Meet Catania
Situated on the Ionian Sea, Catania is the second-largest city in Sicily and has long been a center for culture in Italy due to links from the Renaissance. Even today, the city permeates as a cultural icon in the country allowing digital nomads and freelancers from all over the world a haven to work and thrive.
While the city itself traces its roots through various civilizations, names, and periods of time, the area is now known as Catania can trace its earliest foundations back to approximately 729 BCE. Even then, the city of Catania was destined to thrive. In ancient times, its location on the Ionian Sea made it a tremendous destination for exporters looking to sell corn from neighboring fields. Even through its significant boom in the Renaissance, when it became one of the most important cities in all of Italy, Catania has persisted into the 21st century as a port for travel and trade. Its multifaceted economy allows individuals of all backgrounds to come to Catania and succeed in their individual career paths, showing that through centuries, Catania is ready to help provide for its residents. Tourism has also had a boom recently with young professionals and families traveling to the area to enjoy the many amenities of the city.
Where to live in Catania
When comparing Catania to other metropolitan areas, the cost of living can almost be shocking, in a good way. The cost of living in Catania is slightly less than the national average of Italy, and it is also less than the national averages of countries such as England and the United States. This means that for the price of rural living in some other countries, residents can spend their time in a metropolitan area of Catania, even being able to afford to live right in the city center. For any young professionals looking for a bit more quiet existence, the areas surrounding the city center of Catania offer residents a slower-paced life while still maintaining easy access to the best areas of the city. Regardless of the spot that is chosen, there is no need to worry about reaching other sections of town. Catania has a blossoming underground metro allowing citizens to travel all over the city for cheap. The city is continuously making improvements to the metro and has multiple additions planned over the coming years.
Best Neighborhoods in Catania
Being positioned in the Sicilian region of Italy, it’s sometimes said that there’s not a bad place to live in Catania. The neighborhoods in and immediately around the city center offer easy access to great restaurants, cheap entertainment, and unique shopping. On the other hand, this is the area most frequented by tourists during peak seasons of the year. For digital nomads and freelancers who may want to stay away from the tourist areas of Catania, the outer neighborhoods of the city, and those away from the ports, are often the best choices. These neighborhoods provide residents with peace and quiet that they may not be able to achieve in the more touristy areas of the city. These outer neighborhoods still offer many of the same amenities that the city center does, including mouthwatering restaurant options, fantastic shopping opportunities, and all the fun a young professional could possibly have. Regardless of whether a choice is made to live on the outskirts or in the city center, the cost of living is reasonable in both places, meaning the choice is solely up to the preferences of the individual.
Quick Facts About Catania
Catania, in all its glory, can be a different kind of place due to its more isolated geography from not only Italy, but the rest of the world. The important things to remember are that its residents are beyond kind and that great food lies around just about every corner. Apart from that, here are just a few more facts about Catania that show what a great place it is:Get ready to take a nap.
In many areas of Catania, after lunchtime, things will simply shut down. Sicilians often take a “riposo,” or a nap, for around an hour each day. It’s a great opportunity for young professionals to relax, take a break, and not worry about things, much like the citizens of Catania.Summer can be excessive.
Summer lasts for several months in Catania due to its tropical climate. While temperatures can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the lack of humidity makes the temperatures much more bearable than elsewhere in the world.Mt. Etna dominates the scenery.
Sitting at the base of the tallest volcano in all of Europe, Catania is unlike many places in the world. Due to Mt. Etna’s sheer size, many places will almost guarantee to have this majestic natural wonder in the background. Despite this being an active volcano, residents of Catania remain safe with Mt. Etna itself being deemed one of the safest volcanoes in the world.Cash reigns supreme.
While debit card usage is certainly prevalent in Catania, it’s not a sure thing. There are a variety of shops, restaurants, and transportation systems that will only accept cash which will be specified either in the window or on the menu in a restaurant. Even ATMs are not a surefire thing, as they often have the potential to run out of cash. Withdraw cash before arriving and plan your ATM transactions accordingly.Utilize public transportation.
Public transportation in Catania is inexpensive and will get you to almost any part of the city without fail. Cars are prevalent in the city, but parking can become difficult the closer someone gets to the city center. Utilizing public transportation helps residents avoid this issue and often gets them to their destination quicker.Breakfast will most likely be sweet.
Unlike in many countries where breakfasts are savory with dishes such as meats, Catania is considered vastly different. Sweetbreads, cakes, and even gelato are more than acceptable to have for breakfast if eggs or a bowl of cereal doesn’t sound appetizing.Things are very laid back.
Catania, and Sicily as a whole, is a very relaxed place. Things such as store opening times and tour meeting times are more of a suggestion and less of a necessity. It’s not uncommon for someone to arrive up to 20 or 30 minutes later than what was suggested.Learning some Italian never hurts.
Many residents, including older residents, speak little to no English. Learning some key Italian words and phrases can help young professionals get by as they attempt to navigate Catania and its citizens.Work in Catania
Among all the potential workers arriving in Catania, digital nomads and freelancers have some of the best opportunities. While the area has a strong economy in a variety of sectors, tourism is certainly on the rise. This rise in tourism gives young professionals the opportunity to utilize their talents in a big way. Apart from the tourism industry, Catania has a huge manufacturing industry, an equally big agricultural sector, and a blossoming tech industry. In fact, recent construction projects in Catania have created locations for several tech industry offices, giving a variety of young professionals an opportunity to gain steady employment in the area.
How good is Catania for Digital Nomads or Remote Work
Remote work is changing how the global workspace operates. In a trend that is showing no signs of slowing down, remote work is rapidly on the increase all around the world—especially in a place like Catania. And about 25% of remote workers describe themselves as digital nomads—those who like to travel or stay in cities around the world while they work. So, how good is Catania for both of these growing movements?
Average Internet Speed
Freelancers and digital nomads should have no issue when it comes to internet speed in Catania. With the region’s max internet speed being an approximately staggering 788mbps, high speed internet is very common. The area’s average internet speed is a more modest 41mbps, but this is largely due to the factoring in of the furthest reaches of Catania where internet connection is more rural and tends to run slower.Work-friendly Coffee Shops
While coffee shops and cafes can frequently be found around Catania, ones with reliable WiFi can be a bit harder to come by. Here are just a few of the best work-friendly coffee shops in the area: Student Lab: Student Lab is an absolute gem for young professionals to visit and get a bit of work done. Apart from a lively atmosphere, great WiFi, and delicious coffee, the shop offers a variety of foods including burgers, meat trays, alcoholic beverages, and American cereals. Verso Coffice Catania: Billing itself as a work-friendly coffee shop, young professionals can visit Verso Coffice Catania, grab a seat, a freshly made espresso, and spend their day working with a great WiFi connection. New Caffè Europeo: Offering both indoor and outdoor seating, New Caffè Europeo offers visitors delicious coffee, mouthwatering pastries, and a great space to work. While this space functions as a normal cafe, visitors are encouraged to spend their day working while sipping on a nice espresso.Coworking Spaces
Catania, with such a booming tech and tourism industry, has a variety of coworking spaces where digital nomads and freelancers can finish their work in comfort. Here are just a few of the best spaces found in Catania: SAL: SAL provides young professionals in Catania the opportunity to work in amazing coworking spaces for next to nothing. SAL offers private desk rentals to creatives and great opportunities to network with other young professionals in the area. Fablab Coworking: Offering flexibility to freelancers and digital nomads, Fablab Coworking allows visitors to rent everything from individual working spaces to private offices. With memberships, fiber WiFi and complete flexibility is offered, meaning individuals can work in the morning, at night, or all day if needed. Verso Coffice Catania: In addition to being a work-friendly coffee shop, Verso Coffice Catania is also a great coworking space. Young professionals can rent both general lounge area space as well as temporary offices. With office rentals, breakfast and lunch is included. Different coworking spaces will offer varying levels of flexibility when renting space. Regardless of which choice a young professional makes, Catania contains some of the best coworking spaces in the area and the young professional is almost guaranteed to be satisfied with their decision.Suitable Level for Digital Nomads
Catania is truly one of the top Italian destinations for digital nomads. With a variety of coworking spaces, an inexpensive cost of living, and a great transit system, Catania is beloved by both digital nomads and local freelancers alike. Apart from these factors, these areas also feature great cuisine, an electric nightlife, and great shopping opportunities. When you factor in that many locals are beyond friendly, Catania becomes a gem of a destination for digital nomads to spend their time in.Visa Requirements
For citizens from the United States, the European Union, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and Israel that intend to travel to Catania, a visa is not required for periods of 90 days or less. For those whom the previous criteria do not apply, young professionals will need to apply for a visa while still in their home country. This also applies to the citizens of the aforementioned countries who plan to stay longer than 90 days. Visitors will need to complete the visa application form, provide a valid passport, proof of travel including airline tickets and lodging accommodations, travel health insurance, proof of financial means for visiting, bank statements, and more. Specific requirements will vary depending upon age, county of origin, and employment status. Any young professional needs to check with their local Italian embassy for the most up-to-date requirements.Food and Drink in Catania
Sicily as a whole is known for its passion for food, and the city of Catania is no exception. One of the best options for experiencing authentic local cuisine is street food. While street food is popular all year long, it’s particularly prevalent during religious festivals and street fairs. During these periods, you’re likely to come across local delicacies such as “calia e simenza,” which is pumpkin seeds and toasted chickpeas, and “mauru,” which is edible seaweed. The dish that Catania is arguably best known for is arancini. Arancini is a snack prepared by coating a ball of rice with bread crumbs and deep frying it. The balls are typically filled with ragu, various cheeses, ham, or peas. Many other parts of Italy simply shape their arancini into balls, but in Catania, they are often shaped into cones to resemble Mt. Etna. A few of the most popular places to grab this specialty include Pasticceria Savia, Serafino Arancini Espressi, and New Caffe Europeo. Those who have a sweet tooth will feel right at home in Catania. In this area, the popular pastries tend to vary with the seasons and can often reflect the holidays. For instance, around the Festival of Saint Agatha, “olivette” is popular; this treat is essentially almond paste molded into an olive shape. In the summer months, granita is a great option for cooling down, as this treat resembles a Sno-Cone or Italian ice. Find delicious desserts at establishments like Pasticceria Ficarra Luigi, Pasticceria Verona & Bonvegna, and Panificio La Farina Antony.
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