Last Day in Sicily

 The fish market in Catania is quite well known because it is a real market more than a tourist attraction.  If you wanted fresh fish this was the market it go to.  This fish was so fresh it was still moving.  The eels were still swimming in the tubs.  The snails were still crawling.  The market is also known for the vendors calling out to the shoppers to stop at their station.  

After the fish market we walked to the nearby Roman Theater and Odeum.  It's thought to have been a Greek theater that was rebuilt during Roman times.  Money has been allocated to remodel the site and it shows.  There was a youth ballet troupe practicing while we were there and we sat and watch them practice.  It's definitely stilled being used for it's original intent all these centuries later.

We next walked down the main shopping street of Etna looking for a little something to eat for lunch.  We found a sidewalk cafe that wasn't amazing but it did provide a little something to get us through until dinner.

Back at the Cathedral of Saint Agatha, I walked the 149 steps to the top of the church for a beautiful view of the city.  The final steps were so narrow that there's a stop light signaling whether you can start your walk up the spiral staircase.  

After returning to our room for a brief rest, we decided to go to dinner early to give us time to pack and turn in early.  Mad in Italy was a highly rated pizza and pasta restaurant.  The menu looked good but we were a little disappointed in the pizza.  Perhaps we had become jaded during our brief stay.

We returned to our hotel and decided to sit on our balcony and watch the world go by.  As this was a Saturday evening, there was a lot of activity in the square.  This is definitely the heart of the city.

Since we had an early flight out the next morning, we made sure we were all packed and ready to go.  While Catania is often overlooked on Sicily itineraries, I thought it was a lovely, vibrant city with a lot to offer and would recommend it to anyone visiting the island.  I might mention that Etna erupted the day we left but I think this is mostly an inconvenience and not a health risk.  It also makes for interesting conversation on your return.

Until next time, Ciao