Itala Day 8 - Catania

We're back in the big city again and I'm not enjoying it as much as I would like. Catania is as chaotic & busy as Palermo, but without the charm of the narrow lanes. It certainly has its fair share of history though - the entire Baroque city centre is a world heritage site.

Most of the streets look like this:

This is one of the buildings in the Piazza Duomo - I'm not sure what it is - possibly a hotel.

On the right is Fontana dell'Elefante, which contains the city's symbol u Liotru - the lavic stone elephant on top of the fountain. To the left is La Cattedrale di Sant'Agata. These two monuments are supposed to protect the city from the wrath of Etna.

Here is Saint Leo, sitting on one of the gates of the cathedral.

One of the university buildings. The student population of Catania definitely give it an energy unlike the other cities we have visited in Sicily.

Not sure on the name of this impressive church.

A typically Italian courtyard. As C commented, all this scene needs is a cute Italian boy sipping an espresso & it would be complete!

A pretty flower-lined street.

Tiny bit of library porn - the Biblioteca Communale Vincenzo Bellini.

We came across this accidentally - the Facoltà di Giurisprudenza di Catania (School of Law). We wandered around the faculty grounds for a little while, but I felt very out of place with the trendy students.

The entrance to Giardino Bellini, also known as Villa Bellini.

These gardens were filled with stone & marble busts of influential Catanians (if that's what you call them).

My favourite part was this fountain of birds.

I don't know the name of this church, but I was impressed by its scale.

Heading back to the hostel, we came across this ancient Roman Amphitheatre, built in the 2nd century. It was just sitting there, in the middle of a busy road, not much signage, with rubbish strewn all about. The laid-back approach of Sicilians is something I'm still not used to, and I guess I probably never will understand completely.

Unfortunately I don't feel like I'm doing Catania much justice. The heat is starting to get to me & I've seen so many grand monuments, churches & palaces I just don't think I can digest any more. Today we're hiking up Mt Etna - I think the switch to a natural environment will do me good.