WalkingTour CATANIA - discovering the city of lava with a licensed guide
Description
More and more adventurers are trying to make their way into tourism, but what makes us different is our professionalism, of which we are proud. We are professionals, licensed guides who love their land and know how to offer it to the attentive curiosity of the traveler. Our walking tour through the historic center of Catania will open up horizons that you never even imagined! We are waiting for you!! The tour will be in Italian or English but on request and if possible you can ask for a specific language among the following: German, Spanish, Russian, Greek and French
Tour Options
Itinerary
At the GS (GuidingSicily) infopoint in Piazza Duomo you will meet one of us, all authorized guides with official licenses. Together we will go to the discovery of Catania, a city teeming with life and full of sounds, colors and smells, eager to discover itself in the prying gaze of the curious traveler. Let's start right from the DUOMO, Norman in origin and baroque in appearance, an imposing building that in a few decades celebrates its first thousand years of history. On this same square there is also Palazzo degli Elefanti, our Town Hall, and the fountain with the symbol of the city, the liotru, an elephant in lava stone surmounted by an obelisk. If you have chosen the morning walking tour we will certainly not miss the adjacent historic fish market, where not only the freshest fish is exhibited, but you will find typical cold cuts and cheeses of the region, as well as fruit at literally bargain prices.
The Palazzo degli Elefanti is our Town Hall and is so called because of the representations of the majestic mammal in the gables of the balconies on the noble floor.
Adjacent to Piazza Duomo is the fish market, a market held every day, where you can buy a wide range of local food products: from fish to meat, from cured meats to cheeses, from fruit to vegetables ... do not lose!
The majestic Swabian castle that once overlooked the sea is now located in the historic center: in the 17th century a mighty lava flow filled the moat and surrounded it with its red-hot embrace. Impressive is the black basalt still perfectly visible today.
One church after another, one monastery after another ... the numerous baroque facades built after the devastating earthquake of 1693 overlook this street making it one of the most fascinating on the whole island.
The Palazzo del Rettorato, seat of the oldest university in Sicily (1434), encloses a delightful courtyard on whose lava pebbles tens and tens of generations of students have passed. In front of it stands the imposing Palazzo di San Giuliano, also a university seat, formerly the home of one of the most powerful and richest families in Sicily.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(158)
Great walking tour on first day helped us get our bearings in the city and see some of the main attractions and learn the history. Guide Anna Maria was great.
Our guide, Ester, was very interesting and knowledgeable! The tour was two hours, and full of super interesting information. The guide made frequent stops in the shade, so we did not overheat. A wonderful tour for a great value; would definitely recommend!
The guide was engaging, pleasant, and full of anecdotes ranging from history and culture to food without ever being boring.
Our guide Totò was excellent and very engaging in his explanations; he made sure to have us take the route with as much shade as possible given the high temperatures, even though it was only morning!
Great walking tour. Very informative. Fantastic guide. Great value for money
Pleasant enough guide who shared very good information about the history of the city and the buildings and locations that he shared with the group. The tour did exactly what we required; a better understanding of Catania and its culture
Interesting and informative tour with a good guide.
Esther our guide was really lovely and knowledgeable, however, she is very softly spoken and a lot of what she told us was missed, which was a shame. It was not helped by the fact that there were road works taking place nearby, trolleys of supplies being transported across cobblestones, mopeds driving by.. it's quite a noisy city! I would recommend she uses a microphone! I also would have preferred to walk a little further as I feel very few steps were taken. Also, it would be helpful if in the booking info it was mentioned that the exact meeting point in the square is in the corner near a certain shop, or to look out for a blue flag in the corner. This detail was missing from the booking and just helps others find the guide and be on time. All in all, enjoyable.
Enzo delivered an experienced tour of the city of Catania. His knowledge and delivery of the material left us highly entertained. This is a good tour to learn about both Catania and Sicily.
An interesting tour with Totò, who is professional and willing to give advice on restaurants and typical foods. The tour lasts 2 hours (the reservation stated 2-3 hours).
