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Italy : Catania - March 2009

Country Code: Dial for Italy

March in Catania brings the scent of orange blossom, warm breezes, and preparations for Fathers’ Day, the annual feast of St Joseph (19 March), while inviting shop windows along the main street are decked out with the latest spring designs. Ellen Grady takes a look

Getting around

Fontanarossa Airport

Bus: The Alibus shuttle service runs between the airport and the central train station. It’s a 15-minute journey, with buses running from 5am to midnight. Other services are available to all major Sicilian destinations, including Taormina and Palermo. The bus journey into Catania costs €2.
Taxi: Taxis are also available and the journey into Catania shouldn’t cost more than €30. All major car-hire companies are represented at the airport.
Tourist information: The main tourist information office is at 10 Via Cimarosa (, www.turismo.catania.it)

THE CENTRE

Piazza Duomo, Catania’s elegant Baroque centre, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dominated by the magnificent cathedral dedicated to St Agatha, patron saint of the city, who was martyred when she was only 13 years old. Opposite is the lava stone Fountain of the Elephant, thought to go back to the days of the Phoenicians, bearing an Egyptian obelisk on its back. Close by is the picturesque fish market. From the square, the stylish main street Via Etnea leads north.

Sleep soundly – Housed in a renovated old palace near the centre, Katane Palace Hotel (110 Via Finocchiaro Aprile, , katanepalace. it, rooms from €120) is a smart little bolthole with a lovely restaurant.

Culture vultures – Don’t miss the last days of fashion designer Marella Ferrera’s fascinating exhibition Oltre l’abito… il Pensiero (‘Behind the dress… the Way of Thinking’) housed at the Museo Biscari (10-16 Via Biscari).

Must eat – Book early to be sure of your table at the popular Il Sale Art Café (10-12 Via Santa Filomena, tel. , closed Tuesdays), for tasty Sicilian food presented with pride.

SCICLI

Bus your way south to this little village, so beautiful it has been declared a World Heritage Site, to catch the action for the feast of St Joseph. Bring your camera, the eye-catching processions and the gorgeous architecture are not to be missed!

Sleep soundly – A tiny place right in the centre of town, with frescoed rooms, a great little restaurant, and a café, the Hotel Novecento (11 Via Duprè, , hotel900.it, rooms from €130) is ideal.

Culture vultures – From 15-22 March, you can join in the festivities for St Joseph, protector of all fathers. Bonfires, fireworks, parades of horses decked out with flowers and bells, recall Joseph’s flight with Mary and Baby Jesus into Egypt, when threatened by Herod. Special loaves of bread are baked for the occasion, and banquets are prepared for the Holy Family.

MOUNT ETNA

At 3,350m Mount Etna is Europe’s highest active volcano. It’s so close to Catania it would be a shame to miss the last snow of the season.

Sleep soundly – Skiing enthusiasts will find the perfect place to stay at the cosy Rifugio Sapienza (Piazzale Sapienza, tel. , rifugiosapienza.com, rooms from €49), next to the cable-car station. If you like volcanoes, but prefer them from a distance, then choose the quiet village of Santa Caterina, near Acireale, at the foot of the mountain. Hotel Santa Caterina (42b Via Santa Caterina, , santacaterinahotel.com, rooms from €65) has rooms overlooking the sea, and has a good restaurant.

Shop til you drop – For confectionery, the very best almond and pistachio pastries and nougat are made in Acireale, at Condorelli (26/28 Via Scionti Oreste).

TAORMINA

Spring reaches lovely Taormina early. From its hilltop position, it dominates the Straits of Messina and the coast south as far as Mount Etna. Long the playground of the rich and famous, why not enjoy a stroll along Corso Umberto, the main street, and then take a seat at an open air café?

Culture vultures – Don’t miss the views from the ruins of the Greek Theatre (Via Teatro Greco), founded by the Greeks in the 4th century BC and later enlarged by the Romans. These ancient stones have inspired painters, musicians and writers, such as Paul Klee, Gustav Klimt, Sibelius, Thomas Mann and Somerset Maugham.

Must drink – Along Corso Umberto, the time-honoured café for Campari Orange and people watching is the Wunderbar (7 Piazza IX Aprile). Marlene Dietrich and Ava Gardner were both reputed to love it, Winston Churchill was a regular, and more recently, Jodie Foster has been seen there.

Compiled by Ellen Grady