Date of Visit: Mid-May 2025
Catania on a budget is possible, as we discovered during our five-day Sicilian escape with just £300 to spend. Sunshine, sensational seafood and Sicilian charm all without breaking the bank. That was the challenge for this trip!
Why Catania?
Sitting at the foot of Mount Etna, Catania offers a brilliant blend of history, food and coastal charm. Mid-May turned out to be the perfect time to visit with 25°C days, blue skies and none of the overwhelming summer crowds. With a tight £300 budget and five days to explore, we set out to see if Sicily could deliver an unforgettable escape on a budget.
Getting to Catania on a Budget
Getting to Catania on a budget was straightforward thanks to affordable flights and easy public transport. Our Wizzair flight from London Gatwick took off at 5:30 AM on a Friday, landing us in Sicily by 9:30 AM. The return fare came to just £55 each which was a steal for a late spring getaway.
From the airport, the Alibus shuttle (€4 each way) was easy to use and departs every 15 minutes right outside the terminal. It’s a short 20-minute ride to the city centre. We got off at Catania Central Train Station.
Where We Stayed
We based ourselves at Terre di Sicilia B&B, a modest but comfortable stay near Catania Centrale station. It wasn’t a great B&B, as it was next to a main road, the bathroom was dirty and was still a 20+ minute walk into the old town. However, for £112.50 each for 4 nights, it helped us keep our costs down.
Day 1: First Impressions of Catania
Exploring Catania on a budget means enjoying local spots like Frequenza Café for authentic, inexpensive coffee. Just €1 for an espresso which reminded us of Italy’s unrivalled coffee culture.
We then spent the afternoon exploring the city on foot, visiting sites such as Piazza del Duomo with its striking Elephant Fountain and The Fish Market (La Pescheria), an energetic and very local slice of Catania life. We also strolled through the Villa Bellini Gardens, which was a lovely central park.
Tired from the 3 AM start, we grabbed a takeaway pizza and collapsed into bed by 8 PM.
Day 2: Taormina Day Trip
We started early with a €1.50 double espresso and a €2 croissant from the station café. We then boarded the train to Taormina (€11 return, 45 minutes). A €4 shuttle took us from the station to the hilltop town (don’t attempt the walk as it’s basically vertical)!
Taormina is picture-perfect, like a mini-Sorrento with stunning sea views and beautiful old, cobbled streets. We wandered these charming streets, stopping at ‘Nino and Friends’, a chocolate shop with free samples and a mesmerising chocolate fountain. Lunch was at L’Orologio, tucked away from the main street. A €15 Carbonara with panoramic views of the coastline makes this one an easy recommendation.
After lunch, we toured the Ancient Greek Theatre (€14 entry) with breathtaking views of the sea and Etna. However, there was a 20 minute queue to get tickets and we went for an unguided tour. If you were going in peak summer period it might be sensible to get a skip the queue ticket with a guided tour. You can find ancient theatre guides that might suite you here.
Later, we stopped at L’Oblò Café for a picture-perfect coffee overlooking Isola Bella, then hiked down to visit the iconic pebble beach before heading back to Catania. Dinner that night was at Tantikkia, a relaxed seafood spot where we paid €52 total for two which was excellent value for fresh Sicilian fish.
Day 3: Enjoying Catania Street Food on a Budget
If you want to experience Catania on a budget through its famous street food, try arancini balls and gelato at local vendors. We stooped at places such as Spinella for an arancini ball (€2.50), Friggitoria Popolare for a heartier, meatier arancini (€3) and then Don Peppinu for possibly the best gelato in Sicily priced at €5 for a triple scooper! If you would like a more structured food tour, then a guided tour costs around €50+ and can be found on GetYourGuide here. If you choose to book through this link, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We really appreciate your support as it helps us keep sharing travel guides like this one.
For dinner we went off the tourist trail at Portale Cantinaccia, where the pizzas were €10 and the bill came to €15 each. A real local gem!
Day 4: Mount Etna Adventure
Tuesday took us up Mount Etna on a full-day tour (€60 per person). We used the GetYourGuide website to book our Etna tour. The Mount Etna excursions can be found here. By clicking this link it does help us earn a small commission so if you would like to do this tour then helping us out would be really appreciated! The trip included tastings of local honey, wine and olive oil plus a visit to a volcanic cave and scenic Etna viewpoints. We also got to walk up to the edge of some of the craters which was such a cool experience. That evening we dined at La Pentolaccia, a charming courtyard restaurant with quality seafood for €20 each excluding wine. A peaceful and atmospheric end to a jam-packed day.
Day 5: Last Day in Catania on a Budget
We squeezed in a last bit of Catania before our evening flight. We had Aperol Spritz for just €3 at a bar called ‘Amarone and Gin’. We then rounded things off with panoramic views of Mount Etna from the Etnea Rooftop Bar on the 7th floor at the Palace Catania Hotel. An Aperol Spritz cost a much pricier €13. By 5 PM, we were en route to the airport for our 10:30 PM flight back to London. We visited the Angelo D’Arrigo lounge on the way home. You can read the full airport lounge review here.
Final Budget Breakdown for Catania on a Budget Trip
Flights: £55
Accommodation: £112.50 each
Airport Shuttle (Alibus): £8
Mount Etna: £52.50
Food and Drink: £100
Total Cost Per Person: £328
We went slightly over our £300 goal, but considering the five day duration, day trips and the full Mount Etna tour, it felt more than worth it!
Final Thoughts
Catania is a brilliant base for exploring eastern Sicily, with great transport links, affordable food and a strong dose of Mediterranean sun. While it’s grittier than Taormina or Palermo, it’s all the more authentic for it. For anyone considering a Mediterranean trip, Catania on a budget offers an unbeatable mix of culture, food, and sunshine without overspending.
Top Tip: Visit in May, September or October for warm days and fewer crowds.
If you would like to explore our ever growing list of destinations on a budget challenges, you can find them here.
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