2025 April 1,2: Catania

Stayed in town for 2 days. It was a turning point: having been unimpressed the first day, then feeling better, then spending some time out of town, we were thinking we’d seen what there was to see. Not so: discovered 2-1/2 amazing new things, fell in love with the city again.

Tues 1st: Set out after a leisurely morning to tour Palazzo Biscari, the # 1/2 amazing new thing. Passed through this piazza on the way. Doesn’t seem to have a name; bordered by Via Barilai:

Palazzo Biscari was built atop the old city wall next to the seashore after the 1693 earthquake. You can tour one section; eight descendants of the family still live in the rest.

Some randomness on the streets:

Discovered what became probably our favorite lunch spot - Vermut:

Followed by daily ice cream at our favorite ice cream & pastry shop - Pasticceria Savia, on Via Etnea at the entrance to Giardino Bellini (an important pedestrian intersection we often find ourselves at as you may have noticed from earlier posts):

Next, the #1 amazing new thing, the Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò. We wandered around today, then signed up for a tour on Friday. I’ll post most pics then, but here’s a taste:

The #2 amazing new thing: Teatro Greco Romano. A Greek, then Roman, theatre, right in the middle of the city:

In case you couldn’t tell, the Romans built right on top of the Greek theatre, and the Sicilians built right on top of the Roman. There’s even a B&B right in the theatre: LaCasanelTeatro.it:

Coupla cafes on a corner nearby: