Making the most of Catania Sicily
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The port is only a 15-minute walk from the town centre, a distance of 2km.
Beside the breakwater, where further works are scheduled for completion by early 2026, a new cruise berth will eventually also contain a new terminal.
Taxis wait at the entrance to the port.
This busy port stands on Sicily's north-east coast beside the Gulf of Catania. Repeated destruction by eruptions from Mt Etna and an earthquake in 1693 has given way to a city of broad boulevards, leafy parks and generous piazzas.
Just behind the cathedral is the bustling open-air market, a dense mixture of people, stalls and goods. Its most compelling areas are the fish market, or pescheria, piled with gleaming fresh fish and shellfish, and the butchers' displays designed to show how recently the meat was slaughtered. The maze of surrounding lanes is rewarding to explore.
Tourist offices can be found in the centre at Via Etnea, 63, at the railway station, Stazione Centrale FF.SS, and within the port at Stazione Marittima.
Getting around
The compact nature of central Catania makes walking the most convenient way to explore.
Consider an excursion to Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano. Trips often visit lava caves and provide opportunities to experience its volcanic scenery.
The Monastery of San Nicolò l'Arena is among Europe's largest monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage site, noted for its Baroque design.
Nearby places
Public transport is good, with trains and buses serving destinations across Sicily. Taormina takes only one hour and forty minutes by bus, with about nine services daily but just three on Sundays. Siracusa is one hour and twenty minutes away, served hourly and by eleven buses on Sunday.
Mount Etna is comfortably the most popular excursion. The route ascends Sicily's highest peak, one of Europe's best-known active volcanoes, as far as Crateri Silvestri.
Food and shopping
Via Etnea is Catania's principal shopping street.
Several pizzerias and restaurants stand around Piazza el Duomo. A local speciality worth tasting is Spaghetti alla Norma, prepared with tomatoes and aubergine.
Money
Italy's currency is the Euro.
Staying connected
Italian is the local language.
Many cafés provide complimentary WiFi to customers.
For emergencies, call 112.
Opening Hours and
Most Italian shops and businesses open Monday to Saturday from about 8am to 1pm, then roughly 4pm to 7pm. Many close on Saturday afternoons and Monday mornings, while southern trading days can start and finish an hour later. In northern Italy, some firms use a 9am-5pm schedule to support international business. Traditionally only bars and restaurants open on Sunday, although many towns have a pasticceria trading in the morning and Sunday opening is increasingly usual in large cities and visitor areas.