Catania sits in the shadow of an active volcano, serves some of Sicily's best street food, and packs more Baroque architecture into a few city blocks than most Italian cities manage in an entire region. If you're searching for things to do in Catania, you're in the right place. This is a city that rewards curious travellers who show up hungry, literally and figuratively.
1. Climb (or Ride) Mount Etna
Nothing quite prepares you for standing on the slopes of Europe's most active volcano. The views across Sicily are extraordinary, and the lunar landscape of hardened lava fields is unlike anything you'll see elsewhere in Europe. Book a Mount Etna trek to 3,000m with cable car and jeep for the full experience, or if you'd rather explore at your own pace, the half-day 4x4 tour of Mount Etna with lava cave and local tastings takes you inside an actual lava cave. Go early to beat the afternoon clouds that often roll in around the summit.
2. Eat Your Way Through the Morning Market
La Pescheria, Catania's famous fish market, runs every morning except Sunday and is one of the most intense, colourful, and genuinely exciting markets in all of Italy. Fishermen and vendors shout over each other, swordfish heads stare up from crushed ice, and the smell of the sea is everywhere. Get there before 10am for the best atmosphere, and go hungry because you'll want to snack on everything you see.
3. Join a Street Food Tour
Sicilian street food is a serious art form, and Catania is one of the best places in the country to eat it. From arancini stuffed with ragù to horsemeat sandwiches and fried chickpea fritters, the local snacking scene is adventurous and deeply satisfying. The morning street food tour of Catania pairs perfectly with a market visit, while the evening street food tour is ideal if you want to explore the city as the heat of the day fades and the streets come alive with locals.
4. Walk the Baroque City Centre
Catania was almost entirely rebuilt after a catastrophic earthquake in 1693, which means the historic centre is a remarkably cohesive showcase of late Baroque architecture. The grand Piazza del Duomo, with its famous elephant fountain, is the obvious starting point. A guided walking tour of Catania will give you the full story behind the buildings, the lava stone streets, and the symbols that appear again and again across the city's facades.
5. Visit the Cathedral of Sant'Agata
The Cattedrale di Sant'Agata dominates Piazza del Duomo and is far more interesting on the inside than its imposing exterior suggests. Saint Agata is the patron saint of Catania, and her festival in February is one of the largest religious processions in the world, drawing over a million people. Even outside of festival season, the cathedral holds relics, royal tombs, and a history that stretches back to Norman rule.
6. Take a Cooking Class with a Local
If you want to understand Sicilian food properly, you need to cook it. A cooking class and tasting at a Cesarina's home in Catania puts you in the kitchen of a local home cook who knows exactly how to make pasta alla Norma, caponata, and cannoli the way they're supposed to taste. For an even richer experience, the market visit and cooking class at a Cesarina's home starts at the market so you can source your ingredients fresh before heading back to cook.
7. Explore the Roman Theatre
Tucked into a residential neighbourhood just a short walk from the cathedral, the ancient Roman theatre of Catania is genuinely impressive and surprisingly easy to miss. It dates back to the 2nd century AD and could once hold around 7,000 spectators. The adjacent Odeon, a smaller theatre used for rehearsals, is included in the same ticket and worth a look.
8. Snorkel the Cyclopean Islands
Just north of Catania, the Cyclopean Islands are a cluster of volcanic rock formations rising dramatically from the sea. According to legend, the Cyclops Polyphemus hurled these rocks at Odysseus as he escaped. A boat tour and snorkelling around the Cyclopean Islands lets you explore the crystal-clear water around the rocks, where the marine life is excellent and the scenery is genuinely dramatic. This is one of those half-day trips that ends up being a highlight of the whole holiday.
9. Wander the Via Crociferi
This isn't the most famous street in Sicily, but it should be. Via Crociferi is a long, curving Baroque corridor lined with churches, convents, and grand palaces, and it's far quieter than the main squares. Walk it in the late afternoon when the light turns golden and the stone glows. Stop for a granita al limone at one of the small cafes along the way.
10. Day Trip to Taormina
Taormina is only about an hour from Catania and it's spectacular. The clifftop Greek theatre with Etna as a backdrop is one of the most photographed views in Sicily, and for good reason. The full-day Etna and Taormina tour from Catania combines both in a single day, which is a smart way to cover a lot of ground without the stress of driving yourself.
11. Discover the Ursino Castle
Castello Ursino was built by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in the 13th century and once stood right on the seafront. The 1669 eruption of Etna extended the coastline and left it landlocked. Today it houses the Civic Museum of Catania, with a solid collection of Greek, Roman, and medieval artefacts. Admission is affordable and the castle itself is worth the visit even if museums aren't your thing.
12. Try a Granita Breakfast
This one might sound odd, but trust the locals on this. In Sicily, breakfast often means a brioche bun stuffed with granita, a semi-frozen dessert made from fruit, almonds, or coffee. It is sweet, cold, and completely delicious at 8am. Don't leave without trying it at least once.
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Catania is the kind of place that gets under your skin quickly. The food is extraordinary, the history runs deep, and the presence of Etna looming over everything gives the city an energy that's hard to explain until you've felt it yourself. Start planning your trip, book a few experiences in advance, and leave plenty of room to wander.