VIA AURIGA N./A, 17, Catania

Mount Etna rises immediately northwest of the city and dominates this stretch of the plain and coast. The Ionian coast is at the edge of the built-up area. The Simeto plain lies just south and west. Catania is a major city with an airport, port, university, major services and a large historic centre with baroque buildings; the late-baroque towns of the Val di Noto are a UNESCO site, and Catania is part of that listing. The area is known for Etna, citrus on the plain, and the black lava-stone fabric of the city and nearby settlements.