Catania Things to Do

Bellini's childhood home has been turned into a museum in his honor. Manuscripts, letters, historical documents, pianos and photographs are tastefully displayed in the tiny space. True Bellini lovers of course CANNOT miss this stop, and even those with only a passing interest should stop in to learn a bit about Catania's most beloved musician from the guides who themselves are quite knowledgable and passionate about their work.

The sign says: "This house, where Vincenzo Bellini was born, was declared a national monument on November 29th, 1923."

Don't forget to ask about the church across the street. You will hear the story of how Vincenzo would walk, unaccompanied, across the piazza every morning to practice the church's organ - when he was 3 years old.
The church itself houses several candelora for the St. Agata festival, and is itself worth a visit.
All things Bellini: Teatro Massimo Bellini, Bellini's house and Museum, Statue of Bellini, Piazza Teatro Massimo Bellini, Villa Bellini

One of the place you can't miss is the market, mostly famous for the fish selling.
This place is very large and I have never seen so many stands selling huge amount of fresh fishes (mostly still alive). The noise is high: each fishmonger screams price and attribute of his goods and invite you to taste their fish (Yes, here you can eat row fish !!!)
and the buyers scream too because they try to make the best bargain....
Unfortunately I haven't a good pic of a fish stand, but I got this, a very singular species of cabbage (I've never seen it before !!).

Watching the results of the most recent eruptions on the slopes of Mt Etna yourself, is a very impressive thing to do. You can go there on an organized excursion or by your own transport. Circumstances near the summit change by every eruption. When we were there (May 2002), 4 wheel drive vehicles were touring up and down the slopes to get you as close to the summit as considered safe by then. This service ran in stead of the cable car, which is still mentioned in many books, but was destroyed in the 2001 eruptions. After the eruptions later in 2002, so I understood, the 4WD service has ceased operation too.

For more pictures click here to see our travelogue on Mount Etna.

The strangest thing about this theatre is, that the entrance is through the front door of what looks like a small museum (not recognizable at all) in a busy traffic street. Once inside there is a ticket booth and when you walk on through the house, there is this Roman amphitheatre in its backyard! Great to stroll around, it keeps you busy for an hour or so.

As mentioned elsewhere, Bellini is Catania's most famous musical figure. I love this piece. From the top down:

Bellini, seated on a throne. Below him, facing in each of the cardinal directions, are four figures, each representing one of his famous operas. We have Norma, a Puritan, la Sonnambula (the sleepwalker), and the Pirate. They are each standing on a case of seven steps (the seven steps of the musical scale), which have important themes from the operas carved into them.

All things Bellini:

One of the Tourism Board's guides told me that this was the third biggest amphitheatre in the Roman world in its day, after Rome and Verona. Dunno, could be, but you can't tell anymore. The place used to have three tiers, but the top two were dismantled to build other buildings, and the bottom one was mostly buried in lava and then subsequently built over. In the past Piazza Stesicoro completely covered it, but now they've excavated a part of it and you can go down inside and look around, for free, if the gate isn't locked (no ordinary schedule). There are tunnells, now gated up, that lead into other underground sections of ancient Catania. Spooky.

This is one of the biggest and most important piazzas in the city. Named after a poet who lived in and fell in love with Catania, this piazza is packed with interesting things, both above and below. The most interesting things are invisible: the city has been destroyed many times by lava and earthquakes, and when, after one such disaster, the Roman amphiteatre withstood destruction, the inhabitants of the city decided to build OVER it, hoping for a solid foundation. There are the remains of an entire city buried under modern central Catania.

To be found here: Statue of Bellini, Buried Roman Amphiteatre, Candy Vendors

A word on the candy vendors - they sell all sorts of typical Sicilian goodies, particularly during the Christmas holidays and during the festival of St. Agata (which passes through here). I reccommend the candied almonds and 'olives of the Saint'.

To be found nearby: Goods Market, Fruit Market, Via Etnea

Catania is the city where I learned to love the Baroque. To paraphrase a hammy line from Disney, I used to say: if it's Baroque, FIX IT! Not anymore. All those embellishments and flutings enriching those chill classical lines... oh yes.

Piazza Duomo is the heart of the city's 'Centro'. To the South, through the Porta Uzeda, is the port of Catania, to the north Via Etnea slopes up towards the volcano and the more urban part of town. All around you are Vaccarini's heavy black and grey lava-stone buildings, all rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693 destroyed the city.

Things of interest here and nearby: The Duomo. The Elephant Statue, The 'Lenzuolo' Fountain, The Fish Market, Via Etnea, Porta Uzeda, Museo Diocesiano Catanese.