Do you continue your trip in Sicily by yourself?
Here are some tips I wrote for solo travelers!
Do you have more time to spend in beautiful Catania? Enjoy these unmissable sites, gastronomic recommendations, and some of our favorite places to explore.
Catania
What you have to visit in Catania city centre:
- the Roman Theater and the Odeon with the main entrance from via vittorio emanuele.
- the Monastero dei Benedettini in Piazza Dante, outside ther’s the remains of a Roman Balneum which, unlike the public Roman Baths, was private and belonged to the Roman Domus which can be admired (remains), entering on the right near the ticket office of Officine culturali. Inside this gorgeous building of XVIII century, you can admire the Late Baroque style.
- GO inside the Ursino Recupero Library with frescoes of 18th century.
- Visit the CAPPELLA BONAJUTO was a Cuba that’s meaning, a Byzantine church with the typical symbols (circle
= God, the infinite, the sacred, the square = the profane, earthly goods). Today the building is private and the owners will guide you inside it. _You can find it in Via Bonajuto,7. - There are 3 places of Roman therms-baths, you can go and see the one of the Achillian baths under the cathedral, near the diocesan museum at number 8, there are the stairs to go down.
- MUST TO VISIT it’s also the Ursino Castle of Frederick II of Swabia, today is the civic museum with interesting paintings and ruins of ancient theater of Catania and so on.. The moat was filled by the eruption
of Etna volcano which arrived in Catania in 1669. Of medieval 
origin in the XV century Fernando de Aragón and Isabel de Castilla lived inside it. It’s worth popping in! - Piazza Stesicoro where you can admire a small part of the Roman amphitheater and according to archaeological studies, is secondly after the Colosseum in Rome.
- Museum of the American landing in Sicily in 1943 at the Ciminiere, viale Africa.
- House museum of the musician Vincenzo Bellini
- House museum of the Italian writer Giovanni Verga
- Walk along via Gisira with colored umbrellas and behind Piazza Mazzini with the ancient columns of the theatre.
- For sure, visit the Cathedral of Sant’Agata, the “liotru, elephant” symbol of Catania in Piazza Duomo, and the Amanano Fountain where, going down along the city wall of Charles V of Spain you find the fish market!
LOCAL FOOD:
- u Coppu with horsemeat meatballs or fried fish (street food), Piazza Pardo area near the Fish market.
- CIPOLLINA, baked with lots of onion, mozzarella, tomato sauce and cooked ham.
LOCAL DRINKS:
- Lemon seltz 🍋 the traditional taste (bitter aftertaste), but if you prefer you can choose mandarin 🍊 or other flavors … You can taste it in the late 19th century liberty-style kiosks that you find at the VILLA BELLINI public garden in via etnea or behind the Mc Donald’s in Piazza Stesicoro, Kiosk Costa.
SICILIAN FOOD:
- In Catania it’s masculine: ArancinO, it has a triangular shape with a volcano 🌋 but you eat it like an ice cream cone! 🤣 while, in Palermo it is feminine: ArancinA and it is round. It’s a sort of rice timbale, with veal stew, the original but you can find it with ragù, then there are peas, lots of stringy cheese and tomato sauce, everything is breaded and fried
- Sicilian cannoli
- IRIS, a sweet brioche filled with chocolate or cream, breaded and fried.
- Sicilian granita 🍧 accompanied by Brioche 🥐 co’ Tuppu MUST to eat! The traditional tastes are: almond, pistachio, or mulberry (Gelsi).
Restaurants & Pizzeria’s in Catania
Le Quinte – Pizza Gourmet
Via Pietro Antonio Coppola, 42, 95131 Catania CT.
Pizzeria Corte dei Medici
Via Umberto I, 105, 95129 Catania CT, with garden chairs and tables also.
Al Vicolo Pizza & Vino
in Piazza Stesicoro’s (square), Via del Colosseo, 5, 95131 Catania CT.
Eat Pizzeria
Via Pietro Antonio Coppola, 49/51, 95131 Catania CT.
I Capricciusi
Piazza Mazzini, 19 , 95131 Catania CT.
Locanda Cerami
Via Crociferi, 69 , 95131 Catania CT.
Trattoria del Cavaliere
Via Paternó,11, 95131 Catania CT
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La Polpetteria,
Via Santa Filomena, 🧆 95131 Catania CT.
Muddica,
Piazza Università, 95131 Catania CT.
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Catania Seafood Restaurant 🎣
Osteria Antica Marina,
via Pardo, 29 , 95131 Catania CT.
Sikulo,
Via Antonino di San Giuliano, 83, 95131 Catania CT.
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GLUTEN FREE RESTAURANTS IN CATANIA
La Cucina dei Colori,
Via S.Michele,9, 95131 Catania CT.
7+ ,
Via S. Euplio,78, 95131 Catania CT.
Be Quiet,
Via Monte Sant’Agata,6, 95131 Catania CT.
Al Vicolo Pizza & Vino,
Via del Colosseo,5/7, 95131 Catania CT.
BioCelia Catania,
Largo Rosolino Pilo,44, 95131 Catania CT.
Fud Bottega Sicula,
Via Santa Filomena,35, 95131 Catania CT.
Taormina & Castelmola
In Taormina I wish you Enjoy shopping along Corso Umberto from Porta Messina until Porta Catania.
Places to visit are:
- Ancient theater
- Taste The Sicilian Granita, a sort of ice cream and sorbet. Traditionals tastes are 3: Almonds, Pistachio, Mulberry (Gelsi).
Go to “BAM BAR” for Granita. - Visit Giammonarte, a colorfull street with a particular shop!
- Corvaja Palace, it stands on the ancient Greek Agora and on the ancient Roman Forum. In the XV century, on September 25, 1411, the Sicilian Parliament meets, presided over by the Spanish queen Bianca of Navarre, who ruled Sicily on the death of her husband Martin II.
- Roman Odeon on the back of Santa Caterina’s church
- Romans bath and therms, in front Palazzo Corvaja and on the back of Police station.
- Via Naumachie
- Public Garden once belonging to Lady Florence Trevelyan.
- for sure Isola Bella, a small island to visit and to reach thanks 200 steps down and return but you can have a dive in the bay, the beach is with pebble…According to the level of the sea, it’s spectacular to see the ”isthmus” when the beach
appear and disappear, depend the sea currents
In Castelmola, a place that is definitely worth a visit and absolutely not to be missed is the notorious Bar Turrisi, a real must, highly recommended even for those who are in the surroundings of Taormina. The bar was founded in 1947, it has been included by Focus among the seven most unusual bars in the world.
What is your peculiarity? Its interior is entirely decorated with beautiful statuettes that, paying homage to the phallic symbols, represent man’s fertility and virility. Here you can taste typical products of the area and taste the special and very famous almond wine that synthesizes the aromas of this area.
Once you arrive at the entrance of Castelmola, that is, in Piazza Belvedere, you will be able to admire the Ancient Roman Arch, placed on a stone staircase that once symbolized the entrance to the Castle. If you continue along this road you will come to the ruins of this famous castle, an old defensive fortification of Norman origin, probably from Roman times.
During the sunset you will enjoy a spectacular and unique view. Moving on to the historic center of Castelmola, you will notice that it is very suggestive precisely because it is characterized by perfectly preserved medieval urban planning: you will admire narrow alleys, ancient churches and small squares.
The churches to visit are those of San Giorgio, San Biagio and the Mother Church of Castelmola, not far from each other.