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How loud is Catania, Italy?

In Catania, Italy, most noise-exposed residents face average day-evening-night (Lden) transport noise of 50–70 dB, mostly from road traffic, dropping to 50–65 dB at night. That ranks Catania #179 of 314 European cities by measured EEA exposure, below the European median — quieter than most cities in the ranking.

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Noise map of Catania, Italy: aircraft noise contours from the EU strategic noise maps, shaded yellow (≈55 dB Lden) through orange and red to dark purple (≈75 dB+), over the city's street network.
Catania's aircraft noise, mapped: each band is a measured Lden contour from the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2022 round) — yellow ≈55 dB rising to dark purple ≈75 dB+. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors, © CARTO.
Catania at a glance (measured EEA data)
European rank (of 314) #179
Daytime Lden range 50–70 dB
Night Lnight range 50–65 dB
vs. WHO guideline ≈ 7 dB above the 53 dB Lden road-noise guideline (night guideline: 45 dB)
Dominant source road traffic
Population 314,125
Data confidence high

Catania houses 314,125 people. Its noise-exposed residents experience Lden levels of 50–70 dB by day and 50–65 dB at night, driven mainly by road traffic, which puts it #179 of 314 in the measured European ranking — below the European median — quieter than most cities in the ranking. Among Italy's 34 ranked agglomerations, Catania is the 15th-loudest. Across Europe it sits just below Tours, France (#178) and just above Amersfoort, Netherlands (#180).

The WHO road-traffic guideline is 53 dB Lden by day and 45 dB Lnight at night, so Catania's exposed residents run roughly 7 dB above the daytime guideline. The figures count road, rail, aircraft and industry only, so sirens, nightlife and construction sit outside the model — which is why measured exposure can differ from a city's reputation for noise.

These are measured values, not estimates: they come from Italy's strategic noise maps reported under the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2022 round) and harmonised by the European Environment Agency. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only people above the 55 dB Lden reporting threshold are counted, so the range describes the noise-exposed population, not the city's quietest streets.

Catania noise: the numbers

  • Ranks #179 of 314 European cities by measured day-evening-night (Lden) transport-noise exposure.
  • Exposed residents face Lden 50–70 dB by day and Lnight 50–65 dB at night.
  • Dominant noise source: road traffic. Population 314,125.
  • The 15th-loudest of Italy's 34 ranked agglomerations.

These are measured values from the EU Environmental Noise Directive strategic noise maps (2022 round), harmonised by the European Environment Agency — see the methodology on the European city ranking. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only residents above the 55 dB Lden threshold are reported.

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