Catania is a city kissed by the sea, but its coast is varied and passes from the warm gold sand, to the lava rocks and the gravel with smooth bowls and black sand.

Three elements that make the city’s seaside a unique panorama shown in a few kilometers.

Sand: for those who like to relax on the arena, we recommend a day of sunbathing in the well-equipped beaches of the Playa, 22 kilometers of sun and fun. Bathing establishments for all tastes, suitable for families, sportsmen, lovers of Caribbean rhythms  and locations. A tract of golden sand bathed by the blue sea, overlooked in the background by the majestic volcano Etna.

How to get there: if you are traveling by car, the signs to follow are those of the “lidi Playa”, in direction of Siracusa. On the other hand, if you are traveling by public transport, take the circular D est, which leaves every twenty minutes from Catania Central Station. The first race at 7:20 with travel times that, except for traffic from rush hour, are calculated around 25/30 minutes. The destination stop is the one of Viale Kennedy, where you will find bathing establishments, with an offer and a different target for everyone’s needs.

Rocks: if instead you are fond of seabed and maybe you have a diving equipment – even just basic one (mask and fins) – then you should choose “the other Catania”, the one of the small ports and small villages.

How to get there: bus departure from Piazza della Repubblica, with the circular number 935. Get there and enjoy the opposite route of the city. You will find a wide selection of bathing establishments along what is known as the Riviera dei Ciclopi.

If you know how walk on and through the rocks, over the equipped platforms, try one of the many open descents to the sea that you will find on the waterfront of the city; it is essential, however, to have comfortable and washable shoes.

Aci Castello and Acitrezza. Two unmissable stages of your trip just a few kilometers from Catania. To reach them take the bus number 534 that starts from Piazza Borsellino, but if you are already on the waterfront then just go to Piazza Mancini Battaglia and wait for the bus. Ask the driver for the most appropriate stop. Once you get off at Aci Castello, head towards the Norman Castle where the view is truly breathtaking. Lamps and boats over there will leave a timeless image on you. In Acitrezza, birthplace of Verga, you will have the opportunity to choose one of the beaches equipped with every comfort just in front of the faraglioni, great boulders that according to the Homeric poem were launched by Polyphemus against Ulysses. The largest of them is known as the Lachea island, a protected marine reserve for years.

A tip: taste the granita with brioche at the Eden Bar, inserted by the site Dissapore (which reviews the best restaurants in the Belpaese) among the best one in Italy.

Do you want to live a unique sea experience? Then you should stop at San Giovanni Li Cuti, a seaside village in the city center. Along a small road, you can put your beach towel on the volcanic sand of the black beach, the most beautiful and evocative in the world. For dinner? Do worries. You will be surrounded by cafes, where you can smell the scents of typical cuisine and more.

A dive into the past: the “lido d’Armisi”. To get there you need to cross a long tunnel that passes right under the tracks of the city station. The beach is still like an ancient one, it will seem to go back in time. For the nostalgic, for the romantics, for those who do not pursue fashions.

If your stay in Catania lasts more than a weekend, do not miss Capomulini, Santa Maria La Scala, Santa Tecla, Stazzo and Pozzillo, ancient fishing villages with an unchanged charm and an intense blue sea.