Catania

The chief wonder of Catania, Sicily's second city, is that it is there at all. Its successive populations were deported by one Greek tyrant, sold into slavery by another, and driven out by the Carthaginians. Every time the city got back on its feet it was struck by a new calamity: plague decimated the population in the Middle Ages, a mile-wide stream of lava from Mt. Etna swallowed part of the city in 1669, and 25 years later a disastrous earthquake forced the Catanese to begin again.

Today Catania is completing yet another resurrection—this time from crime, filth, and urban decay. Although the city remains loud and full of traffic, signs of gentrification are everywhere. The elimination of vehicles from the Piazza del Duomo and the main artery of Via Etnea, and scrubbing of many of the historic buildings has added to Catania's newfound charm. Home to what is arguably Sicily's best university, Catania is full of exuberant youth, and it shows in the chic osterie (taverns) that serve wine, designer bistros, and trendy ethnic boutiques that have popped up all over town. Even more impressive is the vibrant cultural life.

Many of the town's buildings are constructed from three-centuries-old lava; the black buildings combine with baroque architecture to give the city a singular appearance. Nowhere is this clearer than in the centro storico (historic center). Don't miss the stunning Piazza Universitaria, a nerve center made interesting by the facade of a majestic old university building, and the nearby Castello Ursino.