Via Etnea

Catania


It's not difficult to see how Catania's main shopping street got its name – on a clear day you can see Mt Etna rising majestically at the end of it. Via Etnea runs straight from Piazza del Duomo up to the foothills below Etna. Lined with stores, bars and pavement cafes, it's busy at most times but heaves on Saturday afternoons, when shoppers pile in from the suburbs to strut, schmooze and update their wardrobes.

At its southern end, Piazza dell'Università is an atmospheric spot to take stock over a coffee and cake. On the other side of the square is Palazzo dell'Università, the Vaccarini-designed building that houses the city university. On the eastern flank is another Vaccarini edifice, Palazzo Sangiuliano.

To escape the madding crowds, continue up to the Giardino Bellini where you can relax on a bench in the shady gardens and admire views up to that volcano.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Catania attractions

1. Palazzo dell'Università

0.09 MILES

Flanking the western edge of Piazza dell'Università, this handsome palazzo includes a courtyard designed by Giovanni Battista Vaccarini. The building…

2. Palazzo Sangiuliano

0.09 MILES

Designed by the great baroque architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini, this elegant 18th-century palazzo flanks the eastern edge of Piazza dell'Università.

3. Chiesa di San Giuliano

0.11 MILES

Attributed to Sicilian baroque maestro Vaccarini and built between 1739 and 1751, the Chiesa di San Giuliano features an elegant convex facade and, above…

4. Via Crociferi

0.13 MILES

A lovely, tranquil spot for a morning stroll, Via Crociferi is one of Catania's most attractive streets, famous for its exuberant baroque churches and…

5. Palazzo degli Elefanti

0.13 MILES

Standing at the northern end of Unesco-lauded Piazza del Duomo, the 'Palace of the Elephants' is Catania's town hall. The building's eastern, southern and…

6. Chiesa Badia di Sant'Agata

0.14 MILES

With an elegant concave-convex facade reminiscent of Borromini, this 18th-century church was designed by Palermitan architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini…

7. Museo Arte Contemporanea Sicilia

0.14 MILES

Old and new conspire at MACS, a compact, contemporary-art museum inside an 18th-century abbey of the Monastery of St Benedict. Occupying two floors, the…

8. Arco di San Benedetto

0.15 MILES

The Arco di San Benedetto is an arch built by the Benedictines in 1704. According to legend, it was built in one night to defy a city ordnance against its…

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