Catania

This Month in Catania:

Shopping: Maninterra (16/18 Via San Vito, tel: 338 9711873) is a shop specialised in Sicilian ceramics for the home. The handicrafts are produced in Sicily and can be a good souvenir to bring home.

Sightseeing: Parco Archeologico Greco-Romano (‪260 Via Vittorio Emanuele, tel: 095 311004) is an interesting open-air museum located in the ancient Greek-Roman centre of Catania. Call the office for more details.

Key areas: Toarmina is a treasure! Located between Mount Etna and the sea, it offers great panoramas, an ancient Greek theatre, churches, palaces and a lot of shops. To get there, take a train from Catania and then a bus or a taxi to the centre of Taormina.

Catania News & Gossip

Cream of the Crop

Ever since the experimental chef brigade - led by Heston Blumenthal and co - showed an interest with such crazy varieties as bacon and egg, ice cream has become a fine-dining experience. Now, in parlours, kiosks and beach huts across Europe, you'll find luxury confections that are no mere childish treats. Whether you fancy a nitrogen-cooled number or a lavender-flavoured scoop, the choice is yours as we round up the best of the bunch...

Conditoriet La Glace
This grand 19th-century pâtisserie is dear to every Copenhagener's heart - including that of culinary superstar René Redzepi of the highly acclaimed restaurant, Noma. Its ice-cream sculptures have huge kitsch appeal and are made to La Glace's all-natural recipe, which dates back to 1870. 3 Skoubogade, 1158 Copenhagen, tel: +45 33 14 46 46, laglace.dk

The Chin Chin Laboratorists
Clad in lab coats and safety goggles, London couple Ahrash Akbari-Kalhur and Nyisha Weber make beautifully smooth ice cream in seconds using liquid nitrogen (the speedy process prevents crystals forming). 49-50 Camden Lock Place, London NW1 8AF, tel: +44 (0)7885 604284, chinchinlabs.com

Heladería Bruin
This Madrid establishment founded in 1964 looks traditional, but surprises with some of its outré concoctions. Foodies will enjoy the tomato, queso idiazábal (sheep's milk cheese) or olive oil; "drinkies" (to coin a phrase) can try pacharán (a Basque sloe liqueur). 48 Paseo del Pintor Rosales, 28008 Madrid, Spain, tel: +34 91 541 59 21, heladosbruin.com

Caffè Sicilia di Noto
Experimental gelatiere Corrado Assenza rubs shoulders with the world's top chefs, blindsiding even them with flights of fancy such as meat ice cream. His base and flavour lab is his family's café, in Noto, Sicily. Don't miss the cappuccino ghiacciato (iced coffee with almond-milk granita). 125 Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Noto, Italy, tel: +39 09 31 835 013

Fenocchio
What's a day at the seaside without an ice cream? Or a visit to Nice's old town without a stop at "Maître Glacier", Fenocchio? The shop's 94 flavours sing of summers on the Riviera and focus on tastes of the region: think thyme, verbena, violet, rose, lavender and olive. 2 Place Rossetti, 06630 Nice, France, +33 (0)4 93 80 72 52, fenocchio.fr 

Catania Trivia

• May: The University of Catania is the oldest and biggest university in Sicily. It was build in 1434 and today has more than 60,000 students.

• April: Since last January, Sicilians can pay with a new currency: the Sicanex (SCN). It is a virtual currency set up to help local businesses to grow. 1SCN = €1.

• March: Last January volcano Etna erupted once again. This time the column of smoke and lava reached an altitude of 5km from the main crater without damaging the surrounding cities.

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