OUR ADVICES ON WHAT TO SEE IN THE AREA
HISTORICAL CITYCENTER OF CATANIA
The historic center of Catania is a baroque jewel, but there are also Greek-Roman, Norman, Swabian traces, as the result of various reconstructions. To see via Etnea, piazza Duomo, the Teatro Massimo dedicated to the main citizen Vincenzo Bellini, the Ursino's Castle by Federico II, the superb via Crociferi. And in February, don't miss the Feast of St. Agatha
BENEDICTINE MONASTERY
Right in front of our apartment is the enormous complex of the Benedictine Monastery of San Nicolò l'Arena. A late Baroque jewel, founded in 1558 and rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693, with wonderful cloisters, a beautiful hanging garden and the church of San Nicolò, the largest (albeit incomplete) of Sicily. Today it is home to the Department of Humanities of the University of Catania and is an unmissable tourist destination.
MUSEUM OF THE LANDING IN SICILY 1943
Located inside the “Le Ciminiere” Center (very close to the Central Station), the museum is dedicated to the story of the Allies landing in Sicily in the summer of 1943, which led to the opening of a front in continental Europe during the WWII. The so-called Operation Husky is told with historical reconstructions, documents, period films, weapons, equipment, waxes of the most important characters of the II World War. One of the most beautiful museums in Southern Italy, a must for those who love history.
ACI CASTELLO
A few kilometers from Catania, don't miss Aci Castello, famous for its fortress overlooking the sea. During the Sicilian Vespers, it was subjected to the lordship of Ruggero di Lauria, then in the Aragonese era it was of Giovanni di Sicilia and finally of the Aragona being besieged several times. It is currently home to a civic museum.
ACITREZZA
A must is AciTrezza, the village of Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga. Famous for its Faraglioni (which Homer said were launched by Polyphemus against Ulysses) and the enchanting Lachea Island, the town offers breathtaking views, a lively nightlife with shores and nightclubs, and many fish restaurants and typical trattorias.
ETNA
Snow and fire, colorful and black lava nature: with its 3343 meters, Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013, it is a magical place that has attracted artists and scientists from every era: from Archimedes to Empedocles, from Virgil to Goethe, from Guttuso to Coldplay. To see the many piedmont countries: Pedara, Trecastagni, Bronte, Randazzo, Milo, Zafferana...
SIMETO'S OASIS
Simeto's Oasis is an enchanting Oriented Nature Reserve a few kilometers from the center of Catania. Established in 1984, the Oasis covers over 2000 hectares and is one of the most unique areas of Sicily for flora and fauna: a fixed stage on the routes of many migratory birds and the famous turtle Caretta Caretta, offering unmissable landscapes and suggestive locations of birdwatching.
TAORMINA
The pearl of the Ionian coast, Taormina has always been one of the most suggestive places in Sicily. The breathtaking view of the coast, the enchanted sea of the Bella island, the nightlife of the downtown streets, the view of the Greek Theater. Don't miss Castelmola, a village perched on top of the mountain, and Calatabiano, with its Arab-Norman castle.
English 
Italian