CATANIA FAQ`S

How do I get from the airport to my hotel?

Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, also known as Vincenzo Bellini Airport, is an international airport in Sicily located about 2.7 miles southwest of Catania. It is the busiest airport in Sicily. Traveling to and from the airport is easy, due to its vicinity to the city center. If you have not booked a private transfer with us then you have a few other options.

Airport shuttle: There is an organized shuttle service with AMT Alibus from Catania International Airport to the city center and the Train station. The bus departs every 20 minutes, from 5:00 am to midnight. The ticket costs around €4 and is valid for 90 minutes, but you have to validate it in the electronic ticket machine on the bus.

The bus departure and arrival point is at a bus station just outside the terminal building, about 150 ft from the entrance to the airport. The journey time is 20 minutes to the main square (Duomo), and 30 minutes to the Train Station. On the way back to the airport, the bus has the same route (departing from the train station and the main square).

Public bus: Local bus line 457 will take you downtown from the Catania-Fontanarossa airport in 20 minutes just like Alibus, but you might have to wait a bit longer because the public bus departs every 40 minutes. The good thing though, is that a single ticket costs only €1. You have to buy the ticket before you enter the bus and you can do that at the newspaper stand (Tabacchi) at the airport. The bus departure point is at the bus station in front of the airport building.

Taxi services: Taxis are available from Catania airport and you will find them in front of the terminal building, arrivals area. However, to avoid being scammed, use only the authorized taxi service called Radio Taxi Catania. Taxis typically charge a flat fee to the city center. It is a 20 to 30 minute ride depending on traffic. You can even call them or book the taxi online, using the mobile app.

Renting a car at Catania airport: There are several car rental companies located at and around the airport, mostly local companies and three larger companies (Sixt, Budget and Hertz).

How do I get to Catania by train?

Catania Centrale is the main railway station of Catania. It is managed by the Ferrovie dello Stato, the national rail company of Italy. It is located just over a mile from the central Piazza Duomo. Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII is adjacent to the station and is a crucial hub for connections to the entire eastern side of Sicily. It is a good starting point for the bus and its terminal. From the station you can take a bus, taxi or Metro to your final destination.

How do I get to Catania by ferry?

There are ferries to Catania from both Naples and Malta. Arriving by boat is cheaper than flying, but takes longer. Many passengers have complained of a very bumpy ride, bring seasickness medication. Schedules vary depending on the day of the week. Early morning boats may depart before busses start running. Trips can be cancelled due to bad weather so confirm the schedule the day before. Tickets should be purchased in advanced.

How do I get around in the city of Catania?

Once you`ve made it to town, busses, the Metro, and rental cars will get you around. The bus is cheap, and stops at many key downtown highlights. The Catania Metro is limited with only seven stops; more terminals are under construction. Rental cars will take you anywhere, but to drive in Sicily, you must keep in mind that driving is chaotic. The traffic is dreadfully slow in most of the city and extremely fast on the highways and wherever possible. Those new to Catania`s one-way streets and unmarked lanes may want to pass on driving all together.

Alternatives to visit the town are the little tourist train departing from piazza Duomo which does a sightseeing tour in about 30 minutes. Another alternative is the `hop-on hop-off` bus Katane Live, with audioguides. The tour lasts about 1 hour.

How do I get around by taxi?

For a taxi, call Radio Taxi Catania. You`ll find taxi ranks at the train station and at the northwest corner of Piazza del Duomo.

Is Catania a walking city?

Catania has a compact center and it is most convenient just to walk around where most monuments are located.

How do I get around Catania by bus?

Several useful AMT city buses can be found in front of Catania Centrale train station, including buses 1-4 and 4-7 (both run roughly hourly from the station to Via Etnea). Also useful is bus D, which runs from Piazza Borsellino (just south of the Cattedrale di Sant`Agata, or duomo) to the local beaches. Tickets, from tabacchi (tobacconists) cost about €1 and last 90 minutes. A two-hour combined bus-metro ticket costs about €1.20. AST runs to many smaller towns around Catania, including Acireale (around €2.70). It also connects Catania to Rifugio Sapienza on Mt Etna. AST tickets can be purchased at Terminal Bar, opposite Catania Centrale train station.

How do I get around Catania using the metro?

Catania`s one-line metro currently has only six stops, all on the periphery of town. For tourists, it`s mainly useful as a way of getting from Catania Centrale station to the Circumetnea train that circles Mt Etna. A 90-minute metro ticket costs about €1. A two-hour combined metro-bus ticket costs about €1.20.

I will have a car in Catania, where can I park?

When driving around in a rented car, you may have to put up with heavy, slow, messy, unruly traffic jams. Also, the city`s streets are made up of complicated one-way systems. You can`t enter in the lower part of via Etnea by car because the most part is ZTL, a controlled traffic zone.

Parking can be extremely difficult in the city center and it can be almost impossible to find free parking. If you`re bringing your own car, consider staying at a hotel or B and B with parking facilities; if you`re hiring a car, the advice is to pick up the car as you leave town and return it when you re-enter.

We suggest to park at the public parking near piazza Falcone-Borsellino (Alcalà), or at the little private parking garages. There is also a secure parking lot in the center of Catania called Piazza Lupo Garage.

How do I get around the metro area of Catania?

If you want to get along the coast (Acicastello, Acitrezza, Acireale), you are better off driving or taking a taxi (there are several at Piazza Duomo). You could also use the train or one of the buses.

To get up Mount Etna, you can take the private train line (Circumetnea) at Borgo metro station or a shuttle from the central station that reaches Rifugio Sapienza(usually leaving in the morning and return the evening) from where you can get to the top of the mountain (spring/summer only, regardless of the summer heat the summit will be cold so do bring a jacket).

Please note that the metro and the train to Mount Etna are closed on Sunday.

Is Catania a dangerous city?

Catania is a safe place to visit. Nevertheless, you should always take precautions when traveling, ie., keep your passport in your hotel safe if you can, don`t carry a great deal of cash, be vigilant about your own safety and beware of pickpockets. It is always recommended to avoid walking alone at night and in remote areas. Use the same street smarts that you would use in any large city worldwide.

There are some areas best avoided. Some of the residential areas can be dodgy, and avoid the area around Castello Ursino. Stay in the main tourist areas around piazza Duomo and via Etnea.

Can I pay/tip in US dollars?

The currency used in Catania (and the rest of Italy) is the euro (€), US dollars are not accepted. We suggest to exchange some money before the trip and have some euros on you since the rate will be a lot higher on the spot and no currency other than euro is accepted. Most banks lie in the center along Corso Sicilia; these include Deutsche Bank, Piazza Buonarroti 14 (tel. 095-722931), and Banco di Sicilia, Corso Sicilia 8 (tel. 095-368215), both open Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 1:30 pm and 2:30 to 4 pm. You can also exchange currency at the airport, at the train station, and at the AmEx office.

It is also useful to remind your bank and credit card company that you will be travelling to make sure your cards will work while in Italy. We recommend you record all your credit card numbers, as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen.

Under the euro system, there are seven notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros. Notes are the same for all countries. There are eight coins: 1 and 2 euros, plus 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

Rates fluctuate, so before departing consult a currency exchange website such as www.xe.com to check up-to-the-minute rates.

For more information about tipping visit: Tipping in Italy

What is the weather like in Sicily? When is the best time to go?

Average temperatures in Catania vary greatly. Considering humidity, temperatures feel very nice much of the year, but hot in the summer and cold in the winter with a very low chance of rain or snow throughout the year. The area is somewhat temperate compared to tourist destinations worldwide. The best time to visit Catania is from May to June or September to October. These late spring and early fall months offer the best temperatures in the 70`s, which are ideal for temple gazing, beach lazing or hiking. These months are also the most popular times to visit, as well as the most expensive.

If you’re looking for the very warmest time to visit Catania, the hottest months are August, July, and then September. The warmest time of year is generally July or August where highs are regularly around 90°F with temperatures rarely dropping below 68°F at night. If you can take the heat, you can find deals. Winter sees average temperatures in the 50`s; you can typically find greatly reduced hotel rates, but sea swimming is out.

I don`t speak Italian. Will many people speak English?

If you don`t speak Italian we suggest learning at least a few Italian words and phrases before you arrive. This will come in handy in more remote parts of Sicily. In Catania, there aren`t many people who speak English, but enough of the folks in airports, hotels and restaurants understand it well enough to make basic transactions go smoothly. Even if you do speak Italian, you might not understand everything the Sicilians are saying to each other, since they may be speaking the local dialect (actually a distinct language), but they all speak Italian. We suggest you get a good English-Italian and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

What is the food like?

Catania is full of great food and proud of some specialties, such as Arancino (cone-shaped rice croquette filled with meat, tomato sauce, cheese and peas) and other many typical tavola calda. The fish is also very popular and good, as Catania is a large port. The city is also known for horse meat, especially in some areas around the `Benedictine Monastery`. Another favorite is Pasta alla Norma which consists of pasta dressed with tomato sauce and topped with fried eggplant slices, grated ricotta salata and fresh basil. Catanese pastries include the world-wide famous Cannolo alla Ricotta, the `Cassatella di Sant`Agata` (a small cassata) and the `Pasta di Mandorla` (based on almond meal). In summer, the typical breakfast consists of `Granita` (a kind of sorbet of almond or black mulberry) served with a sweet round loaf (`brioscia`): it is a nourishing and refreshing combination that can be found in almost any bar in the city.

Some street food and fast food options are available throughout the city. Freshly made cold Panini in a `salumeria`, where you choose whatever you want to put in (prosciutto cotto/crudo and cheese is probably the most popular). You can also have a tavola calda which mean `hot bite`, most of them made with cheese and meat, fried or baked. There is also the Sicilian specialty of Arancino, which are deep fried rice balls with various fillings, meat or eggplant or spinach, they make a good lunch snack. During the evening, food trucks that sell hot, tasty Paninis, some even with horse meat inside. Most people add fries into the sandwich. The last few years Kebab shops have popped up all the city.

What is the nightlife like in Catania?

Catania offers a lively nightlife. Most of the nightlife is centered around the Piazza Bellini and the surrounding streets. Usually there are more people drinking on the streets than inside the bars. Tuesday is student night and gets quite packed. Another spot usually with a good mix of locals and tourists is the bar and courtyard of the Agora Hostel, usually packed on Mondays with live music most weekend nights. The area around the castle has plenty of places to drink and eat too. Pubs and dance clubs rule the night, especially in the historical center of town.

Pick up a free copy of Lapis (www.lapisnet.it), a bi-monthly bulletin in Italian listing all that`s happening in local entertainment and by night. It is available at hotels, bars, cafes and tabacchi.

What are the best areas for shopping?

Catania is sometimes referred to as the Milan of Sicily for the enterprising spirit. There are countless craftsmen, artists and small business owners who sell their wares all over the city. Brand name shopping can be had along expensive Corso Italia and around Via Pacini, Via Umberto I, and Via Etnea. There are several shops at Porta Uzeda, and the prices are far better than what you`ll find in other parts of the region. Colorful, hand crafted plates are one of the most popular items on sale. However, few items sell better than the pupazzos, or puppets. Sicily is famous for its puppets, which represent figures from throughout European history.

One must-visit local attraction is the open-air fish market La Pescheria (open-air fish market) - a bustling, loud, aromatic market where some of the finest seafood restaurants go to stock up on ingredients. There is a wide variety of high quality fish on sale at incredibly good prices. Because fish are so plentiful in the region, the local owners can keep the prices low. Even with the low prices though, you can still haggle for an even better price.

The `Pizzo free` shops are a group of shopkeepers that refuse to pay the racket to the Mafia. Catania`s consumers sustain them by going shopping in their stores. A list of these shops is now available (https://www.addiopizzocatania.org/it/progetti/consumo-critico/lista-commercianti).

Note: Value-added tax (VAT) rate is currently 22% in Italy for standard goods. Travelers outside the EU can claim back sales tax on purchases over €155 if they have bought from shops displaying the `tax free` shopping sign.

What should I do if I need medical assistance or need to go to the hospital?

Police, dial 112

Ambulance, dial 118

Hospitals: The major hospital is Garibaldi, Piazza Santa Maria del Gesù (tel. 095-7591111), while the Ospedale Cannizzaro is at Via Messina 829 (tel. 095-7261111). The Children`s Hospital is within the Policlinico, Via Santa Sofia 78 (tel. 095-743 1111).