Best tours of Catania

Catania surprises at every turn. A thousand incredible stories, mythical places and incredible cuisine await you here. Strolling through its streets, admiring it from the sea and contemplating the silhouette of the city surrounded by Mount Etna are plans not to be missed. And all this, seasoned with the delicious dishes of Sicilian cuisine and local wines.

These are some of the best plans to enjoy Catania. But there are many more that you can discover with guided tours, such as an underground city full of mysteries or fantastic displays of urban art. I'll tell you more below.

A guided walking tour of Catania is the best way to get to know a city ravaged by wars and natural phenomena throughout history. Did you know that it has had to be rebuilt up to seven times? The one you will see today is the city that was reborn after the terrible earthquake of 1693.

If you are only going to be in Catania for one day, the guided tour is the best way to make sure you don't miss anything. You will get to know the most relevant details of a city with thousands of years of history and you will see its most outstanding monuments. Some of them will surprise you with their beauty.

Are you planning to spend at least two days in Catania? The tour will help you get to know the city and then you will be able to discover and enjoy it at your own pace. I can tell you that, although it is not a particularly well-known city, it has an endless number of marvellous places worth seeing.

The list is long. On the one hand, you will discover its Greco-Roman past in the magnificent amphitheatre. On the other, you will understand why Catania is called the black pearl of the Baroque, for the elegance of its palaces and churches, built with volcanic stone from Mount Etna. And you can also immerse yourself in one of its secrets: the underground city.

Interesting details

• Price: from 20 euros per person.
• Duration: about 2 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion: it gives the visitor a general idea of what Catania has to offer and a first approach to its attractions.
• Disadvantages of this tour: does not include access to the monuments.

Catania is rich in flavours. If you like to try new things, this tour is perfect for you because you will discover one of Catania's traditions: eating in the street. And, while you sample some typical delicacies, you'll also be able to explore a city dotted with magnificent monuments and charming corners.

One of the stops is La Pescheria, the lively fish market. It is set up every morning in a surprising location, a tunnel under the Palazzo del Chierici, while also occupying part of the ancient city walls. Here you can try one of the typical delicacies of Catania: fried fish.

But you are in a city famous for its street food, so there is still much more to try on this tour. For example, arancini, stuffed and fried rice fritters; cipollina, a puff pastry that is also stuffed; and, above all, cartocciata, a kind of small calzone typical of the local cuisine.

During the tour you will also try some of Catania's typical sweets, such as Savoia cake, nzuddi or almond pastries. And at this point, I can't leave without giving you a piece of advice: try some of the city's homemade ice creams, they are spectacular. You will leave Catania with the best taste in your mouth.

Interesting details

• Price: from 60 euros per person.
• Duration: about 3 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion: you will be fully immersed in one of the most deeply rooted Italian traditions, the aperitif.
• Disadvantages of this excursion: you will only taste tapas, you will not get to try more substantial dishes which are also very typical.

Sicilian gastronomy is delicious and, within it, Catania's gastronomy offers typical dishes that are real gems. If you want to take home a great souvenir of your stay, a cooking class is one of the most fun and educational activities you can do in the city.

You will be able to take home traditional recipes to surprise your loved ones with a very special lunch or dinner. These are recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation and have an unmistakable Mediterranean essence.

Caponata in sweet and sour sauce, spaghetti rolls, aubergine parmesan or the traditional sweet, cannoli, will no longer hold any secrets for you. You will have a great time and you will not only learn how to prepare these dishes, but you will also discover some of the secrets of Sicilian gastronomy.

Interesting details

• Price: about 90 euros per person.
• Duration: about 3 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion: you will not only learn how to prepare traditional recipes, but you will also learn interesting facts about the typical products of Catania.
• Disadvantages of this excursion: if your stay is not very long, you will have less time to enjoy other attractions.

Some Sicilian wines are among the best in Europe. Your visit to Catania is the perfect excuse to taste them in the very place where they are made. If you are someone who appreciates a good wine, you will love this experience.

By taking part in a wine tasting you will discover why these wines are so special. There are many reasons. For one thing, the grapes grow in volcanic soil. For another, that some of the vineyards extend up the slopes of Mount Etna to considerable heights. You will also learn how the growing area conditions the flavours and aromas of the wines.

In the Catania metropolitan area there are magnificent wineries that open their doors to explain the winemaking process and organise wine tastings. In the city, too, you can taste them in countless restaurants and wine bars. A guided tour will take you to the most representative places.

Here are two interesting facts. The first is that vine cultivation and winemaking are age-old traditions in Catania, since it was the first Greek settlers who introduced them here. The second is that the Etna Designation of Origin is one of the oldest in Italy.

Interesting details

• Price: from 220 euros per person, including the visit to the volcano Etna, lunch and wine tasting.
• Duration: about 7 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion: it allows to know how wine is produced in all its phases, from cultivation to marketing.
• Disadvantages of this excursion: the tours usually include a walk around Etna, which means that they take up a good part of the day.

This tour is the perfect complement to any guided walking or cycling tour. And it is also one of the best plans to enjoy Catania with children. The reason? The little ones will have the time of their lives aboard a sailing boat. What's more, the east coast of Sicily is spectacular, so you'll see some incredible sights.

Remember that the city stands at the foot of Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, at 3,300 metres. Admiring its skyline in the shadow of the mountain is Catania's most beautiful postcard, and it's something you can only do from the sea. A tip: if you can see it at sunset, all the better, the moment will be magical.

You can choose from a wide variety of walks. Some go along a large part of the Gulf of Catania and the coast of the Cyclops. Others are not so far out, but allow you to take a dip in the sea if the weather is fine or enjoy a romantic dinner on board. In any case, it is one of the most beautiful trips you can do in Catania, I recommend it.

Interesting details

• Price: from 80 euros per person.
• Duration: about 3 hours on the shorter tours.
• Advantages of this tour: you will see the most authentic image of Catania and discover the beauty of its coastline.
• Disadvantages of this excursion: it is subject to weather and sea conditions.

When the sun goes down, Catania is transformed. Even if you've toured the city during the day, it's worth doing it at night to discover a completely different side of the city. Did you know that in Italy the aperitif is eaten when it starts to get dark? It's a tradition that few people resist and you can discover it. You'll love it!

Throughout Catania you 'll find street stalls, kiosks and bars where you can sample authentic street food delicacies. Don't resist the famous Sicilian sausages and the typical arancini. You can accompany them with a local wine or a spritz, a drink made with dry red wine and sparkling water or tonic.

The evening is also the perfect time to immerse yourself in Catania's darker history. It tells of Norman invasions and pirate attacks. It also tells of more recent episodes. You may not know it, but during the Second World War, on the night of 9-10 July 1943, Catania was one of the scenes of the Allied landings in Sicily.

Of course, the night tour will take you through the main streets and monuments of the city. If you then feel like partying and enjoying the nightlife, you can do so on your own. In the historic centre you will find plenty of terraces, bars and entertainment venues where you can have a good time, such as La Chiave or the Nievski bar.

Interesting details

• Price: from 50 euros per person.
• Duration: about 3 hours.
• Advantages of this tour: you will be fully immersed in Catania's always lively nightlife and you will feel like a local.
• Disadvantages of this tour: if you have been touring the city during the day, it can be tiring.

Catania is a historic city, dotted with magnificent monuments. But there is a lesser-known, but no less interesting, part of the city. If you like street art, you should know that here you can take a tour that will lead you to discover fantastic graffiti and other very unique displays of urban art.

Where can you see these artistic displays? In such unexpected places as the silos of the port or an old garage of the city's public buses. But if there is one place where urban art has served as a catharsis, it is the district of San Berillio, a place that escaped marginalisation thanks to the graffiti that now adorns its walls.

There are also other very small, almost tiny urban art displays that you may only discover with a guided tour. They are on Catania's black beach, a beach that has no sand, but volcanic stones that creativity has transformed into fantastic beings and animals.

This is one of the most surprising tours of Catania because you will discover the most alternative, rebellious and vindicative spirit of this city. A spirit that contrasts with the elegance and classicism of the other side: the black pearl of Italian Baroque.

Interesting details

• Price: from 30 euros per person.
• Duration: about 2 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion: you will learn how urban art has been the key to revitalising a run-down area and you will discover surprising corners of the city.
• Disadvantages of this tour: you have to leave the historic centre, so you won't see some of its main points of interest.

You may not know it, but there are two Catanias. One is the one you see above ground, a city with a welcoming and lively Baroque atmosphere. And there is another hidden one, just below the one you are walking on, which contains an important part of its history. But finding it and exploring it, if not accompanied by a guide, can be complicated.

What are you going to discover on this tour? Surprising places, such as the remains of ancient Roman domus and sanctuaries where the patron saint of Catania, Saint Agatha, was venerated. You will also be able to see some remains from the Byzantine and medieval periods.

But why this underground city? Catania is on the slopes of Etna, an active volcano. For this reason, throughout its history it has suffered the consequences of eruptions and earthquakes that have forced it to be rebuilt time and time again. The last one was in 1693, when a great earthquake reduced the city to rubble.

In that last reconstruction, it was built on the remains of ancient streets and buildings, some from the Greco-Roman period, others later. And that is what you will discover on this tour. If you are passionate about history and archaeology, my advice is not to miss it, it will be like immersing yourself in Catania's past.

Interesting details

• Price: from 60 euros per person.
• Duration: between 2 and 3 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion: you will get to know and understand Catania's history much better.
• Disadvantages of this tour: not suitable for people with reduced mobility or those who cannot cope with enclosed spaces.

Catania cannot be understood without the presence of Mount Etna. The city has grown at its feet and the volcano has been responsible for its destruction and rebirth throughout history. It has also been responsible for its wealth and traditions that have survived to the present day.

If you don't want to travel, you can take a short route to contemplate it from the city centre. You will have wonderful views from Via Etnea, from the top of the Abbey of Santa Agata or from Villa Bellini. At sunset, they are spectacular.

But nothing compares to the image that Etna offers up close. That is why I recommend setting aside a few hours to get out of the city limits and appreciate all its beauty. You can get there by public transport without any problems, but a guided tour will be more comfortable. Get your camera ready because you won't be able to stop taking pictures.

Interesting details

• Price: from 50 euros per person.
• Duration: about 5 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion: there are different alternatives, from trekking around the volcano to touring it in a 4x4.
• Disadvantages of this excursion: you will need at least half a day of your stay in Catania.