Travel guide: what to do and see in Catania

At the foot of Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, and overlooking the eastern coast of Sicily, is Catania, one of the most important centers of Sicilian Baroque.
Catania is an impressive open-air stage in black and white. In fact, its Baroque monuments are characterized by their two-tone facades, that is, by the combination of lava stone and white marble.
We start from Etna and its 59,000 hectares of park with a pine forest, the black lava surfaces, and the smoking craters.
The next stop can be Ursino Castle, founded by Frederick II of Swabia in the 13th century and today a rich civic museum. As you stroll through the streets of the center, notice the black and white buildings that dominate wide squares. The first of all is the Biscari Palace, the most important noble residence in Catania. Nearby is the elegant Teatro Massimo, dedicated to Vincenzo Bellini.
You can take a break in Villa Bellini to see one of the two oldest gardens and one of the four main parks in Catania, and of course, visit the Cathedral of Catania, in whose wonderful square is «O Liotru», the elephant symbol of the city.

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