Travel Blogs-Catania

Today We bring you to … Catania (Sicily – Italy)

Catania, situated on Sicily’s East coast, is the 2nd largest city on the Island.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 20 regions of Italy.

The city has been devastated several times by volcanic eruptions from nearby Mount Etna. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of activity and generated myths, legends and naturalistic observation from Greek, Celts and Roman classic and medieval times.

Etna covers an area of 1,190 km2 (459 sq mi) with a basal circumference of 140 km (87 miles).

The symbol of the city is u Liotru (Elephant) assembled in 1736 by Arch. Vaccarini that portrays an ancient lavic stone elephant and is topped by an Egyptian obelisk from Syene.

The Sicilian name u Liotru is a phonetic change of Heliodorus, a nobleman accused of necromancer. Two legends start on his name.

-He rode the lava elephant from Catania to Constantinople

-He was able to transform himself into an elephant.

It is more likely that the elephant was part of the Sicilian fauna as from Paleolithic finds (mistaken for Cyclops head skulls).

In Catania you can find different architecture style from the ancient Greek to the modern Baroque.

Most known Famous Catania’s Native are :

Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835), composer, famous opera Norma (https://youtu.be /B-9IvuEkreI please, press play). Bellini was awarded by King Louis-Philippe, naming him as chevalier of the Légion d’honneur for the opera I puritani.

Luca Parmitano (1976- ), astronaut, First Italian that made an Extra-vehicular activity in the Space on 9 July 2013.

Important part of Catania is the FOOD .

Street food is one of the best ways to experience Catania’s traditional dishes.

Arancini are perhaps the city’s most iconic one: they are stuffed rice balls coated in bread-crumbs and deep fried they are shaped like a cone to remind of Etna.

Catania is also famous for its pasticceria (pastries and cakes). Pastries vary according to season and to seasonal events. During the Festival of Saint Agatha, patron saint of the city, there are the cassatelle (small cassata with ricotta).