Location

The Third International Conference CATALYSIS FOR RENEWABLE SOURCES: FUEL, ENERGY, CHEMICALS will be held in Italy, Sicily. The choice of the organizers was dictated by the great development of this scientific direction in Italy, especially at the University of Messina.   Besides, Sicily is a beautiful and attractive island on the southern tip of Italy. It is a largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most fascinating places of the area. The climate of Sicily is typically Mediterranean, with the exception of Mount Etna, a 3300 meters high volcano with Alpine climate.

  Sicily is a large island; towns are connected by train and bus services. One of the most gorgeous and splendid cities is Taormina, a fashionable resort with beaches nearby. It is a world famous city, being quintessential of both charming, and the medieval town on a mountain top. Palermo, the regional capital, is one of Italy's largest cities with many sights of interest. It is worth mentioning the extremely attractive and magnificent city of Syracuse – it was an important Greek town, home to Archimedes.




 Catania is Sicily’s second largest city, with a population of around 300,000. It lies on the Ionian Sea, at the south-east of Sicily, under the shadow of Mount Etna, or “A Muntagna” as the locals refers to it. Mount Etna is Europe's highest and most active volcano. Etna is ever-present and in a large extent shapes both the history, and the actual existence of Catania. On several occasions volcanic eruptions destroyed the city, the most devastating of which happened in the 17th Century. In 1669 Catania was covered in lava and then, just 24 years later in 1693 an earthquake has shaken the town to its foundations. The reaction to this latter catastrophe was amazing: the entire old part of town was rebuilt in Baroque style, with large, wide open squares and avenues. The most remarkable aspect, however, was the building material used: lava! Catania is essentially a “grey” city and unique in the world for this.

  Most of Catania's wide streets and majestic palaces were built during the eighteenth century that coincides with development of Naples. The architectural similarity between these two cities is striking. Both cities were continually menaced by volcanic eruptions, though Etna is larger and more active than Vesuvius. During the reconstruction period of eighteenth century the noble families from across eastern Sicily began to build palazzo in Catania. Thus began a social and economic rivalry with Palermo that continues to this day. One of the essential differences between the cities is that while Catania is somewhat more industrial, Palermo remains the administrative center of Sicily.


Nowadays, the Baroque city of Catania, birthplace of the famous composer Bellini, remains an attractive, fantastic, incredibly amazing town, and also a place where you can visit the Etna.