Sicily, Italy 1 - Catania
We walked through Piazza Vincenzo Bellini, a square directly in front of the Teatro Massimo Bellini. Designed in neo-Baroque style, the prestigious 19th-century opera house is dedicated to the famous composer Vincenzo Bellini, who was born in Catania in 1801.
Our lunch place, Ciauru i mari was a seafood restaurant, located very close to the opera house. We missed breakfast, so it was actually brunch of the day. We were seated at an outdoor table. The grissini in the bread basket made me feel like we were in Italy!
We both had Linguine with Seafood - clams, mussels, shrimp, squid, octopus, prawns, cherry tomatoes, garlic, oil, parsley. It was flavorful and importantly (for me) wasn't salty. The seafood tasted fresh; the pasta, hidden under the generous seafood, had a nice texture. I was very happy with the dish.
It was time to explore the city. The city center is based on a unique Late Baroque architecture, known as Sicilian Baroque, which was developed while southeastern Sicily was rebuilt in the early 18th century after it was largely destroyed by a 1669 lava flow from Mount Etna and a catastrophic 1693 earthquake. The technique to contrast dark, volcanic basalt (lava stone) with white limestone is a key feature of Sicilian Baroque, especially in Catania, which sits at the foot of Mount Etna.
Passing through Piazza Università on Via Etnea, the main street in the center of Catania...
The Palazzo dell'Università, or the University of Catania's Central Palace is an example of Sicilian Baroque architecture. While the university was established in 1434, the current structure emerged from the city's 1696 redevelopment phase.
Basilica Cattedrale di Sant'Agata, usually known as the Catania Cathedral, was also found on Via Etnea - a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque architecture, iconic for its striking "black and white" design. We briefly peeked inside.
It was in the afternoon of Saturday. The Piazza del Duomo, a square in front of the Cathedral, was pretty crowded, especially around the Fontana dell'Elefante, or the Elephant Fountain that stood in the middle of the square. The fountain was built in 1736, using a Roman-era elephant statue, made of black lava stone, as well as an ancient Egyptian granite obelisk. The elephant is Catania's official emblem, representing the city's enduring strength and protection from historic volcanic threats.
On the right of the Cathedral were also the black and white style buildings, including Porta Uzeda, a monumental city gate, built to connect Via Etnea to the port. While the dark color of the lava stone created a somewhat dingy atmosphere in the city, the dramatic black and white combination actually looked charming.
We walked through Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini, a historic square famous for being surrounded by a portico supported by 32 ancient Roman columns. It was technically a crossroads rather than a square.
We visited Teatro Antico, a Greek-Roman theatre, hidden between streets and buildings in the city center. The theatre was built in the 1st century AD over a Greek-era theatre, which dates from the 5th to the 4th century BCE.
Built from lava stone, the theatre was a 100-meter diameter structure, designed to accommodate about 7000 spectators!
We got back to explore the city...
Then it was time for desserts. I managed to persuade J to walk for about 15 minutes to a pastry shop that I was interested in. The direction included Via Crociferi, a noble street showcasing remarkable Sicilian Baroque architecture.
Pasticceria Savia is a legendary, authentic Sicilian pastry shop, established in 1897. When I asked AI where I could get the best cannoli in Catania, the answer was Savia. When I asked AI where I could get the best Cassatella di Sant'Agata in Catania, the answer was Savia. When I asked AI where I could get the best arancini in Catania, the answer was Savia. Clearly we couldn't miss Savia. By the way, arrancini are fried, breaded rice balls that originated in Sicily, likely during the 10th-century Arab rule, when rice and saffron were introduced to the island. They are named for looking like tiny oranges. We had some arrancini during the trip, about which I will be talking later.
The place was crazy busy, packed with customers! It took some time to understand the ordering system, but we successfully got a cannolo (=the correct Italian singular) and a cassatella. There was a cafe space inside but all tables were taken. The outdoor cafe space was also crowded but we were able to get a table.
Savia's cannoli was wonderful! The filling - fresh sheep's milk ricotta cheese with dark chocolate chips - was lovely creamy and flavorful, surprisingly not so sweet. The shell, called 'cialde,' was super crispy and tasty, which Savia produces by hand and daily. Cannoli are a Sicilian pastry with deep roots in the island's Arab history (9th–11th centuries), where Middle Eastern flavors heavily shaped the recipe. Like Savia's, traditional Sicilian cannoli are made with sheep's milk ricotta, which had a richer, creamier and tangier flavor than the regular Italian cannoli made with cows milk. It was on my must-do list of the trip to taste an authentic cannoli in Sicily. I have already done it on the first day!
Cassatella di Sant'Agata is another Sicilian classic from Catania to honor the city’s patron saint, Agatha and her martyrdom. It's typically made from sponge cake filled with ricotta, candied fruit, chocolate chips, and covered in green pistachio-flavored marzipan and white icing with a candied cherry on top. Savia's Cassatella are made of sheep's milk ricotta, of course. The pastry was pretty sweet but delightful.
Across Pasticceria Savia was Villa Bellini, the oldest and largest public park in the heart of Catania, named after Vincenzo Bellini as a tribute to his legacy and contribution to music. We walked around the park, which could probably be more impressive in summer when more flowers are blooming.
We walked around the west side of the city center, which seemed to be slightly elevated. Overall, the city was walkable and easily navigated.
We happened to find Church of Saint Nicholas the Arena. Construction began in 1687, but couldn't be completed due to several difficulties, including the 1693 earthquake as well as technical and financial issues. The unfinished facade has remained as is since the late 18th century. Nonetheless, the building was incredibly massive, being one of the largest and tallest churches in Sicily. Maybe the scope was too ambitious to complete? At least the interior has been renovated in a minimalist style; it is almost empty and all in white.
Eventually we got to Piazza del Duomo. Before heading to Airbnb, we thought gelato would help us unwind from our busy first day. I chose strawberry and Sicilian lemon. They were so delicious! J had pistachio and something that I don't remember... It was nicely boozy with marsala? J let me taste both and they were wonderful!
To be continued...
