Gay Catania 2026

Gay Catania: The Honest 2026 Guide

Last verified: October 2026 · Compiled from venue checks and local and international sources from 2025–2026 · Report a change

Catania is a black-and-gold city. Its baroque churches and palazzi are built from black lava stone, Etna smokes above the rooftops, and in Piazza del Duomo the Liotru, a lava-stone elephant carrying an obelisk, keeps watch over the morning racket of the Pescheria fish market. Breakfast is a granita with a warm brioche, lunch is an arancino eaten standing up, and the evening passeggiata flows up and down Via Etnea before aperitivo on the Alessi steps. The gay scene is small but has deep roots: one historic bar on the Alessi steps, a cruise bar, two saunas by the station, an active Arcigay and a Pride that has filled Via Etnea every summer for a quarter of a century. Don't expect a gay district. Do expect a warm, loud, food-obsessed city that's easy to love.

Legal in one line: Sex between men has been legal in Italy since 1890, and same-sex civil unions since 2016, but there is no full marriage or joint adoption, and no national hate-crime law covering sexual orientation. Gay saunas and cruise bars operate legally as private members' clubs, which is why you'll be asked for a membership card.

A little history

Catania's scene grew up in the 1990s. According to a 2026 history of the local community published by Balarm, the city's first gay bar, the Pegasino, opened in 1994, followed by the Pegaso club, where Arcigay Catania was born; the association is still called Arcigay Pegaso today. Catania's first public gay pride event, in 1994, remembered the victims of HIV and AIDS, and its first Pride parade was held in 2000. In the early 2000s the Scalinata Alessi, the long flight of steps off Via Crociferi, became the city's informal "gay street". Many of the old bars and meeting places have since closed, but the steps are still where the story continues.

Bars and nights out

Hasta Siempre (Nievski) · Via Alessi 15, Scalinata Alessi

The historic meeting place of Catania's queer community: a small, casual, left-leaning bar and osteria on the Alessi steps, near the university. Locals still call it Nievski, its old name, and GayOut's listing says the old sign is still up. Drinks and simple food are cheap, with vegetarian and vegan options, and on warm evenings the crowd of gay men, lesbians and students spills out onto the steps. There's no dance floor and no dress code. Some long-time regulars say the decor has changed since the Nievski days. Hours aren't published on its listing, so check its social pages before you go; it's an evening place that runs late.

Codice Rosso · Via Conte Ruggero 48

A men-only cruising bar with cabins, darkrooms and slings, plus occasional theme nights (underwear and similar parties). Travel Gay says it opened in 2005 and describes it as Sicily's first cruising bar. ARCO, the national club network, gives its hours as Wednesday to Sunday, 21:00–02:00, and until 04:00 on Saturdays; it's closed on Monday and Tuesday. It's an ARCO member club, so you'll need the membership card (see below).

Party nights

Catania has no weekly gay disco. The bigger queer nights are one-off or seasonal parties, which move between venues, plus the events around Pride. In the run-up to Pride 2025, for example, there were drag nights and talks at Via Raffineria 44 and a closing party at Mercati Generali. GayOut also lists Industrie, a large mainstream club at Via Acquicella Porto 13 near the port, as a venue for LGBTQ+ party nights; it hosted Pride performances in 2015, but we could not confirm a regular gay night there in 2026, and recent reviews are mixed. Follow Arcigay Catania and Open Catania on social media for what's on this month, and take a taxi to and from the port area at night.

Saunas, in brief

Catania has two men-only saunas, both within a short walk of Catania Centrale station. See our full guide to the gay saunas in Catania for hours, prices and reviews.

• Terme di Achille, Via Tezzano 13: running since 2005, on two floors, with a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and hydromassage pool. Its website gives 14:00–22:00 daily. Recent reviews are mostly warm. Visitors say it's cash only.
• South Factory Club (SFC), Via Fischetti (most sources give no. 10): bigger, with a large hydromassage pool and a Friday naked party, but visitors from late 2025 to early 2026 reported a cold pool and few customers, while a June 2026 visitor found it hot and clean again. Phone before you go: 351 815 7808.

The card: Italian saunas and cruise bars are private clubs. Many guides still talk about the ANDDOS card; today the main network is ARCO. You join in person with photo ID, and non-Italians can take a 90-day Travel Card. Terme di Achille and Codice Rosso are ARCO clubs; SFC isn't on ARCO's list, so ask at its door which card it issues.

Keep it indoors. Directories, GayOut included, list outdoor cruising areas around Catania. We don't. Sex in a public place is illegal in Italy and can bring fines of thousands of euros, or criminal charges near places used by minors, and isolated spots at night can carry a risk of robbery. The saunas and Codice Rosso are the safe, legal options.

S
South Factory Club Catania
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Le Terme di Achille

Catania Pride

Catania Pride 2026 ran from 24 to 27 June under the theme "Diritti, libertà ed inclusione" (rights, freedom and inclusion). The parade on Saturday 27 June left Piazza Cavour, known locally as the Borgo, at 17:00 and marched down Via Etnea to Piazza Università, with floats, music and rainbow-decked streets. Local press reported speeches from Arcigay Catania, Open Catania and the Lenford network of LGBTQ+ rights lawyers, and the mood was as political as it was festive. Dates move: the 2025 parade was on 5 July, with warm-up events in May. The 2027 date hadn't been announced at the time of writing.



Community: Arcigay Catania and Open Catania

Arcigay Catania (Arcigay Pegaso) is based at Via Verona 84. It's a meeting point as well as a campaigning group: alongside Pride it runs games nights, a creative-writing workshop, a women's group and events such as a Holocaust Memorial Day walk, and reviewers describe it as welcoming and safe. Opening hours aren't published, so contact it first through Instagram (@arcigaycatania) or Facebook. In March 2025 its headquarters was vandalised with fascist graffiti, which was condemned by local politicians and the city council.

Open Catania, founded in 2023, is a queer, transfeminist collective linked to Arci and one of Pride's co-organisers. In January 2026 it was one of the voices criticising a gelateria near Piazza Duomo for selling a pink-and-green "pistacchio gay" flavour, a small row that says a lot about where the city still is.

Health: if a condom breaks, PEP must start within 72 hours; go to a hospital emergency department (pronto soccorso). Ask Arcigay where to get a free HIV or STI test in the city.

Eat and drink like a Catanese

• Granita and brioche: the Sicilian breakfast, with the granita served alongside a warm brioche col tuppo (the round brioche with a little bun on top) for dunking. Pistachio or almond are the classics; Savia, on Via Etnea opposite Villa Bellini, is one of the city's best-known places to order one.
• The Pescheria: the fish market behind Piazza del Duomo, best in the morning. Around it are simple places cooking the catch. GayOut lists mm street food at Via Pardo 26, where reviewers praise the grilled octopus, swordfish parmigiana and tuna dishes and the friendly owner.
• Pasta alla Norma: pasta with aubergine, tomato and salted ricotta, named, the story goes, after the opera by Catania's own Vincenzo Bellini.
• Horse meat: the streets around Castello Ursino are known for grilled horse-meat stalls in the evening, a very Catanese ritual.
• Aperitivo: start around Piazza Bellini and the Teatro Massimo, then drift up to the Alessi steps.

Other GayOut restaurant picks include Angiò Macelleria di mare for seafood and Putì for Sicilian cooking.

Crazy Pizza Catania
Angiò Macelleria di mare
mm street food



Where to stay

Stay in the historic centre, between Piazza del Duomo, Via Etnea and Via Crociferi, and you can walk to Hasta Siempre, the Pescheria and the Pride route. The saunas are by the station, a short walk or taxi away. GayOut's gay-friendly listings include:

• Palace Catania | UNA Esperienze, Via Etnea 218: a central hotel on the main street; guests mention a rooftop bar with views of Etna, and some street noise.
• Hotel Biscari, Via Giovanni Anzalone 7: a well-reviewed central option, though reviewers mention a lot of stairs, so check if access matters to you.
• See all gay-friendly hotels in Catania, including Hotel Costanza and Hotel Valentino.
Hotel Costanza
Hotel Valentino
Palace Catania | UNA Esperienze
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Beaches

Catania sits on two very different coasts. North of the centre, the city swims off black lava rocks at San Giovanni Li Cuti, a small cove of lava rocks that's popular with locals in summer. South of the port, the long sandy Plaia runs along Viale Kennedy, lined with lidi (beach clubs) that rent sunbeds and host aperitivi and parties. GayOut lists one of them, Le Capannine at Viale Kennedy 93, which has a bar, restaurant and beach parties; it's a mainstream lido and we found no source describing it as a gay beach, so think of it as a relaxed, mixed place to spend the day.

For naturism, the best-known beach in eastern Sicily is Marianelli, in the Vendicari reserve near Noto, roughly 100 km south of Catania, then about a 20-minute walk from the car park. Nudity there is customary, not officially authorised, and it's popular with naturists and gay men at weekends. Be discreet, bring water and shade, and respect the reserve's rules.

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Le Capannine
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Foce del Simeto (Oasi del Simeto)



Getting around

• From the airport: the Alibus leaves from in front of the old terminal building at Fontanarossa and reaches Catania Centrale in about 15 minutes, before continuing to Via Etnea and Piazza Stesicoro. In 2026 a ticket cost €4, bought on board (cash or card) or in the AMT Catania app, and was valid for 90 minutes on city buses. Buses run from about 04:40 to 00:30, every 18–25 minutes.
• Taxis: the stand is at the arrivals exit, and the radiotaxi number is +39 095 330966. According to press reports, a provisional fixed fare of €27 applies between the airport and Piazza Duomo or the central station from 1 July to 31 December 2026. Confirm the price before you set off.
• In town: the centre is compact and walkable, mostly flat along Via Etnea and steeper up the Alessi steps. Use a taxi for the port and the station area late at night.

Safety and practical tips

• The mood: Catania is a lively university city, used to visitors, and Pride is a big event. But local activists say the city still has a problem with how gay identity is perceived, so read the room, especially away from the centre.
• Know the risks: in April 2025, a group of young queer people eating at a fast-food restaurant in the centre at about 5 a.m. was insulted and then attacked with punches and stools; the attackers were identified from CCTV and charged with discriminatory aggravating circumstances. Late at night, stay with friends and take a taxi home.
• The station area: the streets around Catania Centrale, where the saunas are, are quiet and poorly lit late at night. Don't walk long distances there alone after dark.
• Apps: as anywhere, meet new contacts in a public place first and tell a friend where you're going.
• Cash and ID: carry euros in small notes and your passport or ID card, which you'll need for the club card.
• When to go: late June for Pride; spring and autumn for walking weather. In early February, the Festa di Sant'Agata, the city's patron saint, takes over the centre for days.



A few words to know

• Liotru – the lava elephant in Piazza del Duomo, the city's symbol.
• Arancino – the fried rice ball. In Catania it's masculine, arancino; in Palermo it's arancina, and people care.
• Granita e brioche – the Sicilian summer breakfast.
• Mbare – mate, bro: Catanese slang you'll hear everywhere.
• Amuninni! (also spelt ammuninni) – Sicilian for "let's go!", often with a note of impatience.
• Talìa! – "look!" in Sicilian.
• Orgoglio – pride. Corteo – the parade.
• Tessera – membership card. Ingresso – entry. Quanto costa? – how much is it?
• Pronto soccorso – hospital emergency department.
• No, grazie – no, thanks. It works everywhere, and you can always say no or leave.

At a glance

Frequently asked questions

Is there a gay scene in Catania?

Yes, a small one with deep roots. The historic meeting place is Hasta Siempre, also known as Nievski, on the Alessi steps near the university. Codice Rosso on Via Conte Ruggero is a men-only cruise bar, and there are two men-only saunas near the central station. Bigger nights are occasional parties rather than a weekly gay club, so check Arcigay Catania and venue social pages for what is on.

Where is the gay sauna in Catania?

There are two, both a short walk from Catania Centrale station. Terme di Achille, at Via Tezzano 13, opens daily from 14:00 to 22:00 according to its website and is the steadier of the two. South Factory Club (SFC), on Via Fischetti, is larger but recent reviews are mixed, so call ahead. Both are men-only private clubs, so expect to be asked for a membership card.

When is Catania Pride?

Usually in late June or early July. Catania Pride 2026 ran from 24 to 27 June, with the parade on Saturday 27 June from Piazza Cavour (the Borgo) down Via Etnea to Piazza Università. In 2025 the parade was on 5 July. The 2027 date had not been announced at the time of writing.

Is Catania safe for gay travellers?

Generally yes, and the centre is lively and used to visitors, but local activists say the city still has a problem with how gay identity is perceived. In April 2025 a group of young queer people was attacked in a fast-food restaurant in the centre in the early hours, and the attackers were later charged with discriminatory aggravating circumstances. Use normal big-city care late at night, take a taxi from the station area after dark, and keep things indoors.

How do I get from Catania airport to the city centre?

The Alibus runs from Fontanarossa airport to Catania Centrale station in about 15 minutes, then on to Via Etnea and Piazza Stesicoro. A ticket cost €4 in 2026, valid for 90 minutes, and buses run from about 04:40 until 00:30. Taxis wait at arrivals; press reports give a provisional fixed fare of €27 to Piazza Duomo or the central station from July to December 2026.

Part of the GayOut city guides. See also the Catania saunas guide and more gay Italy destinations.