Shopping in Catania is an enjoyable experience and here there are host of options for that. Catania tours is in itself full of enjoyment as this university city offers you various attractions in the form of monuments ,churches,museums and piazzas etc. For shopping in Catania you have lot of choices to make regarding which place to go and what to buy.
You can begin Catania shopping in Via Reitano, in proximity to Castel Ursino. Here you will find a craft shop which belonged to the Napoli family. They were the famous puppet-making family for whom the Sicilian puppets (pupi) has earned worldwide popularity . The puppet shows are held at the Theater Opera dei Pupi. Shopping in Catania cannot be complete without buying these puppets (pupi) which are 135 centimeters tall and have 15 to 30 kilograms of weight.
Then you can also buy the handicrafts made from lava stone and crafted by traditional methods. You can also choose painted pottery, made in adjoining Caltagirone, but is available in any souvenir shop in Catania. Among the hand crafted objects there is also the candelabras , which are distinct objects crafted in Baroque style . These are hand made and are mostly of wood. They are first intricately carved, decorated and then painted.
Shopping in Catania for food products can be done in one of the markets in Catania, which also acquaints you of daily life here. The perfect place for such an experience is the charming Pescheria (Fish Market), which expands around Piazza Pardo (near the Cathedral). Here you will find among other things
Fresh fish stalls
Dried fruit,
Bottles of extra virgin olive oil
Red wine
Bags of dried pulses
soups
Catania is famous for food, and beverages. If you want to try out fresh produce then there are farms around the city which provide these. You can visit one of the farms in Castiglione di Sicilia, Caltagirone, Mascali, Riposto and Santa Maria di Licodia for buying vegetables, oil, wine, seasonal fruits, marmalades,,honey as well as dairy products such as cheese and ricotta. In these farms you also have the option for babysitting services as well as accommodation facilities .
While shopping in Catania you have to come to Etnapolis which is one of the largest shopping centers in Italy. If you have penchant for designer labels then Corso Italia is the ideal stopover as here you would find boutiques of the renowned Italian and international designers. You can also visit Via Pacini, Via Umberto I, and Via Etnea. Then for items of ceramics you can come to in Branciforti, the Old Town here you will find colorful mugs, vases etc.
Markets in Catania are mostly open Baroque Squares and are not situated in narrow alleys because of fear of earthquake. For shopping in Catania the largest market is in Piazza Carlo Alberto, which overlooks the churches and monasteries. Then there is another market which is located near the cathedral which is a huge fish market, though now it sells various other items. In the Catanian markets, you will find a great variety of seafood. The open air markets are great way of absorbing the local culture and shopping in Catania is indeed one of the way of getting acquainted with the local culture.
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