The city of Catania stands on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean island of Sicily, off the southern tip of Italy. It is the island’s second-biggest city and stands in the shadow of the renowned active volcano, Mount Etna. Pick up a hire car at Catania’s Fontanarossa Airport and take in the sights on the way into the city itself. It’s the main airport for the island and receives more than seven million visitors a year, while Catania itself enjoys a lively atmosphere thanks to its predominantly student population and a beautiful World Heritage Site within the old town.
If you hire a car at Catania Airport, the A18 motorway will help you by-pass the jams of Catania and head north to Messina or south to Syracuse, while the A19 motorway leads direct to Palermo. Follow the streets to the beautiful Catania waterfront - the heart of the city. Mount Etna is the major attraction, but the city has historic landmarks to see too. Look out for the lavish baroque church of San Benedetto, the imposing medieval castle and the cathedral, where composer Vincenzo Bellini is buried.
