Roman Amphitheater of Catania - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

The Bellini garden (or Villa Bellini ) is one of the two oldest gardens and one of the four main parks in Catania . Locally it is often referred to simply as "'a Villa". The oldest nucleus of the garden dates back to the eighteenth century and belonged to Prince Ignazio Paternò Castello di Biscari. The garden was entrusted to skilled gardeners, among whom the first was Pietro Paolo Arcidiacono and later Giuseppe Squillaci.

The Teatro Massimo Bellini is the representation center of the ' work of Catania. It was inaugurated on 31 May 1890 with a performance of the composer's masterwork, Norma. It seats 1,200. The neo-baroque style façade of the theater is inspired by the Sansovinian classic of the Marciana National Library in Venice. The rest of the building, however, is detached from it in the lateral development, assuming the form of a theater.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Sant'Agata is the main place of Catholic worship in Catania, the mother church of the homonymous metropolitan archdiocese and the seat of the parish of the same name. The cathedral is dedicated to the virgin and martyr Sant'Agata, patroness of the city of Catania, and is located in the historic center of the city in the south-east side of Piazza del Duomo, in the Duomo district of Catania or Terme Achilliane - Piano di San Filippo.

Piazza del Duomo in Catania is the main square of the city. Three roads merge into it, namely via Etnea, the historic city axis, via Giuseppe Garibaldi, and via Vittorio Emanuele II which crosses it from east to west. On the eastern side of the square stands the Duomo, dedicated to the patron saint of the city celebrated on February 5th. Three streets enter the square: the via Etnea, the historical city axis; the via Giuseppe Garibaldi, and the via Vittorio Emanuele II that crosses it from east

Palazzo Biscari is the most important private palace in Catania. It was built at the behest of the Paternò Castello family of the Biscari princes starting from the end of the seventeenth century and for most of the following century, following the catastrophic earthquake of 11 January 1693. The palace is accessed through a large portal facing via Museo Biscari, leading to the inner courtyard, which features a large double staircase. In the interior is the "Feasts Hall", in Roccoco style.

The Via Etnea is the main street of the historic center of Catania. It winds in the south-north direction, has a straight course and is about 2.8 kilometers long. It goes from Piazza del Duomo to the Tondo Gioeni . This catastrophe almost completely devastated the city of Catania and two thirds of its inhabitants died under the rubble.