Catania: when your ship stops here
A lava stone elephant in the main square, a Roman theatre under the city, and Europe's most active volcano nearby.
Facts checked Nov 6, 2026, each with its source. No prices on this page.
Catania is the second largest city on the island of Sicily, after Palermo, with 296,984 people in 2026. It sits at the foot of Mount Etna. Our sources do not say how far the cruise berth is from the center, so ask on board how you will get into town.
Source: Wikipedia: Catania
Top 3 things to do
1. Piazza Duomo and the Elephant Fountain
The symbol of the city is a fountain with a lava stone elephant, put together in 1736 and topped by an Egyptian obelisk. Catania Cathedral, built between 1070 and 1093 and rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, stands in the same part of the old city, and a river runs under Catania and surfaces just south of Piazza Duomo.
Tip: The square is the heart of the old Baroque city. Our sources give no opening times for the cathedral.
Source: Wikipedia: Catania
2. The Greek-Roman Theatre and Odeon
An ancient theatre and its small concert hall, from the 2nd to 3rd century. Wikipedia says the city has been buried by lava seventeen times, and that the Roman city lies beneath the present one, with the earlier Greek settlement below that.
Tip: Our sources give no opening hours, so check them before you plan the visit.
Source: Wikipedia: Catania
3. Street food: arancini
Wikipedia calls arancini, stuffed rice balls coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried, perhaps the most iconic street food of the city. In Catania they are shaped like a cone, to recall Mount Etna.
Tip: Our sources name no stand or street, so ask a local near the square.
Source: Wikipedia: Catania
What to skip
Mount Etna on a short call
Etna is in the Metropolitan City of Catania, but it covers 1,190 square km and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, in almost constant activity. Our sources give no tour or travel times, so leave the volcano for a long call or an excursion booked through the ship.
Sources: Wikipedia: Mount Etna; Wikipedia: Catania
Before you go ashore
You do not have to book a tour: you are free to go ashore on your own. Royal Caribbean sets the all aboard time about 30 minutes before the ship sails, posts it near the gangway, and says the ship does not wait for guests touring on their own.
Source: Royal Caribbean FAQ: Do I need to book a shore excursion?
Back-to-backs that stop in Catania
Back-to-back cruises from these home ports have a stop in Catania, from the Royal Caribbean sailings we track:
- Back-to-back cruises from Barcelona 3 back-to-backs with a stop in Catania
- Back-to-back cruises from Port Canaveral 1 back-to-back with a stop in Catania
- Back-to-back cruises from Ravenna 1 back-to-back with a stop in Catania
- Back-to-back cruises from Rome 1 back-to-back with a stop in Catania
Sources
Find back-to-backs that stop in Catania
Two or more Royal Caribbean cruises in a row, with a day in Catania on the way.
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