Catania
- 
The second city of Sicily in southern Italy, after Palermo, but equally worth a visit. The days when Catania was regarded almost as a no-go area are firmly over. In terms of tourism the city is now on a par with Palermo (I may even have slightly preferred it). As far as dark attractions are concerned, Catania has fewer than its bigger sister, but the very biggest (in terms of sheer size) looms large in the background wherever you go in Catania: nearby Mt Etna, Europe’s by far largest volcano and its second-most active one. And it continues to pose a very real risk …
>Combinations with other dark destinations
More background info: Catania, like most of Sicily, is steeped in antiquity. Not quite as ancient as Palermo, Catania was founded by the ancient Greeks sometime in the 7th or 8th century BCE, and was then ruled, successively, by the Romans, Arabs and the Normans (cf. Palermo).
In the 17th century Catania was struck by disaster twice. First in a massive eruption of Mt Etna in 1669, when lava flows nearly engulfed the city and destroyed its port. Then in 1693 the Great Sicily Earthquake almost completely levelled the city and killed some 12,000 people.
Out of this destruction, the city rose like a phoenix and in early city-planning grandeur, when reconstruction was done in a unified baroque architectural style that in modern times earned Catania its status as a UNESO World Heritage Site.
Despite movements for Sicilian independence, the island, and with it Catania, were integrated into the newly created Kingdom of Italy in 1862.
In the 1920s there were two more major eruptions of Mt Etna, with the one in 1928 creating a massive lava flow that almost completely destroyed the town of Mascali just north of Catania, but stopped short of reaching the city itself. Yet it was the first time in centuries that Etna’s destructive powers took out a population centre. The by then ruling fascist regime was eager to demonstrate its efficacy in providing aid and reconstruction. Hence the rebuilt Mascali features many buildings in the typical Italian fascist architectural style.
In WWII, Catania was heavily bombed by the Allies and suffered much destruction, especially in the run-up to the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943 (see Catania WWII Museum). The city was captured by the British Army on 5 August 1943.
After the war, Catania endured the same economic hardships as most of southern Italy, lagging behind the affluent north in terms of industrialization and modernization. The long arm of the Mafia (see No Mafia Memorial) reached Catania too, but not quite to the same extent as it did in Palermo.
Today, Catania is a city of ca. 300,000 inhabitants (ca. a million in the whole metropolitan area), and even though there have been setbacks, its economy is comparatively well off for southern Italy, and eventually tourism caught up too and is now a major component of the city’s economy.
Since 2002, the entire historical centre of Catania has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
What there is to see: The only proper dark-tourism attraction I was able to pin down in Catania is accordingly given its own separate entry here:
One small-scale relic from WWII can be found at the Porta Uzeda right in the city centre just a stone’s throw from the Piazza Duomo. Inside the gate’s arch you can find a small Jesus shrine behind glass, and as a plaque in Italian next to it indicates, this Jesus was damaged by shrapnel in an Allied bombing raid in 1943. You have to look very closely but then you can see the scratch left by the shrapnel on Jesus’s forehead – in the photo gallery below I added a little arrow to mark the spot. On the outside façade of the Gate you can also make out some shrapnel scratches on the stone (or maybe it’s just my imagination).
A pre-WWII (if only just) relic from the fascist era is the grandiose Casa del Mutilato di Catania. This is a Mussolini-era monument dedicated primarily to those Italian soldiers maimed and left disabled in WW1. It was erected in 1937-39 and inaugurated just before the outbreak of WWII. After the war and with fascism having been swept away (at least superficially), the monument fell into disregard and disrepair and was repeatedly vandalized. Older photos that you can still find online show the structure in a sorry and neglected state. Meanwhile, some renovation work must have taken place, though, because when I was there in April 2026 the six soldier statues atop the grand arch above the entrance looked clean and freshly refurbished. The inside of the monument, however, was still inaccessible and the rusty gate was padlocked.
A particularly dark element that is woven into Catania’s local culture is the cult surrounding its patron saint Agatha (Sant’Agata in Italian). She was an early adherent of Christianity who was “martyred” for it by the then Roman consul … he had her breasts chopped off and her body rolled in hot coals before incarcerating her in a dungeon where she died. All this is said to have taken place in the 3rd century CE, so that should normally fall way out of the time frame assumed for dark tourism on this website (see concept of dark tourism), but given the contemporary omnipresence of graphic and gruesome depictions of St Agatha’s martyrdom all across the city it’s worth a mention here too.
There is in fact a whole St Agatha trail to be followed in Catania. When I visited the Museo Diocesano adjacent to the cathedral, I was talked into purchasing a combination ticket (36€ pp in April 2026) that allowed access to the museum, the cathedral, the Roman baths underneath it as well as a series of churches linked to St Agatha’s martyrdom (see below).
The cathedral is called Cattedrale di Sant’Agata, and it is here that her silver reliquary is kept (or rather, in the museum next door). Also in the cathedral you can spot the mummified corpse of a cardinal in one of the niches close to the ground floor. The carriage in which Agatha’s reliquaries are paraded around town in a grand procession every 5 February can for the rest of the year also be admired in the Museo Diocesano.
Three churches north of the cathedral are intimately linked to St Agatha’s martyrdom: first there is San Biagio in Sant’Agata alla Fornace. This is supposed to be the place where her being rolled in hot coals took place. A glass-covered stone marks the spot. A 1938 fresco is related to the story and shows Agatha still decently clothed (so before the breast chopping) while the coal fire is being prepared in front of her.
The church Sant’Agata al Carcere further up the street is supposedly the place where she was subsequently incarcerated, and a cave-like cavern within the ancient Roman walls is home to an Agatha shrine, while next to the entrance to this is a symbolic barred door standing for the dungeon.
Sant’Agata la Vetere is said to be the place where St Agatha was tried by the Romans and possibly where the breast-chopping scene took place too. It is also home to a sarcophagus presumed to be Agatha’s. You can also see the crypt beneath the church (by guided tour only; for a few euros). It is these days empty of bodies, but in one corner you can see another drastic and graphic depiction of the breast-chopping scene – in bloody gore, as is so beloved by the Catholic Church (like their graphic depictions of Jesus on the cross – no other denomination of Christianity so revels in depicting the gruesome details).
And that’s not the end of it. A particularly remarkable depiction of Agatha’s martyrdom can be seen in a fresco inside the exuberantly baroque Chiesa di San Benedetto. Here you see Agatha being beaten while another torturer is just applying the pliers with which to wrench off her left tit, while other minions stoke the coals in front of her, all under the gleeful gaze of some sort of Sultan on a throne (this may be blurring historical chronology a bit, but so what).
Yet more Agatha scenes are to be found in the Chiesa San Nicolo l’Arena next to the huge Benedictine Monastery to the north-west of the inner city centre. Here you can find not just another painting depicting the tits-chopping scene in gory bloody graphicness, there were also 3-D depictions in sculpture of all the stages of her martyrdom (pre-chop, chop in progress, post-chop and all).
I found it astounding how in such a conservative and prudish part of the world so many images of female breasts can be so omnipresent, just because of the link to the martyrdom of St Agatha.
Beyond war and Agatha-related dark elements, I also spotted some abandoned pallazzo that might have been worth some urbexing, but: too well fenced-off; and I wouldn’t have had the time anyway.
All in all, Catania may not be as significant in terms of dark tourism as its bigger counterpart Palermo, but what it offers is quite unique. Absolutely worth visiting too!
Location: Roughly in the middle of the east coast of Sicily, southern Italy, facing the Ionian Sea, ca. 90 km (55 miles) south of Messina, 170 km (105 miles) south-east of Palermo, and only 30 km (18 miles) south of the crater summit of Mt Etna.
Google Maps locators:
Porta Uzeda: [37.5018, 15.0876]
Casa del Mutilato: [37.5046, 15.0910]
Cathedral: [37.5025, 15.0882]
Sant’Agata alla Fornace: [37.5073, 15.0848]
Sant’Agata al Carcere: [37.5070, 15.0843]
Sant’Agata la Vetere: [37.5071, 15.08367]
Monastero dei Benedettini & church: [37.5043, 15.0801]
Castello Ursino: [37.4992, 15.0846]
Fontana dell’Elefante: [37.5025, 15.0871]
La Pescheria market: [37.5018, 15.0869]
Train station: [37.5067, 15.0999]
Access and costs: fairly easy to get to; not necessarily too expensive.
Details: Catania has Sicily’s main international airport (Catania Fontanarossa) with plenty of connections to various other Italian and European destinations. And the airport is only a short train ride from the city centre.
You can also get to Catania by train, in ca. three hours from Palermo, one and a half hours from Messina – or even from the mainland, using the train ferries across the Strait of Messina.
For getting around within Catania there is public transport, even a metro line these days – but for most visiting tourists these are not really necessary, as the compact city centre and its immediate environs can be perfectly well explored on foot.
For accommodation there’s a wide range of options in all categories, from hostels, B&Bs and affordable self-catering flats to swish hotels. It’s worth doing some shopping around before booking anything.
As regards food & drink Catania is as much a foodie-central place as is Palermo (or indeed anywhere in Sicily). Local specialities include Catania’s version of arancini, stuffed rice balls (here they’re conical not spherical in shape) or pasta alla Norma with fried slices of aubergine on top (only real when made with spaghetti – if you see them made with macaroni or so that’s an abomination!). To the likely discomfort of Brits, horse meat is a speciality here too. Offal is another challenge for many outsiders, though it’s not as prominent here as in Palermo. And as elsewhere in Sicily those with a sweet tooth will be in their element here. Pastries (some in Agatha tits shape – see above), cakes and luscious ice cream are never far away.
The fertile slopes of Mt Etna make for the bulk of Sicilian vine-growing and decent to excellent wines are abundant. In fact I had some of the very best white wines I’ve ever encountered in Sicily (a Catarratto and Riesling blend named after Mt Etna’s eruptions ...).
Time required: I had three nights/two full days in Catania and it felt adequate. Those who may want to delve deeper into the mainstream and historical/architectural attractions of this UNESCO World Heritage Site city may need a bit longer here, though.
Combinations with other dark destinations: Easily reached by train (three hours) is Sicily’s main city Palermo with its various dark attractions. A similar distance (but requiring two trains, changing at Messina) is Milazzo, the main gateway for ferries to the Aeolian Islands, including Stromboli.
And of course, Catania is also a base from where to embark on explorations of Italy’s (and Europe’s) largest and second-most active volcano, Mt Etna. You see it looming large above the city from almost anywhere. To get closer you can either go on an organized package tour (including from Catania) or independently make your way (by bus) to Piazzale Rifugio Sapienza. From there, a cable car goes up to 2560m above sea level and special 4x4 buses carry on to the maximum altitude allowed. Various outfits offer crater hikes and other volcanic landscape experiences. Most operate on the southern side of the volcano, the northern side is quieter. What exactly can be done and what cannot depends on current volcanic activity and that is very changeable and can’t be planned ahead with any precision. You are at the mercy of the forces of nature here, after all. Low activity permitting you can get as far as the crest of the main crater (formed in the cataclysmic 1669 eruption) at ca. 3300m – and see current vents, ancient and recent lava flows. At times of high activity you may not be able to get that close, but eruptive fireworks may more than compensate for that.
When I was in Sicily it was early April and Etna was still covered with a thick layer of snow (about two thirds of the mountain was shrouded in white). Volcano hikes may still be possible even in winter, but I overheard some tourists on my hike up Stromboli who had been to Etna just before. And they said it was an underwhelming experience, walking between huge walls of snow with hardly any views of the volcano. Given the season, I never even contemplated a tour to Mt Etna at that time of year. It really should be left for summer, when it can also provide some welcome cooling from the extreme heat. Up at 3300m it can get cold (down to freezing point) even at the height of summer. So you have to be equipped with appropriate gear and warm layers.
For things yet further away see under Italy in general.
Combinations with non-dark destinations: There is no shortage of non-dark attractions in Catania. If you’re into baroque churches you’ve definitely come to the right place. Nowhere in the world have I ever encountered anywhere near as dense a conglomeration of churches. You literally cannot walk more than 50 metres before coming to the next one, They are everywhere! Some (those related to the St Agatha cult) are listed above. Out of these Chiesa di San Benedetto is definitely a highlight. Its ceiling frescoes are second to none.
Obviously the grand cathedral is a must-see too. As is the square in front of it, the epicentre of the historic Old Town: Piazza del Duomo. In it stands the curious symbol of Catania: Fontana dell’Elefante. Its main characteristic is a pigmy elephant sculpture, carved out of black volcanic rock, carrying on its back a kind of obelisk. You will see bas-reliefs and other depictions of this elephant all over the city. The origins of this elephant theme are not entirely clear and there are many competing myths – but they’re beyond our scope here.
To the eastern end of the piazza is Porta Uzeda (see also above). If you buy a ticket from the Museo Diocesano this includes access to the museum’s roof terrace affording grand views over the piazza, up Via Etnea and all the way to Mt Etna itself – but navigate behind the top of the stairs and down a narrow passageway and you come to the second roof terrace, namely on top of Porta Uzeda. And it is from here that you get the very best, totally unobstructed view of Mt Eta towering over Catania and the surrounding lands. This is it – the top rooftop view of the city! Turn around and you get a view towards the harbour and over the inner-city train line.
In addition there are countless baroque palazzos (too many to list in detail here) as well as several relics of Greco-Roman times. Halfway up the main tourist artery that is Via Etnea you come to a large square to the left of which are the remains of a Roman amphitheatre, made from black volcanic rock. An even better preserved Greco-Roman amphitheatre can be found between Via Teatro Greco and Via Vittorio Emanuele II. And right by – or underneath – the cathedral you can visit the well-preserved remnants of some Roman baths, the Terme Achilliane (admission included in the combination ticket available at the Museo Diocesano – see above).
To the south is the imposing Castello Ursino, a bastion that was once located on a promontory in the sea, but that became completely landlocked when lava flows of the big Mt Etna eruption of 1669 engulfed the area.
As in Palermo, wandering the bustling markets is a highlight of any stay in the city. Here, the La Pescheria fish market is very centrally located just behind a group of sculptures in the south-western corner of Piazza Duomo. You can observe the market activity from a terrace above it or get straight into the thick of it. It’s messy, it’s loud and hectic, but captivating. Look out for the displays of swordfish heads complete with their swords.
Also keep an eye out for street art, of which Catania has plenty, n ot just in the form of stunning graffiti, but also in the form of artistically arranged objects, e.g. along Via S. Calogero.
