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Catania

Solo Female Travel in Catania

Located on the east coast of Sicily, at the foot of the active volcano Mount Etna, Catania is a cultural and architectural gem draped in history and natural beauty. As Italy's 7th largest city, it boasts an abundance of ancient structures such as the magnificent Teatro Romano, an ancient Roman theatre, and the impressive Duomo di Catania, a historic baroque style cathedral dedicated to Saint Agatha. Notably, Catania's old town is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring a unique blend of Baroque and Romanesque architecture. Known as a major hub of Italian culture, food and music, Catania is also notable for its traditional street markets such as La Pescheria, which showcases a vibrant array of fresh seafood.

Catania is currently ranked #19 best place in Italy for solo female travellers. Check the full ranking.

Travel rating

3.4 /5

Based on 5 experiences

3.5 /5

Based on our research

3.3 /5

Based on safety reports

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Is Catania good for solo travel?

Safety:Safe

Catania is generally a safe city for solo female travelers. Like in any urban areas, it's essential to practice usual travel safety precautions. Street crime can occur, but typically it's petty like bag-snatching or pick-pocketing, so always keep an eye on your belongings, especially in crowded areas and tourist locations. Also, it's safer to avoid less crowded and dimly lit areas at night. Public transport is reliable and safe. Overall, navigating the city during the day is quite secure and comfortable, and the local residents are friendly and hospitable.

Transport:Moderate

Catania, while an enchanting city, poses moderate ease of navigation for solo female travelers. The neighborhoods are relatively compact, enabling ease of exploration on foot. However, some may find certain sections of the city a bit challenging to traverse due to hilly terrain and narrow, winding streets. Additionally, language barrier can slightly complicate things if you're not familiar with the Italian language. On the positive side, locals are incredibly welcoming and willing to help.

Things to do:Interesting

Catania, a city in Italy, offers an appealing blend of activities for solo female travelers. From exploring historical sites like the Catania Cathedral and the Roman Amphitheater, to hiking Mount Etna, one of Europe's most prominent volcanoes, it's genuinely a haven for history and adventure enthusiasts. Coffee lovers would appreciate the vibrant cafe culture, while foodies can sample diverse Sicilian dishes in the local markets. Its lively art and music scene, indulging in a wide array of excellent Sicilian wines, and its proximity to the beaches, also adds to the city's charm. Its compact size makes it easy to navigate, although some areas can get overly congested. Overall, it's culturally rich and immensely engaging which makes it a noteworthy destination.

Food:Above average

In Catania, you'll be delighted by the culinary variety influenced by a mixture of cultures. The city is rife with fresh seafood, locally grown fruits, cannoli, and the famous Sicilian granitas. Local street food like arancini and horse meat, which are a must-try. However, vegans or vegetarians might feel slightly less catered to, as meat and fish are integral parts of the traditional recipes.

Budget:Moderate

Catania offers a moderate cost of living comparable to other parts of Italy. Accommodations, meals, and transport can be found at a reasonable price. Street food markets, free attractions like the Piazza Duomo, and beautiful public parks help maximize your budget. However, certain aspects like fine dining, shopping, and high-end experiences can inflate the budget.

Is Catania worth visiting?

Overall rating

3.4 /5

based on 5 experiences

Things to do

3.9/5

Safety

3.3/5

Food

3.7/5

Budget-friendly

3.3/5

Solo travel

Catania was everything I hoped Italy would be ! The food was excellent, not extensive at all compared to northern Europe. The city is quite small si it is not overwhelming at all and you can really feel like you can take your time !

Posted: June 27, 2024

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 4/5

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Karolina

Poland

Group travel

Catania is a fun place to visit, especially with a friend. In May they have a Corri Catania charity 5K run that’s only 5€ and you get a t-shirt and a bag. Also, the running path checks out all the best spots in the city. For restaurants, I recommend: - Al Vicolo (huge, amazing pizzas) - Savia (arrancini) - Don Peppinu (pistachio cannoli) Also, be sure to do an Etna tour nearby and see the Naxos beach, a great experience 😊

Posted: May 28, 2024Experienced: May, 2024

Things to do: 3/5Food: 4/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 4/5

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Autumn

Malaysia

Solo travel

Catania is safe for female travelers, although the locals don’t speak English, they are very kind and helpful if you asks around. I have Google translate with me all the time :) The expenses are average as long as not going for luxury dining, I spent between €2 to €10 for a meal, about €100 for hotel with breakfast (shared with my travel buddies, so €25 per night) The transportation is convenient and the timetable is accurate, you can always refer to Google map to find the public transport schedule and prices. Catania town is pretty place to visit, if you would like to visit beaches, Giardini Naxos and Taormina is a good place to go, taking bus it costs €6 from CTA airport to GN and €7 to Taormina, prices are shown at the airport before you buy the bus ticket. The place is generally safe at night especially during summer, enjoy the visit!

Posted: May 21, 2024

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5

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Natalie

Sweden

Solo travel

Did visit Catania alone for 3 days, I love the place. So much nice people and nice things to see! Would definitily travel back there! The food is absolutly the best i have tried. Stayed in a 3 star hotel in the city of Catania. Very clean and nice hotel.

Posted: June 26, 2023Experienced: July, 2022

Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5

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Marija

Republic of Serbia

Group travel

Catania is only good because of Mount Etna. Two days in the city are enough, because it really serves as a starting point if you are in the south of the island. I didn't feel safe at all, even though there were three of us. Too many dark streets, even though we were ten minutes away from the center, unpleasant looks, really quite unsafe. What's great are the trains in Italy. 🤗 You can go anywhere and it's fast. Taormina nearby is worth seeing, Syracuse's old town is magical, and Palermo remains a wish for me, as I was only there for a day.

Posted: April 26, 2023Experienced: October, 2022

Things to do: 5/5Food: 3/5Budget-friendly: 5/5Safety: 1/5

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Is Catania safe for women?

Maria

I mean just try to avoid all the surrounding near to the train station and the harbor, the areas around the cimitery and you will be fine. Best areas where to stay in summer are all the line coast, and in winter the center (via etnea, via gemmellaro and so on).

Posted: July 23, 2024

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Not very safe, need to pay attention to bulgars, especially in desolate parts of the town. It is not very safe, especially for women, to walk alone in the night, be sure to always have company. There are some safe places, especially downtown but secondary streets may be more dangerous

Posted: March 6, 2024

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Meet locals in Catania

Meet local women in Catania who are open to meet up for a coffee or a drink, show you around, give local advice or practice a language with.

Gabriela

About Me

I'm Gabi, i'm from Argentina but I live in Sicily since 2014. I love travelling, I used to be very active in couchsurfing as host and as a guest and organizing meetups from 2011 till 2019. I live with Diego, my 2 years old kid.

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Maria

About Me

Hi! I am a remote worker and I love to travel and spend time abroad. I would like to find some travel buddy so we could share expenses, and experiences while keeping our own private time.

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Stay with locals in Catania

Stay with local women in Catania who offer free accommodation as part of cultural exchange. Hospitality exchange is a great way to meet new people, learn more about new cultures and experience destinations like a local.

Gabriela

Catania