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Italy : Catania - April 2010

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Come April in Catania, there’s the scent of orange blossom in the air and Easter celebrations are taking place in the handsome baroque churches of the city and its surrounding towns. Pastry shops display vast arrays of springtime treats, and attractive shop windows are more irresistible than ever. Ellen Grady samples the delights on offer

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

Dominating the central Piazza Duomo of Catania is the superb Cathedral of St Agatha, flanked by elegant baroque buildings. The colourful fish market is a stone’s throw away, and the main street of Via Etnea leads out of the square, with its inviting shops and lovely gardens dedicated to the local composer Vincenzo Bellini.

Sleep soundly – The Villa Bellini public gardens are at their best right now, so why not stay at a local hotel? A little place with a friendly atmosphere, Hotel Agathae (229 Via Etnea, , hotelagathae.it, rooms from €90, special offers for weekend stays) offers a cosy suite, an individual apartment for six, and a flowery terrace where breakfast is served. Also nearby is the Hotel Etnea 316 (316 Via Etnea, , hoteletnea316.it, rooms from €80), furnished in traditional Sicilian style and with lovely old floors.

Must eat – Il Cuciniere (145 Via Capuana, ) is the acclaimed restaurant of the Katane Palace Hotel, and has a lovely patio for romantic springtime dining. The cuisine is Sicilian, with an individualistic touch. Carmelo’s soup of almonds, basil and clams is simply irresistible.

Shop til you drop – Fecarotta (172 Via Etnea) offers exquisite jewellery with that special Sicilian flair – ask for pieces made with the rare local amber. Drop in to Nonna Vincenza (7 Piazza San Placido) for pastries, or to stock up on hand-made chocolate Easter eggs, or for mouth-watering delights made with honey, almonds and pistachios.

VIZZINI

An easy bus ride from Catania, this ancient hill-top town is a maze of little streets and spectacular views. Vizzini also offers traditional processions, fireworks, a cheese fair and wonderful local cuisine.

Sleep soundly – Perched on the top of Vizzini, the old Benedictine convent of Santa Maria has been transformed into the charming, simple Hotel A Badia (17 Via Etrusca, , abadia.it, doubles from €60). The rooms have a monastic feel, there’s a beautiful cloister, and the restaurant serves local specialities. At Easter, this means tender lamb or kid cooked the Vizzini way with potatoes, garlic and a touch of pecorino cheese – absolutely delicious.

Culture vultures – Easter celebrations culminate on Sunday 4 April with the joyful A Cugnunta procession, when the Madonna meets her arisen Son amid fireworks and cheering. From 23-25 there’s the annual festival in honour of Vizzini’s most famous product – sheep’s milk ricotta cheese – with parades of Sicilian carts, vintage cars, majorettes, banner-throwers and roadside theatre performances. St Joseph gets his procession on the 29, involving the whole town and lots more fireworks!

Must eat – Great care in the selection of ingredients, all produced in the area, is the secret of the success of La Stanza dello Scirocco (30 Via G Verga, ), a restaurant where you’ll find fare typical of the Sicilian mountains.

TAORMINA

Poised on a cliff overlooking the sea, with snow-capped Mount Etna in the background, beautiful Taormina is just north of Catania. Corso Umberto, the main street, has a host of shop windows to admire, and plenty of sidewalk cafés for people-watching.

Sleep soundly – For a special treat, stay at the exclusive Hotel El Jebel (9 Salita Ciampoli, , hoteleljebel.com, suites from €200) in the heart of town. The spectacular rooms are all different, and very individual.

Culture vultures – The magnificent ruins of the Greek Theatre (Via Teatro Greco) are not to be missed, offering panoramic views from Etna to the Straits of Messina. Play out a couple of acts from a Greek tragedy and feel like the ancient playwright Aristophanes for a few hours.

Shop til you drop – Ricordi Siciliani (8 Via Teatro Greco) offers some unusual souvenirs, including replicas of Greek and Roman pottery and Etruscan jewellery.

Compiled by Ellen Grady