If you're based in the city of Catania then it's a great idea to explore several highlights of Sicily from there.
In this short post, we've shared our pick of the best days trip from Catania alongside advice on how to do them independently or with a tour.
Visit or Hike Mount Etna
On the east coast of Sicily, Europe’s highest and most active volcano dominates the skyline: the 500,000 year old Mount Etna.
In a state of almost constant activity, billows of thick smoke and sparks of lava are not an uncommon sight to see, especially from several viewpoints in Catania - a city whose landscape and topography were uniquely altered, formed and transformed following Etna’s ferocious eruption of 1669.
With a gravelly, dark terrain that is somewhat otherworldly, Etna offers up an excellent and exciting day trip from Sicily’s second biggest city. Indeed, it’s a big reason people choose to base themselves in Catania for at least a night or two before heading north or south.
It’s a pretty easy hike, but not something to do in your flip-flops and beachwear, especially given the 3,300m altitude at the summit.
Do it Independently
Although it’s possible to visit certain areas of Mount Etna independently, scaling and walking the crater of the volcano is only permitted as part of a licensed guided tour.
We've written an entire guide on how to visit Mount Etna, and within that you'll find more info on the bus and the pros and cons of visiting it by yourself, but even as dedicated independent travellers, we'd still recommend stumping up the cash and joining a tour for this one - we promise, you won't regret it!
Take a Tour
There are a huge number of different tours on offer from Catania, catering to a variety of fitness levels, specific interests and time availability. Most won’t go up to the summit, whilst others pair it with wine tastings or other activities in the area.
Many tours meet in the Mount Etna visitor centre car park at Rifugio Sapienza, and do not include a transport from/to Catania*. Further, the cost of the 4x4 or the Etna cable cars are usually not included in the tour price, so do be aware of this beforehand if you’re on a budget.
Due to this, when you start researching, it can be a little overwhelming.
To help you out, we’ve included the tour we took ourselves below alongside some excellent and highly rated alternatives which do include transport from / to Catania:
Etna: Summit Craters Trekking | We really wanted to do the summit and walk the crater so, after a lot of research, we went with this tour and were really happy with the company and guide. We were also able to book it easily online the night before we wanted to visit Etna, and drove to the site before heading toward the summit. Find out more or book here.
If you want to hike but don’t have transport to meet at the volcano, then this tour is a highly-rated alternative option which does have transport from/to the city.
Mount Etna Day Trip + Food Tasting | Very highly rated, this tour includes pick-up and drop-off transport from Catania and can take place in the morning or at sunset. Do note that it doesn’t take you to the summit, but has a light guided trek. Find out more or book here.
Etna 4x4 Full Day Tour | A bit of different way to see and experience the volcano, this tour in a Defender jeep includes lunch, off-roading, a lava cave visit, a stop at the Alcantara Gorges, and hotel pick-up/drop-off from Catania.
*Whilst there is a public bus to Rifugio Sapienza there is only one direct bus per day at 8.15 a.m. By the time it arrives, summit tours have already started. This means that taking public transport is really only a realistic option if you want to explore Mount Etna independently. If driving, we’d recommend allowing 90 minutes for the journey, especially if you’re joining a tour group there at a specific time.
Travel To Taormina
High atop the slopes of Tauro, with exceptional views out across the Ionian sea, and a brooding (sometimes smouldering), Mount Etna in the backdrop, is the pretty little hilltop town of Taormina.
Having been the dolce vita holiday destination for Romans, Greeks, 19th century writers and 20th century movie stars, today, in the midst of the peak Sicilian summer season, its popularity endures - sometimes to its detriment, when at certain junctures and times of day the balance of charming and too busy tip out of its favour.
Indeed, the glamour of the gilded-age and tinseltown fades away somewhat when a leisure wear-clad cruise ship tour descends en masse into the narrow streets.
However, this is not an encouragement to leave Taormina off your itinerary, more so a recommendation to visit on a day trip; to take in one of Sicily's best views, to explore the Greek theatre, roam its picturesque streets and seek solitude in its magical gardens.
Do it Independently
There is a regular, direct train service between Catania and Taormina, with an average travel time of less than an hour. Tickets cost between €3 and €7 each way depending upon the particular departure. Find schedules and buy tickets here.
Do note that the train station is technically located in Giardini Naxos, a little way from the tourist centre, and at the bottom of a fairly significant hill. You can either walk it in around 45 minutes, take a taxi for around €15 or opt for the frequent shuttle bus. The shuttle bus takes 15 minutes and tickets can be bought at the train station for €3 per person.
Alternatively, there is an hourly bus service which heads north from Catania and drops off at the Taormina bus terminal on Piazza Luigi Pirandello (maps).
Reaching Taormina with your own vehicle is easy enough but do note that the road leading upwards is pretty narrow and full of twists and turns so you'll need to pay full attention!
Parking is more expensive than elsewhere in Sicily, and as a tourist you'd be better off leaving your car in a modern multi-storey outside of the historic centre. We can recommend Porto Catania, found here on Google Maps.
You can find full details on the visiting in our guide 'The Best Things to Do in Taormina'.
Take a Tour
Whilst we don't think that visiting Taormina with a tour is necessary (especially because visiting independently means a chance to be there without the crowds), if you'd like to combine it with a morning atop Etna, then this full-day option is a good shout and has really excellent reviews.
Vineyards & Wine Tasting
The slopes of Mount Etna have long provided a rich, but capricious, site for small-scale, family-run vineyards, but their Etna wines have only become increasingly respected and sought after outside of Sicily in the last two decades.
Categorised and protected under the Etna DOC appellation - the first in Sicily - which covers the northern, eastern, and southern slopes of the mountain, growers produces vines up to around 4,000 feet above sea level. The terroir is understandably unique due to its setting on the slopes of Europe’s most active volcano, as well as well as the diversity in production caused by the dramatic altitude shifts.
We’ve shared several picks on where to drink Etna wine in 13 Wonderful Things To Do In Catania, but the best way to get up close and personal with the vineyards and the growers is to join a specific tasting tour.
Unfortunately, the current offering of specialised tours for oenophiles from Catania is a little thin on the ground; this may improve in future, so we’ll update the post accordingly. The best one we could find - which does have spectacular reviews + ratings - is this private 6-Hour Tour of Three Etna Wineries.
It includes round-trip transportation from your hotel in Catania, exclusive access to family-run venues, a comprehensive tastings included. Find out more or book here or here.
Otherwise, for a specialist experience, opt to pair your wine tastings with a visit to Etna. Several highly-rated tours from Catania offer this, including this one, but it’s just a quick sampling rather than a full-on vineyard experience.
Syracuse & Ortigia
We adored our week in Syracuse, and many travellers flying into Catania Airport choose the small south eastern city as their first stop instead of basing themselves in Catania.
An historically important ancient Greek city (and the home of Archimedes!), Syracuse had its founding nucleus in the small island of Ortigia - also spelled Ortygia. Today, the island is essentially the ‘old town’ or ‘historical centre’ of the city of Syracuse, as well as its most popular area for visitors.
There's great swimming, gorgeous sunsets, one of our favourite food markets on the whole island, the BEST pistachio granita we've ever had, photogenic little streets to get lost within, and a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological park of Neapolis too!
You can find full details on all the very best things to do in our guide, ‘An Essential Travel Guide to Syracuse and the Island of Ortigia’.
Do it Independently
Trains from Catania Centrale are quite regular, with journey times of an hour.
Siracusa train station (maps) is a good 20-30 minute walk away from the centre of Ortigia, but there is a regular bus transports people between the two.
If driving, it's also about an hour.
The public bus connections between Syrcause and Catania are fantastic too, with Interbus offering direct departures at least once an hour, with travel time of 80 minutes. Tickets are €6 per person.
Start planning with our guide to Syracuse, Sicily or read our tips for Train Travel in Italy.
Take a Tour
This full-day tour departs from Catania, and focuses exploring Syracuse, Ortigia, and Noto. Transport and guide included, as well as entry to the Neapolis - find out more or book it here.
Go To Noto
The town of Noto epitomises the look of 'Sicilian Baroque', the highly regarded architectural style which flourished as entire cities and towns in the south east were reborn following the devastating earthquake of 1693.
Indeed, the beauty resulting from that tragedy is the reason that eight places in the Val di Noto region - including Catania - are protected UNESCO World Heritage sites.
None, however, are more beautiful than Noto.
So perfect and so elegant is its historical centre, it’s somewhat easy to forget that this is a place where people live, and not a museum or some eerily accurate film set.
Our main tip if you're visiting on a day trip from Catania? Linger as long as you can until the sun goes down, when the sandstone walls of the 18th century masterpieces glow ochre and Noto comes alive.
You can full details on all the best things to do in Noto and tips on where to eat and drink in ‘Our Complete Guide to Noto’.
Do it Independently
As with most destinations on this list, the easiest way to access Noto is the one hour drive from Catania with your own rental car. Although there are an abundance of ZTLs throughout the historical centre, we never struggled to find road side parking (often for free).
It’s also possible to visit the town with public transport, with the the bus being the most convenient option. Travel time is just over 90 minutes, €9 per person - view schedules here.
Trains are infrequent, require a change in Syracuse, and travel time is about 2 hours.
If driving, then we’d you may also wish to consider incorporating Ragusa and Modica.
Take a Tour
With a focus on the Baroque towns and their history, this tour is highly-rated and takes you to Noto, Modica, and Ragusa.
Alternatively, the same full-day tour from Catania which we noted above has Noto as the third destination, following a morning in Syracuse and Ortigia - find out more or book here.
This corner of Sicily is also the home of Inspector Montalbano, and fans of the detective books and TV show shouldn’t miss the ‘Inspector Montalbano Locations Tour of Southeast Sicily’, which departs from Catania.
Aci Castello & Aci Trezza
Two favourites for any Catanese looking to get away on the weekend.
A well-kept secret, these two little fishing towns (though they feel more like villages) have managed to remain more of a local’s favourite rather than a tourist draw on the east coast, but they’re so lovely we actually based ourselves in them twice during our two trips to Sicily.
You can walk from one to the other, there's a smattering of lidos, old boys gossiping by painted fishing boats, and lots of authentic dolce vita vibes to slowly drink in.
If visiting on a long weekend or city break, then we'd put this up as the best day trip from Catania for those in search of an easy day where you feel like you're on holiday, rather than having to explore, hike, or plan lots of activities in addition.
Do it Independently
They're just 45-minutes / 10 kms north of Catania, so all you need to do is jump on one of two buses:
The 534 AMT bus leaves from several stops in the city, but your best bet is to wait for it at the train station and the bus station. Costing €1.30 per person, it has many stops and does get full, with travel time of 45-60 minutes.
The AST bus service is the better option, as it's got fewer stops along the way. It departs from the bus station opposite Catania train station (maps), but it's best to check the schedule beforehand here as the times are a bit irregular. You can buy tickets from the cafe opposite, and it's €1.90 per person.
Whichever you take, ust let the driver know in advance which town you're aiming on getting off at. If driving, just note that parking in either of the two is limited and paid.
We've shared everything in our dedicated guide to Aci Trezza and Aci Castello.
Take a Tour
It’s super easy to do it on your own, but if you want to make it a bit more of a memorable experience, you can do this full day boat trip to Aci Trezza from Catania.
It includes swimming and snorkelling around Ulysses’ Cave, looking out upon Aci Castello, and the choice of exploring Aci Trezza or accessing a marine reserve only possible to reach by pedal boat. This is followed by lunch on board and some more swimming spots before returning to Catania.
Find out more or book here.
If you’d rather visit the two Acis independently, but a day out on and in the water sounds fun, then check out this Gulf of Catania Diving Tour.
Plan | Planning to be on the east coast for a week or two? Then you need to read our east Sicily itinerary.
The Mosaics of Villa Romana Del Casale
A Sicilian version of Pompeii? Not quite.
Villa Romana Del Casale does however offer up sumptuously preserved Roman mosaics and floors to gasp at, which are even better than those at Pompeii (though it is from a much later period of the empire).
Excavations of this luxurious villa complex started in 1800s, and it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage site due to it being the home of ‘‘the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world’. Vast and intricate, these well-preserved works showcase colourful scenes of lovers, bikini-clad women playing sport, and fantastical scenes of myths bringing together beast and man.
Do it Independently
Situated just outside the town of Piazza Armerina, it’s a pleasant drive 100 kms / 90 minute drive into the Sicilian interior from Catania - find the site here on Google Maps.
There is also a direct public bus from Catania to Piazza Armerina (1 hour 40 minutes travel, €9.30), but this will require you to then take another bus or a taxi onward to the site. Note that the bus has more departures on weekdays than on weekends.
Entry to the site costs €10 for adults, €5 for concessions. It’s open from 9 am - 7 pm, last entries at 6 pm.
For more information or for opening times etc, visit the official website.
Take a Tour
We’ve struggled to find any dedicated tour from Catania to Villa Romana Del Casale - if you join one and have a good experience, please do let us know in the comments!
Alternatively, this tour visits it alongside the Valley of the Temples (more on that later).
Godfather Filming Locations
We’ve explained in several other blog posts why a visit to Sicily should not begin and end with real and imagined stereotypes about the mafia, or organised crime generally on the island. It is, of course, a notable chapter in the Sicily story, but by no means the most important or fascinating (and we say that as two people who are fascinated by it).
Nevertheless, Sicily was a key filming location for Godfather II, and fans of the film may enjoy heading out to to hilltop villages featured in several famous Michael Corleone scenes on this highly-rated tour.
As well as offering an opportunity to head to the countryside and a different side to the coastal cities, it provides insights into the history of the real Sicilian mafia, as well as Sicilian culture generally. If you’re genuinely curious to learn more or ask questions, this is a much more suitable and appropriate environment for it than bringing it up with locals.
It includes hotel pick-up and drop-off from Catania, English-speaking driver and guide, and an optional lunch - find out more or book here.
Valley of the Temples
Perched atop dry arid hilltops along the island's southern coast, overlooking the penetrating blues of the Mediterranean sea, sit one of Sicily's most impressive tourist attractions: the Valley of the Temples.
At nearly two-and-a-half millennia old, they are a tangible testament to the golden age of the Greeks in Sicily as well as some of the best preserved examples of the style outside of Greece itself.
Though some have admittedly seen better days, with weather and time beginning to edge ahead in their eternal battle, these famous temples scattered amongst the olive trees, the modern tarmac road, and the dusty pathways, are something to be treasured by any visitor to the island.
Do it Independently
At just under two hours from Catania by car, visiting the Valley of Temples on a day trip will take a little longer than most on this list, but given their draw to many that visit Sicily - and their historical significance - they are absolutely worth considering.
The good news is that the majority of the drive is done along one of the island's best roads so getting there is pretty straightforward!
Once you arrive, there are two paid parking lots at both the western and eastern entrances. They’re signposted, but in a bit of a confusing way, so our advice is to stick one in Google Maps and follow the directions.
We parked in Parcheggio Tempio Di Giunone (maps) at the eastern entrance, which charges a flat daily fee of €5 or pay by the hour. You can find the larger western entrance car park here on Google Maps, and we imagine the parking cost it around the same.
Unfortunately, whilst Sicily does have a train network, reaching Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples with one simply isn't straightforward and we wouldn't recommend it. Instead, your best option is a SAIS bus from Catania to Agrigento (3 hours, €11.50), but that would make it a very long day indeed.
Find out more and prepare with our guide: '7 Things to Know Before You Visit the Valley of the Temples.'
Take a Tour
Given the driving distances involved, we appreciate that many of you may prefer to opt for a tour from Catania, especially during the summer months; the added benefit to this is having a guide be able to explain a little of the site's history.
In addition to the Valley of the Temples, this highly rated full-day tour from Catania includes time at Piazza Armerina to discover Villa del Casale.
Alternatively - if you'd prefer to combine your visit with Scala dei Turchi, consider this full day tour.
ALCANTARA GORGE
A unique volcanic landscape and the chance for a summer’s day of swimming and adventure sounds pretty good right?
The gorgeous Alcantara Gorges are made of black lava walls up to 50 meters high, somewhat resembling dragon skin to our eye. There’s various trails to hike and activities offered (body rafting, quads, and mountain biking) but the most popular thing to do is head down into the gorge to hang out at the pebble beach and swim in the clear, cooling waters of the river Alcantara.
Do it Independently
From Catania to the Alcantara Gorges, it’s about a 50-minute drive (more if travelling in peak summer or not setting off early).
There’s no direct bus, so instead you need to take the Interbus to Giardini Naxos / Taormina first and then transfer to a bus there which will take you to right to the park entrance Alcantara. Total travel time should be just over 90 minutes if the connections sync up and you don’t take the slower bus from Catania.
The Alcantara Gorge is open from 8 am to sunset, and entry is €8 for adults, €5 for kids aged 4 to 12, and free for under 4s. Additional trekking or rafting activities are charged in addition, and there are changing facilities etc at the site.
Take a Tour
This highly-rated full-day tour from Catania pairs time exploring the Alcantara Gorges with Mount Etna, resulting in a day of adventure. It includes accommodation pick-up in Catania, lunch, guide, Etna hike, a winery visit, and time for swimming in Alcantara - find out more of book it here.
