2025 March 24: Catania!

We moved (from Palermo) to Catania, on the east coast of Sicily; staying for 2 weeks. 3 hour bus ride got us there mid day.

The idea is hub-and-spoke: leave the big 45lb bags here & take day trips to Taormina, Mt Etna, Syracuse, others tbd.

The apt is a 5-minute walk from the bus station. That’s the good news. The bad news is, it’s in a kind of run-down, sketchy neighborhood. Buildings in disrepair, trash strewn about, auto repair shops…lesson: don’t trust 5-stars if there are only 2 reviews. So. We checked in & set out to see the sights. There are some very nice sections of Catania, centered around Piazza del Duomo & the Basilica Cattedrale Sant’Agata, a 30 minute walk away:

The cathedral itself is pretty impressive:

Northwest from there, happened on Via Crociferi, which ends at Villa Cerami, a baroque structure currently housing the law school of the local college:

Despite initial disappointment, it’s gonna be OK.

BTW here’re some shots of the apartment (added later):