Catania Shopping

In Via Reitano, near to Castel Ursino there is a craft shop belonging to the Napoli family, the historical Catania puppet-making family that has made the famous Sicilian puppets (pupi) for centuries and that has given shows at the Theater Opera dei Pupi. The famous Catania puppets (pupi) are made differently from the Palermo ones: they are 135 centimeters tall and can weigh from 15 to 30 kilograms!

The craft objects made from lava stone following traditional techniques are extremely characteristic as well as the famous painted pottery mostly made in nearby Caltagirone, but which can be found in any souvenir shop in Catania. Another typical craft product that you can find in Catania are candelabras: unique pieces often in Baroque style that are made by hand, mostly in wood, and are carved, decorated and then painted.

If shopping for food products is your thing, Nozio.com recommends you go to one of the markets in Catania, so that you can experience the true atmosphere of everyday Catania life. The ideal place for such an experience is the picturesque Pescheria (Fish Market), the historical market that spreads out around Piazza Pardo (near the Cathedral). There are fresh fish stalls (though fish is a little difficult to take home as a souvenir, no matter how good it is), and also dried fruit, bottles of extra virgin olive oil and red wine made on the foothills of Mount Etna, bags of dried pulses for tasty, local recipe soups and lots more too.

For those of you interested in shopping for famous names, Corso Italia is full of all the boutiques of the most famous Italian and international designers.