INDOOR ACTIVITIES

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Hopefully the sun will be shining during your stay, but if the weather turns rainy here are some great places to take shelter or simply visit even on a bright sunny day.

1. Churches

2. Le ciminiere museum complex

3. Art & Co.

4. Archeology

5. House museums

6. Baroque palaces

7. Flora & Fauna

8. Museums outside the city center

 TAKE ME TO CHURCH

1. The Church of St. Benedetto

The church of St. Benedetto in Catania has the most beautiful Baroque frescoes.

During your visit it might happen to spot a cloistered nun living in the nunnery annexed to the church. 

 

Since we last checked

Openings

Tuesday 10.00 – 13.30 / 14.30 – 18.30

Friday 10.00 – 13.30 / 14.30 – 18.30

Saturday 10.00 – 13.30 / 14.30 – 18.30

Ticket cost €6

Please be informed that costs and times may vary, we invite you to visit their website for the most up-to-date information.

2. Ex Monastery of the Benedictines

The former monastery of the Benedictines monks is today part of the University of Catania and most of its part freely accessible to all.

You can also buy a guided tour at the monastery of the Benedictines for example, it is better to call or write in advance to check availability of English tours:

0039 095 7102 767

0039 334 9242 464

Site for guided tour

Site of Monastery 

2a. Ancient Gathered libraries “Civica and Antonio Ursino Recupero”

Since we last checked

Openings*

From Monday to Friday 9.00 – 13.00

Saturday 9.00 – 11.30

 

*You must book your visit with professor Carbonaro, using the following contacts

+39 095 316883 

biblct@virgilio.it

3. St. Nicholas church and museum of Candelore

Annexed to the monastery is the Church of St. Nicholas with its dimensions and the presence of a small museum of candelore linked to the festivity of our patron, St. Agata. Museum of the Candelore

Since we last checked

Openings*

From Monday to Saturday:  9.00 – 19.00

Sunday 9.00 – 13.00

 

Ticket cost FREE ENTRANCE

You can also buy a 3€ ticket to go up the dome.

*A single ticket is available for Ursino Castle, St. Nicholas dome and Bellini Museum.

4. St. Giuliano Church

Since we last checked

Openings:
From Monday to Saturday: 10.00 – 17.30
Sunday 10.00 – 12.45

Ticket cost €4

5. Diocesan museum

Since we last checked

Openings:
Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday
9.00 – 13.00


Tuesday- Thursday :
9.00 – 13.00 and 15.00 – 18.00

Ticket cost €7
(ticket combined with the Achillian roman thermal baths  €10)


Telephone
+39 095281635

Diocesan museum web site

MUSEUM COMPLEX “LE CIMINIERE”

(Train station, underground stop Papa Giovanni XXIII)

6. Historical Museum of the Landing in Sicily in 1943 [our favourite]

A very informative and well set up museum located inside the museum complex “le ciminiere”, a sulfur refinery active until the late 1800′.

 

Since we last checked 

Openings

From Tuesday to Sunday:
9.00 – 15.00

Monday: closed

Ticket cost €4 

Please be informed that costs and times may vary, we invite you to visit their website for the most up-to-date information.

7. Cinema Museum

A small but rich and significant Cinema museum set up by the same creator of the national museum of Cinema in Turin. Also inside the museum complex “le ciminiere”, a sulfur refinery active until the late 1800′.

Since we last checked  

Openings

From Tuesday to Sunday:
9.00 – 15.30

Monday: closed

Ticket cost €4

Please be informed that costs and times may vary, we invite you to visit their website for the most up-to-date information.

8. Museum antique writing instruments

A rich private museum inside the museum complex “le ciminiere”, a sulfur refinery active until the late 1800′

 

Since we last checked  

Openings

From Tuesday to Sunday:
9.00 – 15.30

Monday: closed

Ticket cost €8 

Since this is a private collection we suggest to verify openings using the following contacts

0039 360 3216 37 (Salvo Panebianco)
0039 347 2986 584
0039 095 4011 929

penblanc@yahoo.it

9. Permanent Exhibition of Ancient Maps of Sicily – La Gumina Collection

An extraordinary collection of ancient geographical maps inside the museum complex “le ciminiere”, a sulfur refinery active until the late 1800′

 

Since we last checked 

Openings*

From Tuesday to Saturday: 09.00 – 16.30

Ticket cost FREE ENTRANCE 

*Please be informed that costs and times may vary, we suggest to verify openings using the following contact

0039 095 4013072 

 ART & CO. IN THE CITY CENTER

10. MACS museo arte contemporanea Sicilia (Museum of Contemporary Art of Sicily)

Just opposite to the church of St. Benedetto, housed in a wing of the nunnery, is the small museum of contemporary art of Sicily. 

 

Since we last checked 

Openings

Tuesday- Wednesday -Thursday:
11.30 – 15.00

Friday-Satuday-Sunday:
10.30 – 17.30

Ticket cost €7

Please be informed that costs and times may vary, we invite you to visit their website for the most up-to-date information.

11. Palace of the Culture (Platamone Palace)

A medieval palace and former convent, is today a cultural center which hosts various concerts and temporary art exhibitions

Since we last checked 

Openings: 

From Monday to Sunday:
9.00 – 19.00

Ticket cost depends on the current exhibition. For more information this is the website.

12. Art Foundation Puglisi Cosentino (temporarily closed)

Cultural center

Since we last checked

Openings 

From Monday to Sunday:
10.00 – 20.00

Ticket cost depends on the current exhibition. 

13. Art Foundation Brodback

Temporary exhibitions 

Openings depend on the current exhibition 

Ticket cost depends on the current exhibition. 

Website: fondazionebrodbeck.it
Facebook

14. GAM Modern art gallery

Temporary exhibitions
Check updates on the Facebook page

or use the following contact
+39 095 7428008

IT’S SHOWTIME

15. Ancient workshop of the Puppeteer and Marionettes Napoli Brothers (visit upon request)

We always suggest to book your visit using the following contact:

+39 347 095 4526

16. Papier-mache gallery and workshop Cartura (visit upon request)

We always suggest to book your visit using the following contact:
+39 095 442634
Facebook

ARCHEOLOGY IN THE CITY CENTER

17. Museum of Archeology of the University of Catania

Since we last checked 

Openings

Monday-Wednesday-Friday:
9.00 – 13.00

We suggest to verify openings using the following contact

+39 095 710 2767 

18. Civic museum at Ursino Castle*
Closed for restoration

Our medieval Castle hosts 3 rich collections of archeology and a picture gallery .

 

Since we last checked  

Openings

Every day 10.00 – 17.50

 

Ticket cost €10

*A single ticket is available for Ursino Castle, St. Nicholas dome and Bellini Museum. 

Please be informed that costs and times may vary, we invite you to visit their website for the most up-to-date information.

19. Museum of Sicilian Marvels and Knowledge

Located at Palazzo Università on the ground floor of the university’s headquarters (Piazza Università 2), it gathers a bit of everything from the other University  museums: ceramics, archaeological finds, ancient texts, skeletons, minerals, insects, stuffed  animals and much more.

 

Since we last checked 

Openings: 

From Monday to Friday:
9.00 – 13.30

Saturday:
9.00 – 11.00

Ticket cost FREE ENTRANCE 

We suggest to verify openings using the following contact

0039 095 7307030

20. The Achillian roman thermal baths

Under the Cathedral  

You get the ticket at the entrance of the diocesan museum in via Etnea 8.

 

Since we last checked 

Openings: 

nder the Cathedral  

You get the ticket at the entrance of the diocesan museum in via Etnea 8.

 

Since we last checked 

Openings: 

Monday-Wednesday-Friday
9.00 – 13.00

Tuesday
9.00 – 13.00 and 15.00 – 17.30

Saturday
9.00 – 11.00

Sunday
10.00 – 12.30

Ticket cost €5 (ticket combined with the diocesan museum €10)

 

21. Greek-Roman theater

Since we last checked 

Openings: 

From Monday to Sunday
9.00 – 17.00

Ticket cost €6

22. Roman Amphitheater

Openings April-October:
All day: 9.00 – 18.30

Openings November-March:
All day: 9.00 – 17.00

Ticket cost €4

HOUSE MUSEUMS IN THE CITY CENTER

23. Vincenzo Bellini house Museum*

The house where the great classical music composer Vincenzo Bellini lived is today an interactive museum with a rich collection of original partitions, playbills, letters, instruments, paintings and much more.

 

Since we last checked 

Openings

From Monday to Saturday:
9.00 – 19.00

Sunday:
9.00 – 13.00

Ticket cost €5

Please be informed that costs and times may vary, we invite you to visit their website for the most up-to-date information.

*A single ticket is available for Ursino Castle, St. Nicholas dome and Bellini Museum. 

 

24. Giovanni Verga house Museum

Since we last checked 

Openings

From Monday to Saturday:
8.30 – 13.00

We always suggest to verify openings using the following contact

+39 095 311004

BAROQUE PALACES IN THE CITY CENTER

25. Biscari Palace

Beautiful Baroque palace

 

Since we last checked

Opening times*

Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday
10.00 – 13.00

Wednesday-Saturday
10.00 – 12.00

*The visit times indicated are not guaranteed and may vary according to the numerous events that engage the Palace. We suggest to verify openings using the following contacts

info@palazzobiscari.it
+39 095 328 72 01
+39 320 211 4802 (whatsapp)

Visit the website for more information.

Ticket cost €10
€6 under 25 and over 65 

26. Marella Ferrera Museum and Fashion

Since we last checked  

Opening times

From Tuesday to Saturday:
10.00 – 14.00

The visit times may vary and reservation may be required, we suggest to verify openings using the following contacts:

0039 095 2503 188
0039 336 8688 51
mf@marellaferrera.com

FLORA AND FAUNA IN THE CITY CENTER

27. Botanical garden

Since we last checked  

Opening times

From Monday to Friday:
9.00 – 16.00

Saturday:
9.00 – 13.00

Ticket cost 7,50 €

We suggest to verify openings using the following contact

+39 095 6139 981

28. Museum of Zoology

Since we last checked  

Opening times

Monday – Wednesday – Friday:
9.00 – 12.40

Tuesday – Thursday:
 9.00 – 12.40 and 15.00 – 16.40

Ticket cost FREE ENTRANCE

We suggest to verify openings using the following contact:

+39 095 7306011

29. Multimedia and tactile pole

Check updates on the Facebook page or book your visit on the website.

+39 095 500 177 

MUSEUMS OUTSIDE THE CITY CENTER 

30. Mogam – Modern Gallery of Arts and Motors

MOGAM is a private museum reachable by bus or by car, visitable only upon reservation. 

 

For reservation call at least two days before to 0039 3466245514.

Number is available from Monday to Friday:
from 9.30 – 12.30 / 15.30 – 18 

Saturday afternoon and Sunday closed.

Foreigner visitors that prefer not call can send an email to galleriamogam@gmail.com

31. House Museum Carmelo Mendola (visit upon request)

Sculpture and painting of the 1900’. 

Visits are upon request at the following contact:
334 133 2138

If you have any suggestion to improve our list please send an email to info@freetourcatania.com

We apologise in advance for any incorrect or out of date information due to the impossibility to keep up with the frequent changes applied by the organisers.