Catania Sightseeing.
A guided sightseeing of Catania and the close relation with its active volcano, Mount Etna.
Guided Tour
2 hour visit of Catania
Availability
All year round
Catania the town lying at the foot of Mount Etna
The 1669 eruption of Etna was one of the most powerful and disastrous of the history. Having come out from a secondary crater opened at about 700 meters of altitude, the lava reached Catania, and a big part of the city was completely covered by an incandescent flow. We can still see, today, that lava (become hard black stone by now) in many parts of the modern city, overall in the western area, close to the sea.
We’ll visit some important monuments, and some less important but not less interesting sites, following the path of that “red river”, and discovering how a such important natural element can change the morphology of a city.
Catania Sightseeing highlights
- A river flowing underground
- How lava can shape a city
- Legends and ancient symbols
” We aim on your experience making it both as personal and enjoyable as possible. “
Tour Prices and Details.
Tour Guide available in the following languages : English, Français, Español, Deutsche
Children under 10 years benefit of a 10€ DISCOUNT and for all children under 3 years, the tour is FREE.
Upon request we can provide a child safety seat or booster seat (free service)
Catania Sightseeing
Full description
The visit starts in Piazza Duomo, where the lava stone represents one of the main material of the reconstruction after the earthquake.
We’ll discover all the secrets about that magnificent Cathedral, also called “ecclesia munita”, the church-fortress. Entering inside to admire the melting-pot of styles that characterize this incredible building.
Walking through Catania historical center, across the areas touched by the 1669 lava flow. I’ll show you the power of the lava, and how it can influence the way to build a city or a monument.
I’ll lead you to a special site, underground, to watch a river flowing in a lava cave. Entering in stunning churches, full of history and legends. We’ll stand in front of a big medieval fortress, Ursino Castle, completely built by lava stone, and you’ll learn about Sicily history and traditions.
We’ll finish our visit in one of the older part of the city, a hill where everything started, the Monte Vergine hill. There, the Benedictines built their own huge Monastery. You’ll understand how small and powerless the human beings can be against mother nature’s majesty, but also how a population can recover again and again after the disaster.
MORE EXCURSIONS…
For more information about access to the Etna volcano, you can consult the following links:
Parco Dell’Etna – National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology – Mount Etna News