During a 2700 years history made of different cultures (Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, etc.), Catania was a rich commercial center, mainly because of the port. Again, since the 70's, the city economy is growing as the urban area and the suburbs, making Catania a large metropolitan center, mainly between the volcano and the sea. Today, even if you can find there most of the biggest commercial centers in Europe (especially Etnapolis), the old 17e century downtown area is still the center of the day-to-day life.Catania is situated under the most major currently active volcano in Europe and has been destroyed many times in the past. The result, a city where you can find a great variety of landscape and architecture, a lot of dirty buildings and also lot of abandoned houses, especially in the mountain. Whenever, since the city is a World Heritage Site, lot of renovations are made.Today, you will feel in Catania a mixed of nostalgia and "joie de vivre", especially at night or during festivals. http://wikitravel.org/en/Catania