Catania

Dominated by Mount Etna, Catania is the second city of Sicily, after Palermo, and has an intriguing history. Devastated by a particularly destructive eruption of Etna in 1669, it was then damaged by a serious earthquake in 1693. Evidence points to man’s presence here in the Bronze Age and since that time other influences include those of the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish, and Austrians. Fascinating archaeological remains that you will see include two Roman amphitheatres which survived the devastation, but the majority of the city reflects the Baroque influence, in recognition of which Catania has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many of the wide avenues and majestic palaces were constructed in the 18th century using the gvolcanic stone which is characteristic of the area.

Explore the city

From Classical to Baroque

From Classical to Baroque

Central Catania is easy to explore on foot and your hotel is right in the centre, just a couple of streets away from the Piazza del Duomo, a good place to start. Rebuilt by architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini in the early 18th century, the square is surrounded by elegant buildings and features the famous Elephant Fountain – 'u Liotru', the symbol of Catania, carved out of lava and supporting an Egyptian obelisk.

Examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture abound, such as the splendid Teatro Massimo Bellini and the more modern parts of the cathedral.

There are two wonderful amphitheatres from the Classical era too. The Greek/Roman theatre and Odeon are still in amazingly good condition.

Near the Piazza del Duomo, Catania’s noisy open-air food market is an experience! Best visited early in the day, the medieval warren of narrow streets surrounds the busy pescheria fish market (described by the TV chef Rick Stein as the 'best fish market in the world'), and there are also lanes of vegetable and fruit stalls. There are some good lunchtime trattorie in this area, too, where you could try spaghetti alla Norma, cooked with tomato and aubergines.

Also worth visiting is the fabulously intact, 13th-century Ursino Castle, now home to the Catania Civico Museum and a gallery of local art. When completed, it stood on a cliff overlooking the sea, but lava from a volcanic eruption created a new mass of land between it and the sea, and it is now a kilometre inland – a somewhat incongruous-looking setting.
Beyond the City

Take a trip on the Circumetnea

Take a trip on the Circumetnea

By way of a change, leave the city behind and take a trip on the Circumetnea, a small-gauge railway that runs for 110 km (68 miles) from Catania round the base of Mount Etna, reaching a height of 976 metres above sea level before descending to rejoin the coast.

Accommodation

The hotel is ideally located for exploring the city.

We provide suggestions for where to eat out in the documentation that we send you prior to your holiday.

Il Principe

Located in the heart of the Old Town, just a couple of streets away from the cathedral, Il Principe is a stylish blend of old and modern. All the suites and rooms are elegantly furnished and designed to offer maximum comfort, with air conditioning, satellite TV, wi-fi, hairdryer, mini-bar and safe.

Meal arrangements: breakfast only
Facilities
- Bar
- Lounge
- Spa
- Wifi
- Air conditioning

Prices

All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.

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Prices for first-named hotel (£ per person based on 2 sharing)

Add-on price

Il Principe Hotel, 2 nights: 01 March 2020 - 30 November 2020

Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

Starting	Add on 2 nights	Single supplement
1 - 30 Mar 2020	£174	£76
1 Apr - 30 Jun 2020	£188	£90
1 Jul - 31 Aug 2020	£174	£76
1 Sep - 28 Nov 2020	£188	£90

Includes accommodation and meals as described. No travel is included as it is assumed that you are travelling via the city as part of your main Inntravel holiday.

If you are flying via a different airport and would like us to arrange connecting travel, please contact us for a quotation.

Room upgrades & extra nights for first hotel

Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

Il Principe, Catania
Deluxe: 01 Mar - 30 Nov 2020	£12

Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

Il Principe, Catania (B&B)	Double room	Single room
01 Mar - 31 Mar 2020	£76	£110
01 Apr - 30 Jun 2020	£82	£122
01 Jul - 31 Aug 2020	£76	£110
01 Sep - 30 Nov 2020	£82	£122

Getting to the city centre

This information is for guidance only; no travel is included in our prices and you should pay locally for your chosen option.

For more information about the airport, visit the Catania airport website.

Getting between Catania airport and the city (4.3km):

Public transport	Approx. duration	Frequency
Bus	25 minutes	every 20 minutes

Other options	Approx. duration	Approx. cost
Taxi	15 minutes	20-30€

What is included

2 nights
2 breakfasts
street plan

Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

Mr D Oldfield

Belfast

27 April 2018

If you have the time, taking extra days is well worthwhile. We used them to wander Siracusa, take in both interiors and exteriors in Noto, take a bus to Scili and walk in Pantalica. We also ate better than ever in Italy. Prices vary, but there are some superb restaurants. We particularly enjoyed Il Liberty in Noto, Bella Vita in Siracusa, Ciciulena in Catania. and in Ragusa, Quattro Gatti and Il Barocco. To watch the day pass in Catania, Gulen on the main piazza is great.
Mrs K Cowley

Rochdale

04 April 2018

Difficult to say what wasn't a highlight! Loved the Valle dei Tempi, not just the ancient remains but also the wildflowers and general air of relaxation - away from the traffic! For similar reasons the Reserves of Vendicari and Pantalica and the pedestrian areas of Ortigia and Noto. There is nothing to equal Ortigia's Piazza Duomo in the early morning or during the evening "passegiatta".

We have a friend who has a holiday home in Ortigia who recommended the following restaurants and we found them both excellent for food and Sicilian ambience: (i) Tavernetta di Piero on Via Cavour - a small family run place, very popular, need to book. (ii) Osteria da Seby in via Mirabella. Also family run and very friendly but more stylish than Piero's. Very close to Algila Hotel (closed Mondays).

The friend also recommended a delightful walk on the slopes of Etna which is very convenient from Monaci delle Terre Nere: the Schiena dell’Asino trail. It’s easy to find from Zafferano Etnea - there is a small free car park at the start of the signed path about 2km east of the Rifugio Sapienza on the SP92. It passes through woodland up to meadows on the ridge with excellent views of the summit. The full circuit would be very demanding but it is possible to do a "there and back" walk with no difficulty.

Catania City Add-On

Holiday information

Catania

Sightseeing

Accommodation