holidays in catania and mount etna

Catania is the second largest City in Sicily after Palermo, with a history that has been dominated by its close proximity to Mount Etna. The City suffered from a particularly destructive Etna eruption in 1669, followed by a large earthquake in 1693, so large parts were reconstructed, resulting in the imposing Baroque architecture that can be found in the old City centre today. Catania has developed as an industrial City throughout the 20th Century, which perhaps has discouraged visitors to Sicily to visit the City. For those willing to look, there are a great number of historical treasures to be seen.

Holiday Accommodation in Catania

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The heart of the old City is to be found around the Piazza Duomo, which is surrounded by numerous Baroque buildings, including the Cathedral and the Palazzo del Municipio. The two main streets are Via Etnea and Via Vittorio Emanuele. The former contains numerous shops, cafes and restaurants, whilst the latter has a Roman Theatre. Other sites and buildings of historical interest include, the Castello Ursino, a 13th Century medieval castle, and the Palazzo Biscari, built in the 18th Century.

From Catania it is a short distance to Mount Etna, which remains the only active volcano in Europe, and at 3,342m, it completely dominates the entire Northeast coast of Sicily. Large eruptions are rare, with the two most devastating being in 1381 and 1669, but Etna continues to remain active, with small eruptions in 1991, 1999 and 2002. The volcano offers numerous opportunities for excursions, with perhaps the most popular being from Zafferana to the Valle del Bove, which is a spectacular hollow, 18km in circumference, created by one of Etna’s larger eruptions. With the activity of the volcano permitting, it is also possible to visit the large craters near the summit, where the views over the rest of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands and Calabria are stunning. When coupled with the smoking and gaseous fissures, the extensive lava flows and numerous subsidiary cones and craters, the Etna experience is not to be missed.

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