Tag: travel tips

Must See: Catania, Italy

For all the scruffiness, chaos, and noise that hit many visitors at first glance, this city has a very strong magnetic pull. Friends of mine that own an Edmonton Chiropractor clinic had amazing things to say about Catania after their trip to the Italian city. The city is packed with gritty and cool bars, an earthy spirit and abundant energy in sharp contrast to the aristocratic airs in Palermo. Here are the top must-see attractions in Catania, Italy.

Teatro Massimo Bellini

Made for Vincenzo Bellini – a homegrown composer – and completed in 1890, the opera house in Catania is suitably luxurious, from the marble and stucco luxury of the foyer to the theatre’s glory itself. Its painted ceiling portrays scenes from 4 of the best-known operas of Bellini. The Associazione Turistiche Catania runs a 45-minute guided tour.

La Pescheria

The rowdy fish market in Catania opens every morning and offers visitors pure street theatre. Ruby-pink prawns, swordfish, sea urchins, mussels, clams, and all sorts of sea life are sold here. High-heeled housewives daintily step over ‘bloodied’ water and fishmongers stomach silvery fish. It is absolutely riveting. There are several great seafood restaurants surrounding the market.

Monastero delle Benedettine

This church covers 2 adjacent sides: Chiesa di San Benedetto and Benedictine convent. It was completed in 1713 and decorated with splendid marble, stucco, and a late eighteenth-century altar crafted from Sicilian jasper. The highlight includes the glorious ceiling frescoes by Giovanni Tuccari and a graphic portrayal of Saint Agatha tortured in front of a sultan.

Piazza del Duomo

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a piece of contrasting limestone and lava, surrounded by structures in the unique baroque style and dominated by the huge Cattedrale di Sant’Agata. At its center is Fontana dell’ Elefante, a naïve elephant dating from the Roman-era and crowned by a fanciful Egyptian obelisk.

Via Etnea

It isn’t hard to see how the main street in Catania got its name – you can see Mount Etna on a clear day majestically rising. Via Etnea runs from Piazza del Duomo to Etna’s foothills. Lined with bars, pavement, and stores, it is busy most times but breathes on Saturdays when shoppers troop in from the suburbs to update their wardrobes. To escape the crowds, go to Giardino Bellini so you can relax in the shady gardens while admiring the views of the volcano.

Cattedrale di Sant’Agata

Inside this cathedral’s vaulted interior, beyond its magnificent marble façade, lie the city’s patron saint relics. The world-renowned composer Vincenzo Bellini is its other well-known resident. His remains were in 1876 transferred here. You can also visit the nearby Museo Diocesano for access to the baths directly under the church.

A Visit to Manila, Philippines

It’s been awhile since I’ve written a new post but I wanted to get back to it! If you’re planning to visit the Philippines at any point in time, you must check out Manila.

The ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Manila’s moniker could not be more fitting – its unappealing shell only reveals itself to those willing to pry. The city is no stranger to hardship as it has endured every disaster nature and human has thrown at it. Skyscrapers pierce the sky, mushrooming from the poverty of shantytowns, while malls foreshadow the new air-conditioned world of Manila.

Besides outstanding sightseeing, visitors who put in some effort can discover the city’s creative soul – from the lively indie music scene to edgy galleries. Combine this with a preference for single-origin coffees, artisan markets, and speakeasy bars, and it is easy to see that Manila is not just one of the most underrated cities in Asia but one of its coolest. Here are the top experiences in Manila, Philippine.

Fort Santiago

Guarding the Pasig River’s entrance is Fort Santiago, Intramuros’ premier tourist attraction. Within the grounds of the fort is an oasis of fountains, plazas, and lovely manicured gardens. Within the fort is the Rizal Shrine museum, the building where the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal was incarcerated in 1896 as he awaited execution. The museum contains different intriguing displays of Rizal memorabilia as well as a recreation of the courtroom trial and his cell.

National Museum of Anthropology

Within a neoclassical building, the National Museum of Anthropology houses a varied and vast collection Tabon Man (believed to be actually a woman) and the skullcap of the earliest known inhabitants of the Philippines. A large section of this museum is dedicated to the wreck of a Spanish galleon, San Diego. Salvaged items from this ship include jewelry on display, porcelain plates, coins, and shell-encrusted swords. Other treasures in this museum include a large collection of musical instruments and pre-Hispanic artifacts, as well as indigenous textiles displays.

Rizal Park

Rizal Park is an iconic park that spread out more than 60 hectares of wooded areas, paved walks, ponds, ornamental gardens, and open lawns. As the place where the Spanish colonial authorities executed Jose Rizal, it is also of great historical importance. This park is an atmospheric place for visitors to take a stroll, especially on weekends, early evening and late afternoon.

San Agustin Church

After the destruction of Intramuros in World War II, this church was the only building left intact. Completed in 1606, it is the Philippines’ oldest church. The massive building conceals an elegant interior filled with many objects of great cultural and historical merit. Don’t forget to see the slightly shabby gardens and the tropical cloisters out the back.