Sicilian Holiday (Part 2): Catania - Day 3

Catania - Panoramic View

Last week we wrote about 3 days in Sicily if you are not Berlusconi.
Where to go if you have 1 week?

Let's recap the basics: you landed in Catania Fontanarossa and spent two days relaxing in Taormina. You might have visited Mount Etna if you have been brave enough to dare the heat of a Sicilian summer.
Now that your batteries are fully recharged, go south please!

You will see the less beaten track of Sicily and the landscape, architecture is truly remarkable.

Transport:
Take a bus from Taormina bus station (it's close to the cable car station) and head to Catania. The trip should take around 1/1.30 hour and it should cost around 10 EUR.

Let's continue on our 7 days trip to Sicily....

Day 3: Catania

"U liotru"

Catania is the second largest Sicilian city and it's a vibrant and buzzing place, full of cultural things to do (although mostly in Italian), amazing architecture and fun night life. Start your sightseeing from the Elephant.  The symbol of the city is "U liotru" in Piazza Duomo. A lovely elephant made of lava stone which holds a marble Egyptian obelisk. This lovely fountain is from the Roman time (circa 1693) and it's worth a stop.
 

 

Close by is the Cattedrale di Sant' Agata, an exquisite  example of the difficulties of being a "Catanese" (person from Catania). This church has been rebuilt several times following volcanic eruptions, earthquakes etc. and it stands magnificently on the square - for the time being.

If you still have energies, you can visit

- Piazza stesicoro (Roman archaeological site)
- Piazza Università (pictured below)

- Villa Bellini (a small urban park)
- Castello Ursino

 

Shopping:

 

The shopping mecca is Via Etnea for Sicilian high street fashion (pictured on the left hand side) or Corso Italia (high end and more expensive).

Despite common belief, Sicilian are really fashion conscious and you will see the under 30s sporting the coolest trends on the hot and black lava ground.

 

Eating:

You MUST try an arancina and a cannolo siciliano.  You just cannot go to Sicily and not try it.

It's the first thing that every Sicilian does when they go back: Local bar, order an Arancina, be happy, go home. It's a ritual.

If you are from London, I can assure you that it's totally different palatal experience from what you tried in Notting Hill or Bayswater.

 

 

Arancine Sicilian

 Arancina is a delicious rice ball (savory), the cannolo is, literally, a Sicilian cannon made of pastry full of sweet ricotta cheese. They are both delicious.

 

Head to Savia for the top of the pop in Sicilian street food (no, no, you will not catch a disease because it's street food. It is professionally made at Savia):

Pasticceria Savia
Via Etnea, 302/304

Kiosk - Stop by for drinks!

Drinks: 

If you are thirsty during your sightseeing experience in Catania, stop at one of the local kiosks for a refreshing drink. The most famous is Orzata (lemon based) or Acqua e Zammu` (Anice based). Personally, I prefer the Mandarino Verde one (Mandarin based) which is stronger and more refreshing. There is no alcohol in them as temperature is so high in the summer that it would be madness to drink an alcoholic bomb during the day!

Whatever you choose, just pick one: they are an institution in Sicilians' everyday life and you can't leave Catania unless you tried one.

For the vastest choices of Kiosks, head to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III - They look like in the picture on the left hand side.

 

 

Finally, for who is able to understand Italian, please find below the description of Sicily made by one of the most illustrious Sicilian writers: 

 "...Vero è che le Sicilie sono tante, non finiremo mai di contarle. Vi è la Sicilia verde del carrubo, quella bianca delle saline, quella gialla dello zolfo, quella bionda del miele, quella purpurea della lava..." Gesualdo Bufalino

For the rest of the trip, follow this blog next Friday!
Love, Trisori

www.trisori.com