Day 3: From Catania to Acicastello and Acitrezza

Here you can visit one of the distinguished Roman monument, the Theater, and a little theatre named Odeon, which stand on the southern side of the Montevergine hill, occupied since the Greek age by public and private buildings.
To be able to visit the monument in an optimal way, follow the path that will lead you inside the Theater. What remains in sight of the Theater is the result of long and complex liberation works from the houses and structures that had invaded it in past centuries.
The Roman theater was built in the first century. A.D., about 2000 years ago, on the remains of a theater building from the Greek era, dated to the 5th century. BC, about 500 years earlier. In the 2nd century AD it was enlarged by building a third ambulatory, surmounted by a portico. You can admire many findings from excavations in two little museums inside the monument and a wonderful 3D reconstruction from the 2nd century AD.

Here you can use the ticket you both at the Diocesan Museum. The Benedictine Monastery is one of the jewels of Catania's late Baroque UNESCO site and one of the largest Benedictine complexes in Europe.
Today this place is home to the Department of Humanities of the University of Catania, but its history is long and is intertwined with the natural events that shocked Catania. It was founded in 1558 by the Benedectine monks, with a square-shaped layout with an internal cloister. The earthquake of 1693 destroyed it: only the basement and part of the first floor remained intact. In 1702 the reconstruction works began: the greatest Sicilian architects were protagonists of this huge construction site. A second cloister was added to the original one and a new wing was built to the north that included the library, the kitchens, the novitiate wing, the refectories and the choir at night. The lava bank, which in 1669 had leaned against the Monastery, was also skilfully used to create two hanging gardens, the Botanical Garden and the Novices' Garden.
The Monastery was the subject of a grandiose restoration project, signed by the architect Giancarlo De Carlo, thanks to which the phases of life preceding the Monastery were brought to light, with an entire district of the Roman age and the domus of the late Hellenistic and imperial periods.
If you want to discover all the secrets of this place, let Officine Culturali Association be your guide (with the ticket you bought!), you will discover that the Monastery is a single large treasure chest that gathers within itself an infinity of different worlds and stories!
With the izi.TRAVEL audioguide you will discover the story of the 1669 eruption, so near to the Monastery!

If you want to taste the Catania specialties exactly where the people of Catania eat them, this is the place for you! If you say "let's go to Achille" in Catania, it only means one thing! Go and eat the roasted specialties! Walking from the Benedictine Monastery to this very typical restaurant, please listen the suggested audiotour, talking about the ancient walls of Catania!

After having eat the typical Catanese specialities, I suggest a rest in your hotel!

If you want to see an incredible place, a little far from Catania, Acicastello with its Norman castle built directly on a rock on the sea, is wonderful! I suggest to have a walk here for a little while, to see the square and the Castle itself. If you want to discover this Castle and all the beautiful Norman castles around Mount Etna, please feel free to listen the suggested izi.TRAVEL audiotour!

After having seen the Norman castle, move with your car to Acitrezza and have a coffee or a drink here (no more than a coffee, because you have a great appointment for dinner!), just in front of the very famous Faraglioni! They are part of a Naturalistic Marine Protected area, that one of Isola Lachea, you can listen to their story through the Isola Lachea suggested izi.TRAVEL audio tour!

This is a real historical fish restaurant in Acitrezza! You can't go away without having tried his specialities!