The 17th Century was a destructive one, whereas the 1800s were a rebirth. The onset of an eruption, then an earthquake brought Catania to its knees. It resurrected from the rubble and ashes of devastation and triumphed with the beauty of its Baroque architecture, which can still be admired today.
 
Its Duomo is a magnificent example. Reconstructed with the use of materials recovered from Roman-era buildings -such as the marble columns that decorate its courtyards - it looks out onto the piazza carrying its name (which after the earthquake was designed to leave ample space between buildings in the event of another destructive earthquake). It is dedicated to the city’s Patron, Santa Agata, whose statue surmounts the main façade designed by Giovan Battista Vaccarini.
 
Besides the church, the splendid Piazza Duomo is surrounded by the Palazzo Senatorio and elegant noble buildings arranged around the Fontana dell’Elefante, the symbol of the city.
The monument, also the work of Vaccarini, is a kind of historical stratification: the base (the elephant) recalls Carthaginian civilization, the obelisk recalls Egyptian civilization, and the cross, palms and globe refer to Christianity. 
The artist also designed the Church of Badìa di Sant'Agata, very striking for the ornamentation on its façade, and the perspective of its portal set further back in respect to the two lateral bodies. 

Piazza dell’Università is dominated by the grand façade of the University, the construction of which was authorized by Alfonso V of Aragon and rebuilt after the earthquake, with a design by great architects of the era.
Vaccarini built two floors of the internal courtyard, the colonnade and the dual-coloured flooring. 

The Collegiata or Regia Chapel is another magnificent example of the architectonic splendour built during the rebuilding century, with the interior decorated by Giuseppe Sciuti. 
Colossal, even if unfinished, is the Benedictine Monastery of San Nicolò, with interventions by Battaglia, Vaccarini and Amato. 
The Ursino Castle, commissioned by Frederic II, survived the catastrophic events of the 17th Century.
It was originally located on the coastal stretch but a volcanic eruption modified its structure; thus, the castle is now set further back compared to its initial position. 

The entire Noto Valley was reconstructed in the 18th Century; today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site precisely because of its stylistic features, impressed after the terrible earthquake which became the reason for its rebirth. 
One of the eight cities of the valley, Caltagirone is famous for its ancient ceramic art which supplied the décor of many churches and buildings in the centre. The highest expression of its baroque soul is Santa Maria del Monte with an impressive stairway decorated with polychromatic majolica. 

Militello in Val di Catania is also part of the UNESCO network. Its historical centre recalls in its structure and style the features of the reconstruction period. 

Etna, one of the biggest active volcanoes in Europe lies north of Catania.
This mountain lives, breathes and transforms itself and each time it awakes, red fiery flowing lava is deposited in the open spaces and overlaps with ancient flows, changing the mountain’s profile each time.
The landscape changes greatly as you go higher towards the principal crater.

Pinewoods are divided into sectors by fascinating fuming black lava and gaping craters. There are fruit orchards, orange and lemon groves, oaks and majestic chestnut trees, luxuriant vineyards and expanses of beach trees. All contribute to the mountain's diverse ambiences of incomparable beauty. 

Nothing survives up on the peaks, only the lavic desert, a widespread blackness with the intriguing open mouth at its centre.

You can set out on a journey from the mountains to the sea.  
The panorama changes before your eyes, but the enchantment remains. Do not miss the Riviera dei Ciclopi, a slew of enormous boulders that emerge from the sea.