The historical markets of Catania are located in the city centre and easily reachable on foot, it is like a journey back in time to rediscover traditions, scents and colours now forgotten. "A Piscaria" (the fish market) is located exactly under Piazza Duomo. Not only fresh fish but also meat, cold cuts, fruit, vegetables and all kinds of aromas.
The area reserved for fishermen is certainly the most characteristic, where together with the shoals with the fish still alive and the basole constantly wet by the water used to wash the fish.
The unmistakable background is that of the sellers who shout and tell, in Catania dialect, the offer of the day, the genuineness and freshness of their products. Moreover at lunch and dinner you will find many excellent fish restaurants like Mm! Trattoria or Scirocco Siclian Fish Lab.
Another historical market is the fair of Catania also known as "a fera 'o luni" which connects Piazza Stesicoro to Via Umberto. It is said that the origins of the name go back to the goddess Luna (Diana), to the god Luni or, as it is popularly believed, to the fact that once upon a time this market was held only on Mondays (today it is held from Monday to Friday morning until lunchtime and all day Saturday). This is the right place to take a walk among the many stalls and shopping at favourable prices, from clothing to accessories, but also household goods and fabrics.
You can take advantage of it to admire two monuments that are right inside this market: the Church of San Gaetano alle Grotte, where Christians found refuge during the persecutions, and the Basilica of Madonna del Carmine.
