ROYAL HOTEL

The Royal Hotel is located just a short walking distance away from Piazza Duomo (Cathedral Square). It faces via Crociferi, a 24-hour pedestrian street and the main street of the historic centre of Catania. From here guests can discover the history, art and culture offered by the city of Catania. The Palazzo degli Elefanti (City Hall), Palazzo Asmundo di Gisira, Ursino Castle, the Convent of Santa Maria dell’Indirizzo, the house and museum of Giovanni Verga, the Massimo Theatre, the Palace of the Manganelli Princes, the Greek Theatre, the Belliniano Museum, the Roman Baths, and the Benedictine Monastery; just some examples of a very long list.
The Royal Hotel is also the best place from which to watch the most important festival of the Catanese calendar: the festival of St Agatha, Patron Saint and protector of Catania. In fact from many of our rooms, but especially from our terrace, guests can comfortably enjoy the main events of the festivities of St Agatha. From the race with the highly decorative votive candles (the so-called “candelore”) up the steep hill of via Di Sangiuliano, locally known as “a cursa de’ cannalori” to the arrival of the carriage of St Agatha who follows the votive candles, known as “a’cchianata di Sant’Aita”. The festival culminates with one of the most emotional aspects of the celebrations: the song of the Clarisse nuns, a closed order from the Convent of St Benedict, located on via Crociferi, just 200 m from our terrace. They come out just once a year to sing in honor of the Patron Saint of Catania.