Port of Catania, Maritime port in Catania, Italy

The Port of Catania is a working harbor on the eastern coast of Sicily, with separate terminals for cargo ships, passenger ferries, and cruise vessels. It serves as a main sea connection between the island and mainland Italy.

Roman writers recorded a grain port at Catania, though its site is unknown. In the 10th century the Saracens built a small landing, and in 1438 Alfonso V of Aragon built the first true port there, with a caricatore warehouse run by a Maestro Portulano. A storm of unprecedented violence destroyed every structure in 1601; the Bourbons rebuilt the harbour at the start of the 18th century with a sturdy breakwater.

La Pescheria, the fish market just outside the port gates, fills with noise and color every morning as fishermen sell their catch directly from crates on the ground. It is one of the most vivid daily rituals of the city and a natural extension of the harbor's working life.

The port is within walking distance of central Catania, which makes arriving by foot or taxi straightforward from most hotels in the city. Travelers planning to take a ferry with a vehicle should book ahead, as space fills up quickly on popular routes.

Ships arriving at this port have a direct view of Mount Etna rising behind the city skyline, which makes the approach by sea quite different from most European ports. During periods of activity, traces of volcanic ash have been found on the decks of vessels docked in the harbor.