Catania travel guide
Catania Tourism | Catania Guide
You're Going to Love Catania
With a population of 290,927, Catania is a must-see destination in Sicily, Italy. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Catania has to offer.
When to visit Catania
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Catania in August, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 89.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 41 °F, with an average temperature of 51.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 4.2″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Catania, with an average rainfall of 0.2″.
How to Get to Catania
Plane
When flying to Catania, you’ll arrive at Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), which is located 5 km from the city center. The shortest flight to Catania from the United States departs from New York and takes around 12h 25m.
Train
Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Catania, followed by Italotreno. The train journey from Catania to Palermo takes 5h 28m and costs around $25 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Rome, expect to pay about $73 for a 7h 13m trip. Located 0.5 km from the city center, Catania Centrale is the busiest station in Catania. Another popular train station is Catania Ognina, located 4 km from the center.
Car
Another option to get to Catania is to pick up a car rental from Palermo, which is about 167 km from Catania. You’ll find branches of Easy Car Hire and Galierirent, among others, in Palermo.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Catania, including FlixBus, Itabus and SAIS Autolinee. From Palermo, the bus ride to Catania takes 233 km and will cost you around $16. From Lamezia Terme, the ticket costs about $12 for a journey of 402 km. The most popular bus station is Catania Autostazione, located 0.4 km from downtown Catania. Catania La Rena Est is also a commonly used station, and is 3 km from the city center.
Airlines serving Catania
Where to stay in Catania
From 5-star hotels such as the Romano Palace Luxury Hotel to great affordable options like the Hotel La Ville, Catania offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $84 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $103 and up for a 5-star experience.
Where to stay in popular areas of Catania
Most booked hotels in Catania
Renting a car in Catania
Renting a car in Catania costs $32 per day, on average, or $97 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Dollar, Hertz and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Catania is the SURPRICE CAR RENTAL branch at Aeroporto Fontanarossa, which is 4 km from the city center.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in Catania.
Expect to pay $7.46 per gallon in Catania (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $89.49 and $119.32. The most frequently booked car type in Catania is Economy (Fiat Panda or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Seat Leon or similar) are, on average, 93% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.