The wonders of Catania

Between 1239 and 1250, Frederick II ordered to build the Ursino Castle for defensive purpose of the East coast of Sicily and it was on a promontory surrounded by sea. In 1669, the eruption gets the Castle away from the sea.

The museum often houses temporary exhibitions and events that melt with the permanent one. To be visited.

It’s a “jewel” of the late Sicilian Baroque architecture and an example of integration among different periods, it is shown in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. From 1977, the plezus monastic houses the Humanities faculty.

Piazza Stesicoro takes its name from the Greek poet Stesichorus. It is crossed and divided in two parts by the main street, via Etnea. The two sides of the square have different architectural styles: on East stands the monument dedicated to Vincenzo Bellini, on the other side the roman amphitheatre.

The “underground” monument is well preserved and visible, overlooking Piazza Stesicoro, below the road surface. The monument is almost completely covered by modern buildings and is the second in size only to the Colosseum.

The Bellini’s Garden is better known as Bellini’s Villa, it belonged to the Biscari’s family, who gave it to citizenship in 1854. It’s in the heart of Catania and you can come in from several sides, but the main entrance is located along the famous via Etnea.

Villa Bellini is the ideal place where to take a relaxing walk with your family.

Next to the Cathedral, overlooking Via Vittorio Emanuele there is the St. Aghata’s Abbey. The Abbey was completed in 1735 and some critics think that this building is the architect Vaccarini’s masterpiece. A jewel realized in Sicilian baroque style.

Visit the terraces of the Abbey to admire the city in a different way.

The Massimo Bellini Theatre is the place where it stages the opera. During its opening, in 1890, it was staged the representation of ‘Norma’ by Vincenzo Bellini. The central hall is composed of four tiers of stages and galleries on which dominates the evocative fresco.