Grande Albergo Maugeri. Catania

Catania lies at the foot of the highest European Volcano, Etna, facing the Ionian Sea. The city has a tight connection with the mountain as you can see in the buildings, made up of lava stones.
Visit the wonderful city-center:

Cathedral Square

The Elephant Statue, called "U Liotru", which is the symbol of the city, by Vaccarini The Saint Agata Church and Treasure, built in the 11th century by count Ruggero. In the 18th century Vaccarini.
designed the current façade. Inside the church there are many chapels and in one of these there is a silver urn by Archifel which contains the relics of Saint Agata.
The Amenano Fountain, built in the 18th century, was designed by Angelini.
The typical fish market.

Ursino Castle

Built by emperor Federico II, houses the Civic Museum, in which extraordinary works of art dating back to the Middle Ages and to 1500 are.

Black Monks Monastery

One of the biggest of Europe, covers an area of 100.000 mq. It was designed by the best local architect such as Palazzotto, Ittar and Vaccarini. Look at the façade, the Library and the church of Saint Nicholas. Nowadays the Monastery houses the faculties of Foreign Languages and Letter and Philosophy of the University of Catania.

The Roman theatre and the Odeon

A semi-circular building used for public shows.

Many churches

Mmost of them dedicated to Saint Agata, who is the patron saint of the city, and stately buildings dated back to the 18th century.

Visit Via Crociferi (Crociferi Street), and its many churches. On Holy Friday, when they put the sepulchres on, you can breathe here a sacred and fascinating atmosphere.
Stesicoro Square and its monument to Vincenzo Bellini by Monteverde and the Roman Amphitheatre dated back to the 2nd century.

Massimo Bellini Theatre

Designed by Sada and inaugurated in 1890. Its odeon has 1200 seats and perfect acustics and every year it houses an opera season and a symphony and chamber music one.

Try traditional culinary specialities: pasta alla Norma, arancini (fried balls of rice), granite with brioche (or hot bread, even better!), cannoli with ricotta, cassata cake, etc.

Patron Saint Agata Feast is the 3rd most popular feast in the world and it attracts about a million people (devotes, tourists and onlookers).

EVENTS

From May till December "Etnafest"
3-5 February "Saint Agata Feast"