Ah, Catania

Catania Fish Market (La Pescheria)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9R_ErrNC3c

The Catania fish market is located in the heart of the city adjacent to the Piazza del Duomo, the historical city center of Catania. The entrance to the Catania fish market is located just behind the Amenano Fountain. The baroque Carrara marble fountain takes its name from the Amenano river that had once flowed on the same spot.
It was created to adorn the market square in the 1800’s and aid the fishmongers in washing away the bloody aftermath of market day.  Step behind the fountain, and you’ll find a terrace that overlooks the central area of the fish market. Descend the lava stone steps to enter the market and be prepared to be amazed!

The fish market is lively, boisterous, colorful, and gritty with an exhilarating atmosphere. If anything sums up the beating heart and soul of Catania, then it’s this place –full of life and as down-to-earth as the locals themselves.
The streets near Catania’s Duomo are transformed into a loud and fast-paced market, now expanded from selling fish to just about everything.  A great place to catch a glimpse of Sicilian life, it instantly awakens all the senses – and the appetite! More of the fish market after some history.
A trip to Sicily is a journey through history, from the occupation by the Greeks and Romans, and later the Arabs, Normans, and Catalans.
The mix of influences over the years have changed the way Sicilians eat, so you’ll find ingredients and dishes you’d expect to see in Greece, Spain or even North Africa.  Fish and seafood are some of the most essential elements in Sicilian cuisine.  Browse the offerings and ingredients at the local markets, and you will get an insight into the island’s history through its food.
The Amenano Fountain (Fontana dell’Amenano)

Separating Piazza del Duomo from the rough-and-tumble food market La Pescheria is gushing Fontana dell’Amenano, a Carrara-marble fountain created by Neapolitan sculptor Tito Angelini in 1867. The work is a tribute to the River Amenano, which once ran overground and on whose banks the Greeks founded the city of Katáne.
It was built in 1837 in Carrara marble by Tito Angelini, the fountain represents figuratively the river as a young man who pours water from a cornucopia into a pod-shaped calyx-tub, in the base of this tank two newts pour the water too into the canal where the Amenano river flows and it’s visible only in this stretch.
People of Catania call this fountain “acqua o linzolu” because the water’s fountain pouring like a little waterfall into the river produces a striking and characteristic effect “sheet” and also because in the past the laundresses washed her clothes and sheets in this bath.
Piazza del Duomo

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Catania’s central piazza is a set of contrasting lava and limestone, surrounded by buildings in the unique local baroque style and crowned by the grand Cathedral of St. Agata.  In the center of the plaza stands the Elephant Fountain, a smiling black lava elephant dating from Roman times and surmounted by an Egyptian obelisk.  Legend has it that the elephant belonged to the 85h century magician Eliodorus who supposedly made his living by turning people into animals.  The obelisk itself is said to possess magical powers that help ease Mt. Etna’s volatile temperament.

Cathedral of St. Agatha (Cattedrale di Sant’Agata)

No visit to Catania is complete without seeing the cathedral dedicated to the city’s patron saint, Sant’Agata. The virgin-martyr was killed in 351 for refusing the lecherous advances of a Roman lord. Her mortal remains are in reliquaries in the cathedral.
The frosted facade is a cake-like beauty that sets off the Piazza del Duomo, studded with icing-like statues, balustrades, and adornments along the roofline. It is a lovely cathedral, though the current version dates to the mid-1700s. The first church was built here in the Norman era, between 1086 and 1094. It was expanded and adorned over the years, and the Benedictine monastery was added next door. The church utilized some columns, friezes, and capitals recycled from ancient Roman ruins. Then the 1693 earthquake dismantled many parts of the original structure, including the bell tower, which fell and demolished some of the church below it. The cathedral was rebuilt, giving it the style you see today while retaining the portions of the Norman structure that had been left intact, most notably the apse. The interior is a soaring space, with beautiful elements and artwork, and an impressive pipe organ.
The monastery and church next door are part of the history of the saint and the church and must be seen. The Benedictine convent was built for a cloistered order of nuns, established in 1612. With the earthquake, only 13 of the 28 nuns survived and their building was destroyed.  Plans were made to rebuild the monastery complex and include a more monumental church. It is a masterpiece of beauty – with its dome and delicate twin bell towers, a very stunning church.  Another good reason to visit is the view! The terraces and dome are now open to the public to ascend and take in the 360º breathtaking panorama! The cupola is open every day except Monday.

Catania City Gate (Porta Garibaldi)

Catania is a beautiful city, loved not only by its inhabitants but also by the millions of tourists who come to visit it every year. Today we can admire monuments unique in the world, but some of them have undergone transformations or even been destroyed. We know that Catania has been destroyed several times even by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but it has never surrendered and every time the Sicilian city has managed to rise and return brighter than before!
No monument represents better than Porta Garibaldi Catania’s desire and ability to rise after a catastrophe, as underlined by the sentence under the arch “Melior de cinere surgo“, “I am born again from the ashes even more beautiful”. Several times, in fact, Catania has been destroyed and as many times has been reborn, even more beautiful, even more fascinating!

At the top of the gate there is a very large clock, in whose place there was originally a medallion with the portraits of the two kings. In the center is the phoenix, still a symbol of rebirth dear to the people of Catania.

The magnificence of this monument is also underlined by the alternation of black and white of the stones used for its construction: the white of the stone of Syracuse and the black of the lava stone of Etna. A particular visual effect that can already be seen from Piazza Duomo: by turning your back on the cathedral, at the beginning of Via Garibaldi, you can admire the arch of this door without any difficulty. On the contrary, once you reach Piazza Palestro and placed under the arch you can admire all of Via Garibaldi and the cathedral of Sant’Agata at the end.
It is not difficult to reach Piazza Palestro, just walk along Via Garibaldi starting from the cathedral and you are there!

 All our featured excursions are included in the pricing of our retreats.  For more information see our website at https://charetreats.com/ or telephone us at 1.201.805.5570.