Where is the best area to stay in Catania?
By Carles Barcelo. Updated October 27, 2023
Catania is a great place to use as a base for visiting Sicily, due to its nearby airport, great hotel offering, and its proximity to the Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanos, which is almost always in a permanent state of eruption.
The best area to stay in Catania is its historical centre. La Piazza del Duomo, which houses two of the city´s most visited attractions, El Duomo (The Cathedral) and the famous Fountain of the Elephant, is the most central point which you can use as a reference to judge how far a hotel is from the city centre. Some hotels also offer amazing views of the Etna from their rooftop terraces.
Via Etnea has great views of the volcano on clear days and is the main shopping street which crosses the centre of Catania. Via Fiorintina is where the majority of restaurants are concentrated, although it’s not difficult to find bars and restaurants to satisfy every appetite in any part of the city centre.
The central bus station and the main train stations are also set in the centre, making it easy to travel to other areas of the island. There are also many buses passing through which will take you to the airport. On the map, which shows the most convenient area to stay in Catania, Sicily, you can see a selection of some of the best located hotels.
If you were interested in finding out where to stay in Catania, you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in Palermo and where to stay in Taormina.
Staying on the coast area
If we travel by car or if we want to enjoy the Sicilian sea, it will be more convenient to stay on the coast.
NH Catania Parco degli Aragonesi
NH Catania Parco degli Aragonesi Located 10 minutes from the center and 10 minutes from the airport, the NH Catania degli Aragonesi hotel is a 4-star hotel, it is a perfect hotel if we travel by car.
It has a swimming pool, private beach and free parking in low season.
Four Points by Sheraton Catania Hotel
Four Points by Sheraton Catania HotelThe Four Points is another 4-star hotel with a magnificent seafront location and about 20 minutes from the city centre.
It has direct access to a rocky beach, a swimming pool with sun loungers and paid parking.
Grand Hotel Baia Verde
The Grand Hotel Baia Verde stands out for its location on a volcanic rock cliff. The views of the sea from its pool are spectacular.
It is located 20 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes from the city centre, and has free parking.
Where to stay near Catania
If we are en route for Sicily and don’t want to enter and stay in Catania we can stay in one of the towns on the Gulf of Catania, bathed by the Ionian Sea, or at the foot of Etna if we want to go up and explore.
Aci Castello
Just 20 minutes from Catania towards Taormina we can stay in the small fishing village of Aci Castello. Its main attractions are the black basalt castle, crystal clear waters and fresh fish restaurants. The beaches leave a lot to be desired.
Acireale
Past Aci Castello in the direction of Taormina is the village of Acireale, 17 km from Catania. Full of history and charm, it offers a wide range of accommodation and a fisherman’s neighbourhood (Santa Maria La Scala) worthy of a postcard.
Nicolosi
If we are going to visit Etna, a good option is to stay in Nicolosi, the town at the foot of the volcano from where the cable car leaves. Nicolosi is about 30 minutes by car from Catania.
Our recommended hotels in Catania
Use the interactive map to navigate through our recommended hotels in CataniaNote: Hotel prices can change daily due to promotions, seasons, and demand. Our $ - $$$$ scale shows the overall cost range rather than exact prices.
