How to spend top weekend in Catania - ideas on extraordinary attractions and sites

Excursion to Mount Etna

You should make an exciting 6 hours-trip to the top of Mount Etna in good weather. You can use the services of a private guide. You will pay 65 euros for this. You can also make the ascent yourself. You will need a jacket and comfortable shoes. However, you can rent special boots and a windbreaker when you get to the volcano. It costs 4 euros. You will see how the landscape changes during the walk. Citrus groves, dense green forest, and deserted areas of the slope will appear in front of you. You will walk through the extinct craters and admire the incomparable views of Catania and the Ionian Sea coast after you get at an altitude of 2 thousand meters.

Train Ride on the Slopes of the Volcano

If you want to take an unusual walk on the slopes of an active volcano, then take a slow but noisy train journey along the narrow-gauge railway that is the only one working in Sicily. It takes 3 hours to travel from Catania to Riposo. It passes through several villages. You can take the metro to Catania Borgo station. It is located on Via Caronda, 352. The exciting tour starts from here. You will sit in the car and admire the groves where olives, lemons, and tangerines grow. You will get a particularly vivid impression if you ride this train late in the evening. After all, the slopes of Etna are not only very beautiful but also look mysterious in the moonlight.

Visit the Monti Rossi Adventure Park

The forest that grows around the Red Mountains near the foot of the volcano is a 30-minute drive from Catania. The Monti Rossi Adventure Park is located there. You will have fun for a few hours, enjoying an active holiday in the park. Experienced instructors and various routes are waiting for you. They are created directly on the trees and between them with the help of bridges, boards, and ropes. They have different levels of difficulty. Therefore, you will be able to choose the route that corresponds to your physical training. You can also explore the trails, enjoy the forest landscape, and relax in the picnic area specially equipped here. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Climb to the Gallery under the Dome of the Badia di Sant'Agata

The beautiful Church of Badia di Sant'Agata is located in Catania. It was built in the Baroque style in 1735-1767. The priest Giovanni Battista Vaccarini designed the building. He was a native of Palermo. It is closed to the public from Monday to Wednesday. But you can go here for a tour from 9 am to noon for the rest of the week. You will have to pay 3 euros for the entrance ticket.

If you pay this amount to the caretaker, you will not only admire the interior of the church but also climb to the gallery by a steep narrow spiral staircase. It is located under the dome. You can enjoy the panorama of Catania. If you come to the church from 7 pm to 10 pm on Friday or Saturday, you can stand on one of the terraces. You will pay 7 euros for this. A wonderful view also opens from here.

Breathtaking Rides at Etnaland Water Park

Etnaland Water Park is located in Belpasso, a 20-minute drive west from the center of Catania. You can visit it from the beginning of April to the end of September. You will pay 38 euros for entry. You will have fun on various breathtaking rides and slides there. For example, these are "Eldorado", "Niagara Falls", "Vertigo", "Kamikaze", "Black Hole", and "Wild River". If you use the "Crocodile Rapids", you will go down a man-made river. It has thresholds and various obstacles. They have the shape of animals.

A fun ride called "Jungle Splash" will allow you to fall from 30 meters into the abyss, sitting in a boat designed for 20 passengers. You can also view the surrounding area from a high altitude using the “Etnaland Tower” attraction or the cable car. Its length is 1800 meters. You will sit in its booth, which will lift you up to 12 meters. You will go for a 30-minute ride.