the city’s two rivers, the Amenano.

Fontana dell’Elefante

The Elephant Fountain is quirky and represents the emblem of the city, an elephant. It’s quite hard to miss such an unusual sight! The smiling elephant is known locally as Liotru and stands as the city’s protector from enemies and misfortune. There is a tall Egyptian obelisk stood on top of the elephant, which used to be in the amphitheatre marking the start and finish lines for chariot races.

Fontana dell’Amenano

Right by the entrance to the must-visit fish market in the Piazza del Duomo is the fountain dedicated to the river Amenano. The river itself is mostly underground after volcanic eruptions buried it but you can catch a glimpse at the fountain or enjoy dinner at the Agora Hostel while listening to the gushing water, as the river runs right through the restaurant!

Roman Theatre

Built in the second century AD, the theatre is made of lava stone, brick and marble. Excavations began in the twentieth century; taking the steps up to the top is essential to appreciate the sheer scale of it. Walk west from the Piazza del Duomo and keep your eyes peeled as the entrance is deceptively hard to spot.

Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The holy martyr Agata died in 251 and now the cathedral stands in that same place, over the Roman Baths of Achilles. To the right of the cathedral gates you can see the entrance to the baths – the tomb of Bellini can be found inside the cathedral itself. It was restored after several earthquakes caused damage but it was rebuilt completely after another in 1693.

Basilica della Collegiata

There is an abundance of churches around Catania but when pressed for time, one of the nicest to see is the Basilica della Collegiata, which can be found on Via Etnea. This is at the foot of Mount Etna so even just the walk towards it offers up incredible views.

Castello Ursino

During an eruption of Etna in 1669, the moat of this coastal fortress actually filled with lava from the flow. This wasn’t ideal for its defences but it has left a great story to tell. Nowadays, the town’s museum is housed within the walls.

How to Get There

EasyJet fly direct to Catania from £46 each way from Manchester, Bristol, Gatwick and Luton, which means that you can be viewing the sights there in around 3 hours. For a Catania Airport transfer, Shuttle Direct are the people to trust to get you there safely. They do private taxis or shared buses, both of which can be pre-booked at competitive prices so organising your Catania Airport transfer couldn’t be easier.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for the most affordable Catania airport transfer, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.