Sicily's Catania

Catania is Sicily's second-largest city and is often the first place where foreign tourists arrive on the island. It's one of the island's most intriguing centers. You'll immediately sense a vibrancy and liveliness that's not so apparent in the capital. It's the best of both worlds. The pandemonium of Palermo is not here and yet the piazzas and markets are still busy, there's fantastic student nightlife with cheap food and music, some of Sicily's most pungent markets and glorious historical buildings. It has a bit of everything. The main streets have air-conditioned shopping centers, Internet cafes, banks and Gucci shoes. But turn down any side-street and it's a different story - age-old markets compete in the squares and alleyways; water is still collected from street fountains; and old shoe cobblers hammer your worn soles into place. There's variety everywhere, with Asian and Africans competing for phone and Internet business, next to century-old Sicilian bread shops. Catania is also a fantastic base from which to visit Mount Etna. The city lives very much in the shadow of the volcano, which not only dominates the skyline but has also pervaded the city. Catania was one of the first Greek colonies on the island in 729 BC and became very influential in the colonies of Magna Graecia. The city was one of the first to fall to the Romans, but it also prospered greatly in their time and has many ancient Roman relics to this day. 

Catania Highlights - An ice cream at Scardaci on Via Etnea; The hectic morning pescheria market by the Duomo; Baroque buildings stained with Etna's polluting dust; A saucy, delicious plate of spaghetti alla Norma; The Ciclopi islands at Aci Trezza; Cafe concerti†entertainment during the summer months; Sipping a beer in Piazza Scammacca and watching the soccer on big screens.
"A great new resource." --Travel + Leisure. "The perfect companion for planning." --Rutgers Magazine. "These useful travel guides are highly recommended." --Library Journal. There aren't many places in the world you can ski and then hit the beach afterwards for a refreshing dip; see Greek, Roman, Etruscan, medieval and Arabic architecture all in the same town; and meet some of the friendliest people in the world. The richness in culture is demonstrated in the theater, cinema and art found everywhere. The coastal towns, the Mafia, the wines and foods, the astonishing history - all are explored in this guidebook. Full color throughout. This is excerpted from our full guide to Sicily.