A January trip, under the sun, starting from 2 degrees (in Bucharest) and reaching 16-17 degrees. And here I am, not knowing what to do with my winter jacket, walking around even in a t-shirt.
Although I’ve traveled extensively in Italy, I had never been to Sicily. Until I put into practice a well-planned tour with a rented car, I opted for a short getaway – 3 days in Catania. One hour and 52 minutes on the way there, one hour and 36 minutes on the way back. And a very cheap plane ticket: 30 euros. (Oh, without luggage. Because the moment I added even a small trolley, the price went up by almost 100 euros, man!)
CATANIA
I didn’t have time to study what to see or what to eat. I set off with a “short list” and had a rough idea of what the local food specialties were. Anyway, in the end, it’s nice to travel like this sometimes – just going with the flow, discovering things step by step.
They say the best months to visit Catania are May and October. Great weather and fewer crowds. If you also want the beach, June is perfect, still not too crowded.
I’m enjoying Catania now, in January. With stunning Baroque buildings all over the city center, very few people around, orange trees full of oranges, fresh-squeezed orange juice made right on the street, and Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, towering over the area, looking anything but threatening at this time of year.
WHAT TO VISIT IN CATANIA
PIAZZA DEL DUOMO
In this central square, wherever you turn your head, you see beautiful buildings.
I also turn it toward my phone because, of course, I can’t resist taking a few selfies…
In the middle of the square, an elephant carries an Egyptian obelisk on its back:
I get a déjà vu: there’s something similar in Rome, right behind the Pantheon. And I know they’re quite rare.
CATHEDRAL OF SANT’AGATA – THE DUOMO
The cathedral (Duomo), originally built on the ruins of Roman baths, was destroyed by the devastating earthquake of 1693. However, a few years later, it was rebuilt with a Baroque structure and façade.
Now, its doors are wide open, so I take a visit, a quick one, since a service is in progress, restricting access.
By pure chance, I return to the cathedral exactly at the time of the evening service.
Even though I feel like an intruder, I stay for the first part of the service, following along with the congregation, except for reciting the prayers in Italian… Then I step out.
In the square, you’ll also find the Palazzo degli Elefanti (the Town Hall), which I found covered, clearly under renovation. And right across from it, there’s a building housing a pastry shop overflowing with traditional treats – Prestipino. Man, I wanted to buy everything!
PESCHERIA
On my first evening in Catania, I “identified” that the famous Pescheria, the city’s central fish market, is located just behind this fountain in Piazza del Duomo – Fontana dell’Amenano.
So, I made a point of visiting it during the day to see what it was all about. If you take the path between the fountain and the building next to it, you end up in a sort of small square.
Stalls, noise, vendors tempting you with fresh fish and all kinds of seafood. Not too many people at this hour (10 AM), but probably a lot more early in the morning when the freshly caught fish is displayed in all its freshness on makeshift stalls.
You can also eat here, there are several spots where you can buy fish or seafood.
But it’s not just fish, you’ll also find vegetables, fruits, and all sorts of spices.
I couldn’t resist, and look what I got, even though it was the last thing that could fit in my small bag with a weight limit:
The biggest lemon ever!!! From a bunch of other “biggest lemons ever”!
From a distance, seeing them, I was wondering what kind of weird vegetable this could be. And of course, I made a fool of myself by asking the vendor, “Sorry, what’s this called in English?”
“Lemon”, he answered calmly, and I nearly died laughing. If only I had looked like an Eskimo, at least I’d have had an excuse.
I’ve seen huge lemons in Naples and Pompeii, but the strange shapes and massive sizes of these Sicilian lemons? Never seen anything like it before!
CHIESA DELLA BADIA DI SANT’AGATA
This 18th-century Baroque church, located to the left of the Cathedral, was once part of a Benedictine nunnery dedicated to Saint Agatha, the patron saint of the city.
After the religious visit on the ground floor, you can take a tourist visit to its terrace, which offers a stunning panoramic view of the city.
It costs 5 euros to go up. You can either take the stairs or use an elevator to reach the first terrace, after which you’ll face 77 extremely narrow spiral steps (so it’s not for the claustrophobic) and quite dizzying (so not for those with vertigo).
There’s only one way up, so the traffic lights installed at both ends of the spiral staircase do their job. If it’s red, you wait patiently and let people come down. Only when it turns green can you go up, hoping that those above understand there’s absolutely no way to squeeze past anyone.
Wow, this beautiful weather makes the view even more spectacular! The “balcony” is 360 degrees, so I walked around several times to take in the city and its surroundings from every angle.
On one side, you can gaze out at the sirens of the Ionian Sea 🙂
From another angle, you get a great view of Piazza del Duomo. And you can sit here for as long as you want, just staring like a fool at the people passing by – there’s a wide ledge, perfect for sitting without getting in anyone’s way as they move from one side to the other.
The crème de la crème is that you can see Mount Etna! Well, some of us can only see it partially covered by clouds right now, but it doesn’t matter, it’s still awesome!
VIA ETNEA
Via Etnea is a tourist attraction in itself.
It’s the main street in the city center, and I read that it connects Piazza Duomo to Mount Etna! Seriously?? So if I just keep walking straight, I’ll reach the volcano?? Next time, I’m going to try this and let you know how long it takes me…
(Alright, I couldn’t resist, I looked it up, and apparently, it would take me 12 and a half hours on foot. No big deal if you’ve got nothing else to do on a vacation day.)
You can’t get bored on Via Etnea. On one side, you have beautiful Baroque buildings; on the other, shops, cafés, gelaterias, and a half-abandoned post office where I got stamps for my postcards.
As I kept walking, I reached a bigger intersection – Piazza Stesicoro.
The statue standing proudly in part of the square is of Vincenzo Bellini – an Italian opera composer born right here in Catania. The people here are really proud of him! Proof of that is the fact that many important places in the city bear his name.
Across the street, still in the square, I spotted the ruins of an ancient amphitheater.
THE ROMAN AMPHITHEATER
Built in the 2nd century, the Roman Amphitheater earned the nickname “Piccolo Colosseum”, the little brother of the one in Rome.
I understand that it was one of the largest amphitheaters in the Roman Empire. Originally, it had a diameter of 309 meters and could hold 18,000 spectators! A huge crowd, all coming together to cheer at gladiator shows!
This impressive structure, mostly preserved underground, is now covered by the buildings of the historic city center.
I admired it from the entrance. But you can buy a ticket and walk among the ruins, even beneath the surrounding buildings.
THE LITTLE TRAIN
A little train crossed my path. I hadn’t read about it before, so I guess it was meant to be! I hopped on for a 40-minute tour of the city, paying just 5 euros.
We rumbled along both main and side streets, turning and climbing, while I tried to make sense of the commentary in Italian and English.
We passed by Bellini Garden – one of the largest in Europe! Once upon a time, it was the winter garden of the Prince of Biscari, but today, thanks to the noble family’s generosity, it’s a public park.
From my seat on the train – amid squeaks and bumps that my backside would rather not talk about – I snapped pictures of buildings I figured I’d never reach on foot, especially since they all seemed far from the city center, up on a hill. But guess what? After the train tour, as I wandered through the city, I ended up exactly in those places. All much closer to the center than I had imagined!
VIA DEI CROCIFERI
Considered one of the most beautiful streets in Italy, Via dei Crociferi is a charming 18th-century street, a true reflection of Sicilian Baroque style.
As small as it is, it’s packed with churches and palaces! In just about 200 meters, there are 4 places of worship!
Practically lined up side by side, you’ll find the churches of San Benedetto, San Francesco Borgia, San Giuliano, and San Camillo, along with the Jesuit College and the Convent of the Crucifixes.
At both ends of the street, you’ll see the Benedictine Arch and Casa Cerami. (I actually caught the Arch from the other side by chance, while taking pictures of a little square that I really liked.)
Walking gently uphill, I didn’t even realize when I reached the top – right where I had been snapping photos earlier from the little train!
SAN NICOLO
The Church of San Nicolo stands proudly at the top of a hill, right next to the Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe!
I stepped inside, crossed myself like a good Christian, and took a moment to admire the place, scanning it from wall to wall. Then my attention was caught by some workers struggling to set up the so-called candelore – large wooden structures shaped like candles, representing the city’s arts and crafts.
Each one is decorated with statues, flowers, images of Saint Agatha, lamps, and flags.
I had already seen a few of these around the city, either waiting in place or still being arranged:
In early February, there’s a huge centuries-old celebration here: the Festival of Saint Agatha, the city’s patron saint. And it lasts as long as a countryside wedding: three days and three nights 🙂
I watched a video from a previous year, and it really is impressive – millions of people, both Italians and foreign tourists, flood the city! Piazza del Duomo is a central point of the festival, which kicks off on February 3rd with a procession known as della luminaria. There are also concerts, fireworks, the whole package!
TEATRO ROMANO
On a street in the city, you come across a small entrance, so discreet it feels like you’re stepping into someone’s courtyard. But the moment you buy your ticket and walk in, you find yourself among the ruins of an ancient theater. Incomplete, yet enough to transport me back to its glory days.
The theater’s current structure dates back to the Roman era, but it’s believed to have been built over an earlier Greek theater, of which only a few traces remain.
It suffered destruction in the 11th century and was later buried under houses. That’s why I spent quite a while sitting on a stone step, trying to “rebuild” it in my mind.
Along with the four other tourists there, I wandered through the theater, climbing up and down, exploring the corridors that once led spectators to their seats – now home to countless cats who couldn’t care less about visitors.
In its prime, the stage was adorned with marble columns, bas-reliefs, and statues. Some of these are safely preserved in the small museum inside.
THE CASTLE
Catania’s castle is now home to the city’s Civic Museum. I didn’t visit it, but I really liked the area, it’s a great spot for an evening stroll.
I caught the sunset here, and all the nearby terraces were buzzing, getting ready to welcome the hungry crowds for dinner.
After snapping a photo of this cactus, just to show it to my own little potted cactus back home and make it jealous, I headed back to the hotel, once again enjoying the view from my balcony:
Then, a light rain started, bringing an abrupt end to my smug “look at me, chilling on my balcony with a view of the Duomo” moment…
OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN CATANIA
Am citit despre ele, dar nu am apucat sa le vizitez:
- THE OPERA
While riding the little train, I snapped a photo of the Bellini Theatre.
This opera house is dedicated to the local composer Vincenzo Bellini. Built in the late 19th century, it was modeled after the Garnier Opera House in Paris and is considered one of the best in Europe in terms of acoustics!
2. THE ROMAN BATHS
Roman baths are scattered throughout the city. I passed by some of the “fancy” ones: Terme della Rotonda, which were later converted into a church by the Byzantines. (Fittingly, they’re located on the street full of churches – Via dei Crociferi.)
AT THE BEACH
“Do you want the sandy beach – farther away and deserted now, with no bars or restaurants – or the volcanic rock beach, closer, with terraces, playgrounds, and restaurants?”
I went for the second option, considering I didn’t have my swimsuit with me to lounge on the sand for a nice January sunbath…
This trip also gave me the chance to check out their metro. Completely empty at lunchtime, as if everyone were actually at work, unlike back home 🙂
From Galatea station (in the city center) to the beach, it was just two stops plus a 15-20 minute walk. (A ticket costs 1 euro, the same as for public transport, and it gives you 90 minutes to hop on and off as much as you like.)
The black stone beach is more for photographing than for lounging. But sitting there in a T-shirt? Absolutely perfect, a real treat for the end of January!
You can freely walk among the rocks and along the breakwaters, but what I enjoyed the most was sitting in a small cove, where I felt like a local.
Sun-kissed Italians, dressed only in swim trunks, sitting on blankets or simply at the water’s edge, laughing and loudly sharing stories from the past few days – that’s the atmosphere here.
Three of them muster up the courage to go for a swim in water that, according to one of them, is no warmer than 15 degrees Celsius. The truth is, your foot freezes as soon as it touches the water…
It doesn’t matter that you’re not one of them. They welcome you into their “territory” and include you in their conversations if they see you’re open to chatting. And as for me, with my Italian, I definitely know how to gesture with my hands.
WHAT TO EAT IN SICILY
I didn’t have much time to try too many things, but I made sure to eat local, as I always do.
By the sea, I chose Andrew’s Restaurant, where you could literally bake in the sun. An overdose of vitamin D!
Of course, I went for the catch of the day: a swordfish fillet, a fish I saw on every menu.
In the city, I went with recommendations.
At Osteria Il Bell’Antonio (very close to Piazza del Duomo), the seafood pasta and lobster pasta were an excellent choice.
Then, I tried other Sicilian pasta dishes – busiata with pistachio sauce and guanciale. Pistachios, in fact, are a staple ingredient in many dishes around here.
Being in Sicily, I couldn’t miss something you find everywhere, in every bistro: arancini – fried rice balls with various fillings like meat, mozzarella, or fish.
But the true “star of the show” was another local specialty, which I found at Trattoria U Fucularu:
Horse meat
I’ve had it before – in Iceland, for example, and probably in Romania back when Sibiu salami was made with it. But I had to try it here too – after all, horses vary from country to country…
I went for a steak. It was good – I didn’t neigh afterward.
Another option would have been a horse meat burger. Judging by my neighbors’ plates, it was clearly a popular choice.
But what made me the happiest was finding street stalls selling fresh juice! I’m a big fan of fresh drinks, so I had both orange and pomegranate juice.
SHOPPING
Most souvenir shops are clustered in the city center. I went through all of them hihi. I love buying all sorts of little trinkets that remind me of the places I’ve visited, only to complain later when I have to dust them. But it’s not their fault…
Beyond the usual magnets, mugs, ashtrays, towels, spices, shot glasses, olive oil dispensers, and so on, there was something that fascinated me so much that I stood in awe every time I found it in a shop.
TESTA DI MORO
I first discovered these ceramic head-shaped vases a few years ago not in Sicily, but in other parts of Italy (Turin, Bologna), where they were sold as Sicilian souvenirs. I was fascinated by them from the start!
But what I saw in Catania was beyond imagination!
The variety of designs and sizes blew me away! So did the prices… Guess what? The ones I liked the most started at 330 euros and up!!!
That’s how I ended up researching them – learning which ones are worth considering, what to look for before buying, and where to find the authentic ones. Because, of course, the Chinese knockoffs are everywhere…
I also found their legend (thankfully after I had already fallen in love with these vases!). Here it is, exactly as I found it, translated from Italian by a friend – his name is ChatGBT 🙂
THE LEGEND OF THE MOORISH HEADS
Around the year 1000, in Palermo’s Arab quarter Al Halisah (today’s Kalsa), there lived a young woman of rare beauty, with rosy skin like peach blossoms and eyes that seemed to reflect the city’s bay. Kept indoors by her father, she spent her days tending to her flowers on the balcony.
One day, a handsome young Moor spotted her. Instantly enchanted by her beauty, he fell in love and declared his feelings without hesitation. The girl returned his love passionately, but her happiness was shattered when she discovered that her beloved would soon leave her to return to the East, where his wife and two children were waiting for him.
Betrayed and humiliated, the girl killed him in the dead of night, cutting off his head while he slept. Some say she turned his head into a flowerpot, while others believe she placed it in a vase – no one knows for sure. She then planted a sprig of basil inside, known as the “herb of kings” and a symbol of love and passion, and placed the vase on her balcony for all to see. This way, her lover would belong to her forever, and she would care for him daily, watering the basil with her own tears.
The basil grew lush and fragrant, sparking the envy of her neighbors, who wanted to replicate it. And so, the tradition of creating terracotta vases in the shape of a Moorish head was born.
To this day, in memory of this tragic and somewhat macabre story, Sicilian balconies are adorned with these exquisite and majestic ceramic sculptures, depicting the faces of the ill-fated lovers.
I discovered the Moor and the Sicilian woman not only on the balconies of the city (sometimes in very large sizes) but also in restaurants. Almost all the ones where I ate had them, in various forms and appearances, some more spectacular than others.
And the specialized stores in such items catch your attention right from the entrance with such an example:
And I found them in the stores in Taormina as well.
Here, I found out from a seller where these unique creations are made: in the Sicilian town of Caltagirone. Just a little over an hour from Catania.
Good to know! Next time, I might go straight to the source and get a price that doesn’t give me heart palpitations.
Here’s the piece I liked the most! It costs… 350 euros!!! Of course, I couldn’t have liked a Moor’s head toothpick holder, made in China, for 10 euros.
TAORMINA
I’ve known about Taormina for a few years; a lot of people talk about this cool spot in Sicily.
So, since I was “in the neighborhood”, I took advantage of the opportunity, bought a round-trip ticket for 8.50 euros, and hopped on the Taormina bus.
After about an hour and 20 minutes of traveling with the sea thrown over my shoulder, I arrived.
A day with light rain. Few people on the streets. The cable car I was hoping to take down to the sea is closed. Well, of course, it’s off-season.
I climb the road and enter through the city gate.
I’ll show you, very briefly, what I managed to see in a few hours, sometimes with my umbrella over my head, sometimes with it tucked in my bag.
TEATRO ANTICO DI TAORMINA
All the stalls – closed. Pff, a Sicilian mulled wine or a horse meat hotdog would have been perfect…
Even though it’s drizzling, there are quite a few tourists here, climbing to the top of the hill to see the remains of the theater, which was apparently built in the 3rd century BC. (After paying 14 euros each.)
What is visible today mostly belongs to the Roman reconstruction.
Except for the theater in Syracuse, this one in Taormina is the largest ancient theater not only in Sicily but also in the Italian Peninsula and North Africa!
I take photos like an ignorant monkey, only to later realize that right behind me is Mount Etna!!!
So, I snap another round of pictures. Later, I find out that this is the best spot to see Etna.
Behind the theater, there’s a bar with a terrace and an amazing panoramic view!
Photos, selfies, a bottle of water, a restroom break, and… back down to the city.
CORSO UMBERTO I
Taormina’s main street is quite crowded, despite the weather. (I hear that in summer, you can’t even drop a needle here!)
Left and right, there are shops for deep pockets, but also boutiques of local artisans, as well as restaurants and cafés.
PIAZZA IX APRILE
Walking along the main street, you reach Piazza IX Aprile.
A large terrace with a sea view on one side and a castle on the mountain on the other. A huge (possibly) dance floor for a (possibly) spectacular open-air ball! My imagination went wild…
I really love this square! I don’t know how it feels in summer, but right now, I felt like I owned the place.
PIAZZA DUOMO
A few steps further, you come across another little square.
The Duomo of Taormina has its doors open, giving people a chance to step inside and shake off the rain from their clothes.
I reached the other entrance of Taormina and… that’s it, time to hurry back so I don’t miss the bus to Catania.
I didn’t have enough time or good enough weather for Isola Bella (I’m not even sure if I captured it in my photos), nor for the Castle on the hill, nor for the excursions that start from here (including to Etna). But just like that, I’m already thinking of coming back to Taormina one day, to see the city in full season. When I’ll probably be complaining that it’s too overcrowded with tourists 🙂
