FIREFLY Car Rental at Catania Airport

Firefly Car Rental at Catania Airport has a small office not far from the terminals, where a pick-up and drop off parking area is located near the airport's main car parking lots. Leave the terminal's arrivals area through the main exit and turn right after 50 metres. The office is open from 8.00 am to midnight every day and can be contacted on +39 095 340 614 or +39 392 434 225. Customers with children can hire child seats as optional extras, and GPS systems are also available on request. It is worth noting there are a number of car rental companies located within the airport.

Staying in the center of Catania, just 4.2 km distance from the airport, means being surrounded by some of Europe's most beautiful architecture. The Via dei Crociferi is one of Catania's most stunning streets, filled with many churches and monuments such as the Church of St Francesco Borgia, the Church of San Benedetto, the San Benedetto Arch and the Church of San Giuliana, which was built between 1739 and 1751 and is attributed to Giovanni Battista Vaccarini. He redesigned the city in the 18th century after years of destruction by lava flows and earthquakes.

Lentini in the province of Syracuse in the south-east of Sicily is located about 34 km distance from Catania via the E45 motorway. The town center is dominated by the lovely Church of Santa Maria La Cava and Saint Alfio, which stands in the Piazza del Duomo and is Lentini's main church. Just outside of the town is the area archeologica delcastellaccio, an archaeological site of some importance, as it was one of Emperor Frederick II's strongholds, when the Hofenstaufen emperor came to conquer Sicily. He was also responsible for naming, and founding, the town of Augusta.

Augusta also lies in the province of Syracuse, about 46.6 km via the E45 motorway, a 43 minute drive from Catania. Augusta is one of the main ports in the area, facing the Ionian Sea. Emperor Frederick II founded Augusta reputedly in 1232, and an imposing fortress at the town's heart bears witness to Augusta's strategic importance in the Middle Ages. The fortress protected the island against pirate attacks and invasion. Built along a square plan, the fortress has eight towers and is still called the Swabian Castle to this day because of its connection to Emperor Frederick II.

Later fortifications include Fort Vittoria, which also protects the harbour, and sits out to sea. Built sometime in the 1500's, the small fort was at some point used by the Italian Navy in later centuries.