Orto Botanico di Catania

Catania, Italy, Italy

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Orto Botanico di Catania, also known as the Hortus Botanicus Catinensis, is a historic botanical garden operated by the University of Catania in Sicily, Italy, covering 16,000 square meters in the city center.

Founded in 1858 by botanist Francesco Tornabene, it houses over 3,500 plant species from around the world, including notable collections of succulents, palms, Sicilian native flora, and rare endemics like Zelkova sicula, displayed in sections with greenhouses, a tropical humid house featuring coffee plants and Tillandsias, and a botanical museum.

Popular for guided tours, educational programs, and serene walks amid lush greenery, it's open year-round with varying hours and serves as a conservation oasis and teaching facility despite wartime damage and urban constraints. This sunny courtyard showcases the garden's charm with its palm trees, stone planters of pink flowers, and terracotta urns amid dense foliage.