MESSINA
The gateway to Sicily
Messina was founded in 730 B.C. with the name of
Zancle, from an old Greek-Sicilian word, for its characteristic
sickle shaped (zanclon) port. Later Anaxilas, the tyrant of Reggio Calabria,
called it Messene, in homage to his native land.Over 2,700 years of history have left indelible traces in the culture, customs and characteristics of Messina, whose particular geographical position has led it to assume the role of gateway to Sicily. A truly marvellous gateway: infact, the extraordinary beauty of its coast strikes the visitor soon after he leaves the Continent from Villa San Giovanni or Reggio Calabria and crosses the Strait (with his dangerous currents also sung by Homer in his legend of Scylla and Charybdis) to approach and reach the sickle shaped port, over which the tall statue of the Madonnina, the protectress of the city, stands in welcome. The modern town of Messina stretches harmoniously along the shore, in some parts reaching up the green hillsides, sloping outcrops of the Peloritan Mountains. Messina offers its visitors its patrimony of art and its monument. Let us mention in a brief review: the Duomo, first of all, with its treasures and its unique astronomical-mechanical clock with moving figures; the Chiesa Annunziata dei Catalani (XII cent.) in Arab-Norman style; the ruins of the Chiesa of S. Maria Alemanna (XIII cent.), the Chiesa of S. Giovanni di Malta (an example of Sicilian Baroque); the ruins of the Monastero di S. Maria della Valle or Badiazza (XII cent.); the medieval apses of the ancient Chiesa di S. Francesco (1254), the Monument to Don Giovanni d'Austria by Calamech (1582), the Monte di Pieta', an old institution whose architecture dates back to the seventeenth century.
Not to be missed: a visit to the National Museum (open from 9 A.M. to 1.30 P.M. weekdays, except Mondays, from 9 A.M. to 12.30 P.M. holidays). Remarkable the sixteenth century fountains of Neptune and Orion, by Montorsoli, a pupil of Michelangelo.
Click here for a nice photo collection of Italian fountains.
Interesting and important events take place in the city in every season of the year: the International Trade Fair, the theatre and concert season and the International Male and female Basket-ball tournaments.
There are also folkloristic and religious events which attract many people: the Procession of the Giants (August 14th), the Procession of the Vara (August 15th), the International Folklore Gala and, also in August, the Procession of the Vascelluzzo (Corpus Domini).
From Messina there are suggestive itineraries to places of great beauty: San Rizzo hill, from where one can admire the two shores of the Strait: the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian; the lakes of Ganzirri and of Faro, delightful holiday resorts; Cape Peloro (Cariddi) and the beaches of Mortelle on the Tyrrhenian sea. In one day, one can make excursions to Taormina, Tindari, Milazzo and the Aeolian Islands .
Messina can be easily reached from the Continent by train; by car, by way of
the Autostrada del Sole; by plane, from Reggio Calabria and Catania airports.
Among the wines we remember: the Malvasia of Lipari, Faro, Capo Bianco, Cariddi e Mamertino.
Click here to have a view of our gastronomic specialities.