Add dates

Ursino Castle

Ursino Castle: Our most recommended tours and activities

Catania: Heart of the City Guided Walking Tour

1. Catania: Heart of the City Guided Walking Tour

Dive into the main monuments in Catania's city center on this guided walking tour. Follow a local guide to uncover history, legends, and facinating anecdotes about daily life in Sicily. Get tips on what to see and do during your time in the city. Meet your licensed guide in Piazza Duomo and admire the statue of the elephant, which is the symbol of Catani. Take a peak inside the Cathedral of Catania, which is the seat of the Archbishops of Catania. Stroll through the lively fish market to see nice restaurants and view an area with a rich nightlife. Stop outside the Ursino Castle, the only medieval monument that survived the terrible earthquake which destroyed Catania in 1693. Enjoy the stunning monasteries, churches and palaces which have made the Via Crociferi street so famous. Finish the tour in Piazza Università, one of the most scenic squares in the city and just a short walk from Duomo Square.

Catania: Underground Catania Tickets and Guided Tour

2. Catania: Underground Catania Tickets and Guided Tour

Meet your expert guide, who will be waiting for you with in front of the ruins of the Castle "Ursino", a medieval fortress. Here begins your journey in search of the underground mysteries of the city, among ruins of bombed churches and prehistoric lava caves. Find out what is hidden under the floor! Follow the guide, from one part of the city to the other, to reach the different sites through the colorful main street of the town, via Etnea, and in the meantime admire great aristocratic palaces and late baroque churches.

Catania: City Highlights Walking Tour

3. Catania: City Highlights Walking Tour

See another side to Sicily as you discover the natural beauty of Catania on this walking tour. Admire the Ursino Castle, walk around the squares and plazas and discover the famous sites. Meet your guide before departing on your adventure. Stroll the city center with your local guide who will fascinate you with the city's history. See monuments built centuries ago that are still standing to this day. Many of the structures you will witness date back to the Greek colonization of the city back in the 8th-century B.C. Enjoy this tour and see the following landmarks: the piazza Duomo, Pescheria, Castello Ursino, piazza San Francesco, via Teatro Greco, piazza Dante, via Gesuiti, scalinata Alessi, piazza Università, piazza Vincenzo Bellini, and the piazza San Placido. If you are in Catania, this tour is simply a must-do.

Catania: Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings

4. Catania: Guided Street Food Tour with Tastings

Meet your expert guide, then set off on your 3-hour tour around Catania. Visit some of the city’s most popular food spots, as well as hidden gems that only the locals know about.  Follow your guide as you walk through the atmospheric city streets, soaking up the sights and smells all around you. Then, pass by the famous Piazza Federico di Svevia and Castello Ursino. Along the way, sample a selection of traditional dishes and delicacies, and learn about the history of each dish. Highlights of the tour include a delicious arancini al ragu, spicy anchovies, and baked cipollina. You’ll also enjoy a fruit seltz drink and beer toast.  End the tour with a tasty brioche or ricotta minnuzza cake.

3-Hour Catania Segway PT Authorized Tour

5. 3-Hour Catania Segway PT Authorized Tour

Situated between the Ionian Sea and the slopes of Mt Etna, the town of Catania is rich in folklore, history, and beauty. On this guided Segway tour, you will be able to visit the entire Old Town. Start from the meeting point, where you'll learn how to use your Segway. From here we glide into the heart of the city to reach Piazza Duomo. Taking via Etnea, cross Piazza Università. From here, head to Piazza Vincenzo Bellini where there is the wonderful lyrical theater named after Vincenzo Bellini. Going along Via Etnea, you'll reach Piazza Stesicoro to see the ruins of the Roman amphitheater and the monument to Vincenzo Bellini; Catania’s Swan. Having covered another piece of vibrant Via Etnea, cross the green area of a public garden to reach the town's highest point where you can admire San Nicola church and the Benedictine’s Monastery. After that, continue riding your Segway to Piazza Federico di Svevia, where you will find Ursino Castle; a 13th-century structure that is the only surviving remnant of the medieval town.

Catania: Ursino Castle and Bellini Theater Private Tour

6. Catania: Ursino Castle and Bellini Theater Private Tour

Discover the beautiful architecture and ancient history on this guided tour of Catania. Visit the Ursino Castle and the stunning Cathedral of Sant'Agata. Commence your guided tour of Catania from the iconic Ursino castle. Admire the grounds of this architecturally unique structure and learn about its role in Sicilian history.  Stroll to the Via Auteri, which is in front of the ruins of the Roman baths, and you will then reach the fish and food markets of Catania, often considered to be the city's beating heart.  Pass by the fish market and head to the del Duomo. Here, you can discover its numerous Baroque buildings and the Elephant Fountain.  Next, visit the Cathedral of Sant'Agata, built-in 1090. Marvel at the tomb of the famous composer Vincenzo Bellini. Continue to the famous Bellini Theater. After taking photos, you will pass the Roman Theater and continue along Via Vittorio Emanuele, where the tour will end at the Benedictine monastery and the church of San Nicolò.

Catania: Private Family-Friendly Walking Tour for Children

7. Catania: Private Family-Friendly Walking Tour for Children

Visit the highlights of Catania with your family. A three hours interactive tour in the city centre. The visit will be carried out on foot (path suitable for strollers). A play-kit will be given to the children, so they can follow the visit and play in the same time. The guide will involve children with stories, legends, games, using terms adapted to the ages. Several stops are expected to follow the needs of kids.

Catania: Private Walking Tour with Arancini Tasting

8. Catania: Private Walking Tour with Arancini Tasting

Discover the beautiful architecture and ancient history of Catania on this guided tour. Visit the Ursino Castle and the Cathedral of Sant'Agata, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage.  Start your day with a pickup, meet your local guide, and set off to explore the sites of Catania. First, you will visit the fish market - the biggest and the most colorful fish market in Sicily. Next, walk to Ursino Castle and be sure to take photos. Continue to Via Etnea and visit one of the oldest and most famous rosticceria bars. Taste Sicilian arancini's - delicious rice balls stuffed with meat ragout and peas. Stroll along until your reach Duomo Square. See the Elephant Fountain and visit the famous Cathedral - the most important church in Catania with a statue of the city's patron saint, Sant'Agatha.  Finally, you will walk around Piazza Stesicoro and see the remains of an ancient Roman amphitheater.

Street food, miti e leggende Catanesi con Renato

9. Street food, miti e leggende Catanesi con Renato

I will tell you about popular sagas and the impact they have had on our culture and traditions! I will make you feel like a local and you can say that you have known my city, the truest and most ancient one, because you will have gone around with someone like me, who was born and lived in these neighborhoods! Through the historic fish market of Catania, you will experience a real medina and you will be part of it! Between a glass of good Etna wine, a tasting of Sicilian cold cuts and cheeses, Belpasso olive oil, Pachino tomatoes, Bronte pistachio sweets and citrus drinks, I will tell you about the popular sagas and the impact they have had about our culture and our traditions! And how about looking at Castello Ursino through the eyes of our grandparents while I tell you the legends of the ghosts that inhabit it, while enjoying a delicious Sicilian liqueur at the kiosk? But your tour does not end here… I will take you to a breathtaking location and you will listen to the latest legends, sipping a cocktail, overlooking the history of my Catania, the black city!

Walking Tour, City Highlights and Street Food

10. Walking Tour, City Highlights and Street Food

Enjoy Catania “the black city” like the color of lava rock through this amazing walking tour.We will visit the main attractions such as the Benedictine monastery, the church of San Nicolò where we will see the typical “candelore” of the local tradition during the feast of Sant’Agata. We will cross the Ursino Castle district, we will visit a small cave where the river flows that the lava of 1669 covered forever.We will arrive at the Fish Market, the Cathedral, the historic Elephant Fountain and University Square. We will discover the unknown neighborhood of San Berillo, a hidden and unknown area of the city. We will end with a tasting of arancini and other street food in one of the best bars in Catania.

Available activities

Top sights near Ursino Castle

Other Sightseeing Options in Ursino Castle

Want to discover all there is to do in Ursino Castle? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Ursino Castle

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 212 reviews

Tania was an excellent guide, passionate and dynamic. We took a nice walk for a couple of hours, simple and easy for everyone, so much so that we were with our almost 3-year-old little girl, with a stroller in tow, so as not to create slowdown problems for us or the others. It was very funny!

This was a lovely tour full of the great history Catania has to offer. You felt as though you were traveling to places that no other tourists go, while also hitting all of the “hot spots”. The tour guide was very kind and knowledgeable.

Angela was a great guide. You can tell she was passionate about her work and very experienced. We learned a great deal about Catania and actually we now appreciate it more. Definitely recommend the tour!

Our guide Tania has been able to combine the sacred and the profane by immersing us in the colors and flavors of the magnificent Catania. I highly recommend this guide

Taziana was absolutely brilliant, very nice to be around and the walk was exactly what we were looking for.