10 Things to do in Catania with Kids

Climb an active volcano, sail while listening to fantastic stories, take a walk through history or enjoy an entertaining puppet show. These are just some of the experiences you can have in Catania with the little ones. But there are many others that will make your stay in the city unforgettable.

I will detail some of the best things to do in Catania if you are traveling with children. Although, I already tell you that it can be a bit tiring, so you will have to recover your strength with a good ice cream. A great plan, don't you think?

Etna is the great protagonist of the landscape of Catania. Climbing this huge volcano is an adventure for children. In addition, there are many ways to get to know it. If they are small, there are very affordable trails that lead to the Silvestri craters from the Sapienza Refuge, located at 1,900 meters above sea level.

But if there is something that excites children is to climb the Etna cable car. From there, and in 4x4 vehicles, you can reach almost the top of the volcano. In addition, there are day trips to Etna specially designed to entertain and teach the little ones.

By the way, Etna can be climbed at any time of the year, so you can include it among those plans to enjoy Catania at Christmas or during the winter. Although it is the highest active volcano in Europe, only in exceptional conditions, such as when there is a risk due to its activity, the ascent to the summit is forbidden.

You also have the option to discover Etna in another way: by train. The Circumetnea is a historic railroad that circles the mountain and passes through villages and spectacular landscapes. It is a great way to discover this natural treasure with your family and enjoy a truly unforgettable trip, especially if you are traveling with very young children.

If you still have some energy left, visit the Alcantara Gorges

You can choose between day trips to Etna from Catania or half-day excursions. But, if you really want to experience a total adventure, my advice is to complete it with a visit to the Alcantara Gorges. You can do it in the same day.

It is a natural space where water has eroded the volcanic rock to create a canyon of enormous beauty. And best of all, in the Alcantara Gorges you can take a dip and even go rafting.

Sailing is a super fun activity for children and adults. Moreover, the coast of Catania has plenty of surprises for the little sailors to enjoy and learn a lot of new and interesting things. The first thing that will catch their attention will be the huge silhouette of Mount Etna.

As they gaze at it, the captain is sure to tell them stories and legends they will never forget. The ancient Greeks, who arrived in these lands many centuries ago, believed that the volcano was the home of Hephaestus, the god of fire, and that inside it worked with giants and fantastic beings with only one eye, the Cyclops.

Precisely, these beings give their name to a strip of coastline that another mythological character, Ulysses, traveled. Here you will see enormous volcanic rock formations. It will be a good excuse to teach the little ones some geology lessons.

The sailing trip along the coast is, for all these reasons, one of the best excursions from Catania to do with children. In addition, they will be able to learn some notions of sailing and, weather permitting, they can even take a dip in the waters of the Ionian Sea.

If there's one thing that excites the little ones, it's visiting castles, walking along battlements and venturing down corridors and spiral staircases. Catania has a very special fortress: Ursino Castle. It is an imposing construction with eight centuries of history and the protagonist of countless interesting events.

Its most curious aspect has to do with its location. Today it is far from the sea, but in its time of splendor, this construction overlooked the sea from a cliff. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions changed the physiognomy of the area, but the castle managed to remain standing despite the enemies and the force of nature.

Inside, children can learn many more interesting things and approach in a didactic way the history of Catania. Today the building houses the Civic Museum, which exhibits an interesting collection of pieces of great archaeological value.

Interesting facts

• Opening hours of the Civic Museum Ursino Castle: from Monday to Sunday from 9:00 to 19:00.
• Admission fee: about 6 euros for general admission and 3 euros for reduced admission. Children under 10 years do not pay.

The perfect complement: a visit to Greek and Roman Catania

If you feel like immersing yourself in a live archaeology lesson, my advice is to complete the historical tour by also visiting the Roman theater of Catania and the thermal complex of Terme della Rotonda.

And, if you have plans for two days in Catania, don't miss an excursion to the Valley of the Temples and the Roman villa of Casale. For kids, it's a fun way to learn about ancient history.

The "pupi", the puppets, are part of the essence of the island. In fact, the Sicilian puppet theater is part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List. And what child doesn't love these articulated puppets that tell such funny stories!

Visiting Fratelli Napoli is the closest thing to going on a journey in which the protagonists tell fantastic stories and incredible adventures. But this is a space that also tells the story of a family dedicated body and soul to puppets for over a century.

Each puppet on display also has its own story. And, to make the visit even more endearing, it is possible to enter the workshop where puppets are still being created in a completely handmade way. Of course, it is necessary to book the visit in advance.

Afterwards, I recommend you to complete the experience in the only way possible: attending a puppet show. Children will have a great time and adults will go back to their childhood. In Catania there are different scenic spaces in which to enjoy puppetry, such as the Teatro Machiaveli or the Teatro Zigzag.

One of the most entertaining plans to do with kids in Catania is to visit the Zoology Museum and Butterfly House. The time will fly by as you walk through its rooms, which are very different from those of other Natural Science museums. The reason? Because the animals are not exhibited in showcases, but you can get close to them and see them up close.

The museum houses a fantastic collection of animal species that have their habitat in the Mediterranean and its surroundings. But it also exhibits specimens of exotic animals from distant lands, from African elephants and zebras to kangaroos, snakes or unique birds.

In addition, the museum has a huge collection of insects. Although, if there are some great protagonists, those are the butterflies. Here you will see a modern butterfly house where you can contemplate magnificent live specimens. It even has an incubator where children can learn about the life cycle of these beautiful insects.

Interesting facts

• Opening hours of the Museum of Zoology: Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:00 hours and Tuesday and Thursday from 15:00 to 17:00 hours.
• Price: admission is free.

No matter the date. One of the things you can't miss in Catania, much less if you are traveling with children, are their . It is true that in Italy they are famous, but those of Sicily are special and are part of its essence. Trying them is the perfect excuse to make a short stop on any visit to the city and recharge your batteries.

The ice creams that you will taste in Catania have a very creamy texture and a taste that both children and adults like. The secret? Recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation and an artisanal production process. By the way, they are not served in the form of balls, but with an ice cream scoop.

But being in Catania we must also talk about the granita. It is halfway between ice cream and granita, very similar to sorbet. It is a mixture of frozen fruit, water and sugar that is usually served with a layer of cream or a brioche. As breakfast or as a snack, children love it.

In Catania it is not difficult to find traditional ice cream parlors whose shop windows are a real temptation, and not only for the little ones. In Etnea Street is one of the most traditional, the Pasticceria Savis with 125 years of history. Prestipino, Chocolate Café or Café Europa are other establishments where you can taste these delicious gelatos and granitas.

A visit to the MOGAM Museum is a fantastic experience for the whole family. The reason? It houses one of the best private collections of classic sports cars in Italy. A collection that includes Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Lancia models. And some of them are Formula 1.

But MOGAM is special not only because of its collection of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and even a motorboat. But because it also houses an interesting collection of figurative art pieces. There are more than one hundred pieces by renowned artists such as Russolo, Pascali or Boccioni.

Interesting facts

• MOGAM opening hours: visits to the museum are guided and by reservation, so there is no fixed opening hours. Open only from Monday to Friday.
• Price: general admission costs about 10 euros. Children under 14 pay about 6 euros and children under 5 are free.

Catania has leisure enclosures that delight children. One of the most popular is Etnaland. As its name suggests, it is almost at the foot of the volcano. And in its shadow, the little ones will have fun climbing on its more than 30 attractions. There are rides for the quiet ones and also for the more adventurous ones.

If the weather is hot, Etnaland also has a fantastic water park where you can cool off and have another good time. In fact, with its huge pools and some 30 attractions, it is one of the largest water parks in Europe. And the fun offer is rounded off by a prehistoric park and a botanical trail.

Learning can really be fun. And children will find this out as they walk through LUDUM, a space where visitors are not just spectators, but active participants. What does this mean? That the experiments performed here are not only seen, but also touched and even felt.

The aim is to spread scientific knowledge in a very fun and understandable way for everyone. For this reason, the activities offered mix science and theater. The result is a show that has been recognized and awarded as one of the best in its category.

This museum is divided into different thematic areas: thermodynamics, light and sound, dynamics and electromagnetism. It also has an insectarium where you can learn much more about these animals. It also has a planetarium where you can take star trips and explore the universe.

One more note: on week ends the museum organizes very entertaining play activities for the little ones, from magic and conjuring courses to science-related exhibitions.

Interesting facts

• Opening hours: LUDUM is open during the week for groups by reservation, but on Sundays it operates for the general public in the afternoons.

This park is a perfect place to relax and for the kids to release some energy. It is the real green lung of Catania and is located in the center of the city, in fact, it belongs to an ancient stately villa. It is a good place to take a walk, to play or even to have a small picnic as a break from sightseeing.

In Villa Bellini, in addition to tree-lined walks and playgrounds, concerts and recreational and sporting activities are often organized. Its tree-lined promenades are dotted with monumental fountains, statues of illustrious men and details such as mosaics that are worth stopping to admire.

To top it all off, from its hills there are fantastic views of both Etna and the sea. The best place to admire them? The Chiosco della Musica, which is a beautiful Art Nouveau gazebo from which the view of the mountain is spectacular. Admission to the park is free and it does not close until 10 pm.

Catania is a city that offers many plans to enjoy with the family. But it is always advisable to keep in mind some aspects that will make the visit much more fun and enjoyable:

• The weather in Catania is not particularly harsh, but it is advisable to wear suitable clothing, especially if you intend to reach the top of Etna. There, even in summer, temperatures are cool.
• If you are going to be in Catania for more than a day and the weather is good, an idea that the kids will love is to spend a few hours at the beach. Here there are some great ones, sheltered and with little waves.
• If you are visiting Catania at Christmas time, museums often prepare special activities for the little ones. You may also be able to take advantage of discounts at some tourist attractions.
• In Catania, the street food is delicious and children will love it. So you don't have to worry too much about finding restaurants to eat at ahead of time. In terraces and stalls you will be able to eat authentic delicacies.