Travelling Jezebel

XO

  • About Travelling Jezebel
  • Countries
    • Africa
      • Morocco
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • Indonesia
      • Malaysia
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Bosnia & Herzegovina
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Czech Republic
      • France
      • Germany
      • Hungary
      • Italy
      • Kosovo
      • Moldova
      • Montenegro
      • North Macedonia
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Serbia
      • Slovakia
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • UK
      • Ukraine
  • Etc.
    • Advice
    • Blogging
    • Books
    • Dark Tourism
    • Food
    • Hostels
    • Human Rights
    • Opinion
    • Sustainable Travel
    • Volunteer Work
    • Wine Tasting
    • Women’s Issues
  • Work With Me

Italy · October 4, 2019

How to Visit Catania Sicily On a Budget


For the vast majority of the time that I’ve travelled, I’ve only visited countries that are known for being budget friendly. Cambodia, Ukraine, Poland and the Balkans feature heavily on this blog, and that is no accident. As somebody who travels almost full time on a modest income, I have to be strategic when deciding where to visit.

Not only that, but I also feel passionately about promoting lesser visited destinations. The world doesn’t need another article about things to do in Rome, Venice, or Florence, and that’s a good job because I have no desire to visit those places!

Catania is a place that doesn’t get nearly as much tourism as the more well-known cities in Italy, but with its close proximity to the sea, stunning Baroque architecture and delicious Sicilian cuisine (did someone say cannoli?), Catania may well be one of the best places to visit in Sicily!

However, to my fellow budget backpackers, the idea of travelling to Italy may seem a little daunting. While much more affordable than cities such as Rome, Catania is still more expensive than many other cities in Europe, and so I decided to put together a handy guide to visiting Catania on a budget!

visit Catania


Why Visit Catania?


On the east coast of Sicily, Catania lies at the base of Europe’s biggest volcano, Mount Etna. It is Sicily’s second largest city with almost 1 million residents, and is at once an important economic hub as well as a thriving student city. With an abundance of Sicilian Baroque architecture, Catania’s downtown area has actually been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for history lovers, there is also a Roman Amphitheatre right in the city centre!

Not only does Catania boast impressive architecture, but it also has some great markets (its daily fish market is famous in Sicily), a buzzing nightlife, and gorgeous sandy beaches. Catania is also a stone’s throw from Taormina, Castelmola, Syracuse and Mount Etna, and so if you don’t include Catania on your Sicily itinerary then you are truly doing yourself a disservice!

Catania cathedral
Catania sicily


How to visit Catania, Sicily on a budget


Budget accommodation in Catania Sicily



On my trip to Catania, Sicily, I stayed at Ostello D’elefante, and I recommend it for a number of reasons. Not only is it smack bang in the middle of Catania with less than a 50m walk to the main square, but the price of a bed here also includes breakfast which is of a much better standard than most hostel breakfasts I’ve seen.

Breakfast at Ostello D’Elefanti includes croissants, homemade carrot cakes, crusty bread with a variety of spreads (including yummy pistachio cream), individually wrapped biscuits and fresh fruit and cereal. In terms of typical Italian breakfasts, it doesn’t get much better than this, and there is also a proper coffee machine which makes a mean cappuccino! 

On the roof of Ostello D’elefanti is a stunning rooftop bar which opens to the public in the evening, but in the afternoon hostel guests are allowed to sit up there and drink alcohol purchased in the hostel, saving you even more cash (beers bought from the hostel reception are half the price of beers bought from the rooftop bar). 

During my time at Ostello D’Elefanti, beds were around €22, and considering that this was in the middle of July and included breakfast, I think that it is a fair price. 

Other hostels in Catania which come highly recommended are Eco Hostel and The Yard Hostel. If you prefer a private room then there are plenty of budget options on Airbnb, and if you’d like €20 towards your stay then just use my code here!

Another option is Couchsurfing which means that you get to stay with a local for FREE – as long as you don’t mind sleeping on a stranger’s couch, I think that Couchsurfing is a great way to meet new people whilst also saving money!

READ   Is Marina di Pisa the Perfect Tuscan Beach Town?
accommodation in Catania
View from the roof terrace of my hostel – wow!


Cheap Eats in Catania Sicily


Whilst I was in Catania, I really took advantage of the ‘tourist menus’ offered at lunchtime in most restaurants. Usually, when you hear ’tourist menu,’ it is easy to think that you are being ripped off. However, the tourist menus in Catania are more akin to the ‘Menu del Dia,’ or ‘Menu of the Day’ in Spain, whereby you get a set menu at a fixed (discounted) price. The food isn’t the best food that you’ll ever eat, but it makes eating out at local restaurants super affordable and is a great way of enjoying a two-course meal in Catania without breaking the bank. 

While in Catania, I sampled the tourist menu at lunchtime twice. The first time I opted for spaghetti with mussels followed by grilled squid with a side salad and Coca Cola, and the second time I got spaghetti marinara followed by a selection of fried seafood, side salad and a glass of wine. Both times my total bill was €15. If you opt for the meat menu rather than the seafood menu then the total bill is only €10 (and that’s for two courses, a side dish and a drink!). 

If you prefer to grab food on the go, my go-to in Catania was arancini. Arancini are deep fried rice balls with various fillings which can include meat ragu, spinach and mozzarella, pistachios and more. Arancini can be found literally everywhere, they are super filling and they only cost €2 – bargain! 

cheap eats Catania
€6 mixed fried seafood at Scirocco!
cheap eats in Catania
Gorgeous pasta at Antica Brace


Take advantage of the free attractions in Catania Sicily!


Almost all of the main things to see in Catania are completely free of charge and the best bit is that as the centre of Catania is so small, everything is easily reached on foot! Some things not to miss are the Amphitheatre of Catania, Catania Cathedral, the Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena, Catania’s fish market, and the Botanical gardens.

For a small fee you can also go to the top of the bell tower of Catania Cathedral and enjoy the spectacular views over Catania.

Catania
Exploring Catania on foot
botanical gardens Catania
The Botanical Gardens
Catania amphitheatre


Go to the beach!


A 30 minute walk from the centre of Catania is the beach. Although most of the beach is owned by private beach clubs that charge entrance fees, (this is my least favourite thing about Italian beaches), there is a small section of the beach at the beginning that is free to enter, and while it isn’t maintained quite as well as the private beaches, it is still perfectly fine for an afternoon of sunbathing.


Aperitivo!


If you’ve enjoyed an afternoon arincino and aren’t hungry enough for your main evening meal but are in need of a little something, then the perfect solution is aperitivo! If you purchase an aperitif drink (such as Aperol or Campari spritz), then your drink will be served with a selection of nibbles that usually include crisps, nuts, olives, mini arancini and mini pizza breads. Most cafes in Catania serve aperitivo in the late afternoon/early evening, and it’s a great way to enjoy some free nibbles! 

The best aperitivo in Catania can be found at Pasticceria Mantegna and Boheme, or for sushi lovers, make sure to have the sushi aperitivo at Oxidiana!

READ   Castelmola and Taormina - A Stunning Day Trip from Catania, Sicily


CouchSurfing Hangouts 


When I arrived in Catania, one of the first things I did was to open the CouchSurfing app and make myself ‘available’ on the Hangouts feature. CouchSurfing Hangouts shows you all of the people who are also on the app and wanting to hang out in the area, and from there you can begin messaging people and arranging things. 

On my first day I met with a local guy who happened to work as a tour guide – he showed me around the city centre, giving me detailed explanations about everything from the types of cacti in the Botanical gardens to what exactly we were looking at when we arrived at the Roman amphitheatre. 

On my second day, I wrote in the app that I wanted to visit the nearby town of Taormina. I intended to find somebody to take the bus with me, but almost immediately a local guy messaged me saying that he would be happy to drive my friend and I there. Within 30 minutes he’d picked us up and he not only took us to Taomina, but also to the hilltop town of Castelmola. We spent the entire day exploring both towns, and in the end, Michele would only accept €5 gas money from us. 

CouchSurfing Hangouts was not only a great way for me to explore the towns around Catania without paying for an expensive tour, but it also enabled me to meet some really cool local guys who just like to show tourists around to improve their English and introduce foreigners to their city. 

(Of course, as a solo female traveller my inbox was inundated with young Sicilian men wanting to spend one on one time with me. Many people use CouchSurfing Hangouts as a dating app, which can be kind of annoying. However, as long as you’re clear about your intentions to only meet as friends, you should be fine. Both of the guys that I met were super nice and didn’t try anything!)

couch surfing
Couchsurfing friends
taormina
Taormina


And here concludes my list of tips on how to visit Catania Sicily on a budget. Catania isn’t the cheapest place that I’ve been to but if you follow my advice then it’s definitely possible to visit Catania on a backpacker’s budget and have a great time!

If you liked this article then please pin it so that others can find it too!

xoxo

How to Visit Catania Sicily on a Budget - Catania doesn’t get nearly as much tourism as the more well-known cities in Italy but with its close proximity to the sea, stunning Baroque architecture and delicious Sicilian cuisine, Catania may be one of the best places to visit in Sicily! However, while much more affordable than cities such as Rome, Catania is still a little pricey & so I decided to put together a handy guide to visiting Catania on a budget! #italy #sicily #catania #italyitinerary
How to Visit Catania Sicily on a Budget - Catania doesn’t get nearly as much tourism as the more well-known cities in Italy but with its close proximity to the sea, stunning Baroque architecture and delicious Sicilian cuisine, Catania may be one of the best places to visit in Sicily! However, while much more affordable than cities such as Rome, Catania is still a little pricey & so I decided to put together a handy guide to visiting Catania on a budget! #italy #sicily #catania #italyitinerary
Disclaimer: Travelling Jezebel uses affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase on a site that I am partnered with, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Posted In: Italy · Tagged: catania, sicily

You’ll Also Love

Castelmola and Taormina – A Stunning Day Trip from Catania, Sicily
Guide to Palermo, Sicily – the Beating Heart of Italy
palermo Sicily6 Reasons Why You HAVE to Visit Palermo, Sicily’s Crazy Capital City

Comments

  1. Bliss Eatts says

    October 6, 2019 at 10:35 am

    This place looks great. I love it when you find something off the beaten track.

    Reply
    • Travelling Jezebel says

      October 14, 2019 at 3:44 pm

      Right?! I hadn’t even heard of Catania before I went, haha.

      Reply
  2. Coni says

    October 7, 2019 at 7:11 pm

    It’s so hard to find places in Western Europe that are not super touristy, and even more so if you’re on a budget! Seems like you have a unicorn in your hands 🙂 It’ll become way more known after TBEx, but it’s great to see you got to enjoy it before the crowds. I’ll keep an eye around to see what you discover next!

    Reply
    • Travelling Jezebel says

      October 14, 2019 at 3:44 pm

      Yeah I’m going to TBEX and while I am excited that it is in Sicily, I’m definitely a little nervous for Catania! Haha.

      Reply
  3. Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says

    October 12, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    I’m not a backpacker, but I still like to save money when I travel – that means more cash for the next trip! I’d love to visit Catania, it looks like a beautiful (and actually affordable) city in Italy.

    Reply
    • Travelling Jezebel says

      October 14, 2019 at 3:43 pm

      It is definitely both things 😀

      Reply
  4. Josy A says

    October 12, 2019 at 3:22 pm

    Hehehe, is it bad that you had me at homemade carrot cake for breakfast!?

    Catania sounds like a fantastic place to explore. It is a bit of a shame that CS folks use hangouts as a dating app, but it’s good to hear you can still find friends there. 😀 I have less of an interest in visiting areas that are teeming with tourists. Especially when there are so many amazing places like this to explore!

    Reply
    • Travelling Jezebel says

      October 14, 2019 at 3:43 pm

      Yeah there are so many Italian guys on there just looking to meet foreign girls haha, but that’s life I guess. And the carrot cake was a big part of why I loved the hostel, I won’t lie haha.

      Reply
  5. Andi says

    October 15, 2019 at 11:37 pm

    I would go there simply for the delicious looking food! I live in Arizona and it is so funny for me to see cacti on the other side of the world! I love Itay and this looks like a delightful part of it!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Next Post >

Dubai Porta Potties – Rich Men in Dubai are Shitting on Instagram Models

Search

Instagram

Instagram post 18093820279114661 Went to Malta to try and discover my heritage and all I actually did was abuse the free drink deals, go to a strip club and take selfies w a bunch of pervy policemen. When am I winning an award for best travel blogger again?
Instagram post 17856852544616232 Have you even been on a night out in Manchester if you don't post fake candid pictures of yourself on social media? 🥂
Instagram post 17845612057766109 "What's been your favourite travel memory?" 😏
Instagram post 18040502806214466 So there is a dude in Palermo that goes around on a motorbike from piazza to piazza blaring music, blowing a whistle and balancing beer bottles on his head because why not. 🍺
.
When these wedding photoshoots were interrupted by the aforementioned guy, the couples just started dancing and singing in the middle of the road and I just want a relationship like this pls 🥂
.
Leaving Sicily tonight and it stings. Palermo, it's been real and I'll see you in 2020 💕

Trending Now

  • Dubai Porta Potties - Rich Men in Dubai are Shitting on Instagram Models
  • dubai christoph schulz modern day slavery What is Modern Slavery in Dubai and How Does it Affect You?
  • Beware the Krakow Strip Club Scam!
  • human trafficking nail salons, kris atomic Signs of Human Trafficking in Nail Salons (and What You Can Do to Help)

Most Popular

  • Dubai Porta Potties - Rich Men in Dubai ar...
  • dubai christoph schulz modern day slavery What is Modern Slavery in Dubai and How Do...
  • Beware the Krakow Strip Club Scam!
  • human trafficking nail salons, kris atomic Signs of Human Trafficking in Nail Salons...

While you're here...

I love connecting with my readers and the best way to do that is via social media. If you like my posts then please be sure to like my Facebook page and follow me on Instagram and Twitter so that you can stay up to date with all my latest posts and news!

Looking for something?

travelling jezebel xoxo

Latest on Instagram

Instagram post 18093820279114661 Went to Malta to try and discover my heritage and all I actually did was abuse the free drink deals, go to a strip club and take selfies w a bunch of pervy policemen. When am I winning an award for best travel blogger again?
Instagram post 17856852544616232 Have you even been on a night out in Manchester if you don't post fake candid pictures of yourself on social media? 🥂
Instagram post 17845612057766109 "What's been your favourite travel memory?" 😏
Instagram post 18040502806214466 So there is a dude in Palermo that goes around on a motorbike from piazza to piazza blaring music, blowing a whistle and balancing beer bottles on his head because why not. 🍺
.
When these wedding photoshoots were interrupted by the aforementioned guy, the couples just started dancing and singing in the middle of the road and I just want a relationship like this pls 🥂
.
Leaving Sicily tonight and it stings. Palermo, it's been real and I'll see you in 2020 💕
Instagram post 18112728589009188 My first week in Sicily, way back in July. I wish I could say that living in Italy has made me more elegant but alas, it has not. Maybe 2020 will be the year I finally blossom into an Instagram girl with flowy dresses & perfect hair but let's be honest, probably not. 🙃
.
In other news, a Google algorithm change last month did wonders for my blog traffic and I had almost 15,000 page views last month! 🥂 This is nothing compared to the big bloggers out there (and nobody EVER talks about numbers ha) but I'm so happy to see my traffic increasing rapidly. Here's to the next 15k! SO glad the hard work I've been doing all summer has finally started to pay off 😊
Instagram post 17897863000400455 So in Italy you buy your bus tickets from cigarette shops, everything is closed on a Monday,  drivers think that the green man means "go faster!" and there are laws against drinking a cappuccino past 11am (or at least that's what people would have you believe). 🙄☕
.
Italy, you are a mass of contradictions and you are incredibly nonsensical at times but I love you all the same ❤ If anyone is interested in reading more baffling things about the land of pizza and Prosecco then just head to my blog to read my latest post, link in bio! 🍕🥂
Instagram post 18108571732027748 Never thought I'd go to Transylvania to visit the birthplace of Dracula but there you go 🤷‍♀️ if you want to know more about this fairytale town then check out my latest blog post! ❤

Copyright © 2019 Travelling Jezebel · Theme by 17th Avenue

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.

Necessary Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.