The Orto Botanico of the University of Catania is the city's botanical garden, founded in 1858 and squeezed onto a couple of hectares between Via Etnea and the Benedictine monastery. It has a particular focus on Sicilian endemic plants, including the dwarf palm Chamaerops humilis and a famous collection of cycads.
A small greenhouse holds tropical species, and the central pool is fringed with papyrus from the Cyane river near Siracusa. Open most weekday mornings; a useful counterpoint to the surrounding stone.