In the center of Catania, a neighborhood, once the “red light district” of the city, which is aiming for its urban and cultural rebirth thanks to an original street art project.

A few steps from the Teatro Massimo Vincenzo Bellini and Piazza Stesicoro, there is one of the most fascinating walks in Catania, the one through the San Berillo district which takes its name from the first bishop of the city.

Developed after the terrible earthquake of 1693, the area was destined to become residential, but the project never materialized so much so that, having become one of the “forgotten lands” on the outskirts of the city, it was populated with brothels until their closure by law in 1958.

Nothing is born out from diamonds, flowers grow from manure.

(Fabrizio De Andrè, Via del Campo)

Since then the neighborhood has been awaiting its urban and social rebirth and, to raise the spotlight on this issue, the path of street art was chosen thanks to the interest of many residents and artists who, in those semi-abandoned streets and buildings in awaiting renovation, they saw blank canvases on which to display their works.

Today, San Berillo is one of the most interesting neighborhoods for urban art in Europe, joining more famous destinations such as the East Side Gallery in Berlin, Germany, or Metelkova in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Walking through the narrow streets, in addition to letting your gaze wander curiously among the many works and installations, you can also learn a lot about the neighborhood and Catania itself, as some of the works are closely connected to its history.

Like the “Let’s adopt an icon” project which involved students from the city’s schools in the recovery of traditional votive altars decorated with festoons of citrus fruits and typical sweets, or the mural depicting Isis, leading us to the syncretism between the goddess and Saint Agata, or, again, the geisha of the street artist Luprete who refers to the red light past of the neighborhood.

And if after the walk you want a culinary treat, just a 5-minute walk away you can go to Me Cumpari Turiddu, a traditional Sicilian restaurant with the atmosphere of the romantic Little Italy of the 1920s of Once upon a time in America, among stalls full of artisanal specialties, lace and fairy lights.

The Secret

The street artists work in synergy with the inhabitants of San Berillo, so much so that some works were inspired by them, such as the portrait of various cats that belong to ladies in the neighborhood.