The markets of Catania are favorite places for most of the tourists. There are 4 markets in the city and most of the population of Catania does shopping there.
The trade rows in Amerigo Vespucci Street are known as the main foodstuff market where the farmers of the province come to sell their goods. The territory of the market is more than 65 000 square km. The main fishing market of Catania is on Christopher Columbus Street. It is one of the greatest markets on Sicily. More than 7000 tons of fresh fish are sold and bought every day there. The market on Columbus Street is mostly for the owners of small shops and for the residents of the gigantic restaurant business in Catania. It is open from 3a.m. till 10 a.m. every day.
Two other markets are smaller but rather charismatic. One is very famous among tourists because of numerous guide-books. It is called Pescheria. It is situated behind Piazzo Duomo and is surrounded with narrow streets and baroque mansions. The main part of its trade rows is situated on Via Gemelli Zappala Street. It is better to come there early in the morning about 8.30 a.m. when there are not many tourists, but a lot of spirited Sicilians who do not only sell foodstuffs, but organize a sort of a performance. Each door in Pescheria leads to a shop where lobsters, different kinds of octopuses, shrimps and lots of fish are sold. Meat is also sold in Pescheria: turkey, mutton, lamb, flavoring Sicilian sausages.
The other small market is located in the centre of Catania between Via Etnea and Via Umberto. This market is more like an Arabian market. But the foodstuffs are mostly Sicilian: fresh fruit and pickled olives, cheese, sword fish, mushrooms in olive oil. The picturesque nunnery is situated near the market. It is called di Maria SS. Del Carmin. The market is a wonderful place where you can taste lots of delicious Sicilian dishes such as cod soup with a special kind of green tomatoes and famous soup made of sea urchins. People say that this soup adds intimate might to men.
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