Savouring Catania: A Journey Through History and Exquisite Local Cuisine

Catania is world famous for its thousand years of history, for the beauty of its streets and the incredible buildings in the shadow of the volcano Etna. The culinary delights are another great reason to visit the city. Food here is a serious business, and the local fish market is a not-to-be-missed experience.

Whether you buy or not, do ask for recipes to try at home. The locals love to share their knowledge! If pasta is your passion, then pasta alla Norma—a symbol of the island’s cuisine and a specialty of Catania—is the right choice. This tasty first course is topped with fresh tomato sauce and fried aubergines cut into slices as per tradition. Make sure to choose a local red wine, smooth on the palate and rich in minerals from the volcano’s frequent eruptions.

But Catania offers something special for everyone! So if you are into sweets, then this is the city for you. From the marzipan pastries to the very Catanese Minne di Sant’Agata (the bosom of Saint Agatha)—a dessert prepared on the occasion of the feast of Saint Agatha, the patron saint of Catania—to the cannoli, you’ll have only one problem: choosing what to try first!