The centro storico is the baroque heart of Catania, the area rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake on a deliberate grid of straight wide streets and large squares. It runs roughly from Piazza Stesicoro south to the port and from the Benedictine monastery east to the railway station.
This is where almost every monument in the city sits — the cathedral and Pescheria, Via Etnea, Via dei Crociferi, Castello Ursino, Piazza Università. It is also where most of the best eating and drinking is found, particularly around Piazza Università and the side streets off Via Etnea.