Until 1646, this agricultural settlement on the southern slopes of Mount Etna was known as Plachi. Its identity shifted when the Gravina noble family arrived from Apulia, taking over the estate, upgrading it to a principality, and leaving their surname on the map. For centuries, the community relied entirely on farming.
That rural focus ended abruptly in the 1960s. A rapid influx of residents relocating from nearby Catania—just a few kilometers away—completely altered the landscape. Now counting roughly 26,500 people, Gravina di Catania holds the second-highest population density in Sicily, having traded its agricultural roots for a highly urbanized environment.
The Gravina di Catania guide
Near Gravina di Catania
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
