Messina Travelers Recommend

The port city of Messina stretches along the northeast Ionian coast, the closest point on Sicily to mainland Italy. Though two 20th-century catastrophes—a 1908 earthquake and World War II bombings—devastated many of the city’s historic monuments, it is home to striking churches and elegant boulevards. Here’s how to take in the city in one day.

Morning: City Highlights

Messina may not have the Greek and Roman ruins that many other Sicilian cities do, but its historic center is home to a number of later architectural jewels, including the 12th-century Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani, as well as the reconstructed Norman cathedral, its spectacular bell tower and astronomical clock, and the nearby Fountain of Orion (Fontana di Orione). Learn about the city’s history and architecture with a guided morning walking or Segway tour that touches on these treasures, along with the later Church of San Camillo and Temple of Christ the King (Tempio Votivo di Cristo Re).

Afternoon: Artistic Masterpieces

Messina, like most Sicilian cities, can be oppressively hot in the afternoon, so take cover by visiting the city’s fine Regional Museum (Museo Regionale), which includes masterpieces from the Messina school and other Renaissance and baroque artists. Be sure to admire the San Gregorio (Saint Gregory) polyptych by local 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina, as well as his Madonna con bambino e santi (Virgin with Child and Saints). Other highlights include two dazzling works by Caravaggio: L'Adorazione dei pastori (Adoration of the Shepherds) and Risurrezione di Lazzaro (Resurrection of Lazarus).

Night: Food on the Streets and in the Kitchen

This evening, turn to Messina’s cuisine. Join a food tour to explore the city’s street-food tradition, stopping to taste Sicilian delicacies while you stroll through the old town with a guide. Alternatively, delve deep into the local cuisine with an informal cooking class led by a home cook to learn the secrets behind the city’s traditional dishes and enjoy the fruits of your labors paired with Sicilian wines at a family-style dinner. End your day with a turn down the city’s seafront promenade, stopping to admire the towering golden statue of the Madonna and the Neptune fountain.

Messina has long been the gateway to Sicily, and with three days you can both pause at the threshold to discover the city’s treasures and pass through to explore the island’s most important sights. You’ll even have time to experience Sicily as it’s depicted on the silver screen. Here are your options for three days in Messina.

Day 1: Messina’s Culture and Cuisine

Dedicate your first day to the culture and cuisine of the island’s largest port city. Though a disastrous 1908 earthquake and intensive World War II bombing destroyed much of Messina, a clutch of historic headliners remain. Take a walking or Segway tour through the old town to admire highlights such as the cathedral and the Norman Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani. Afterwards, pop in to see the Renaissance and baroque masterpieces in the Regional Museum, pausing before works by Antonello da Messina and Caravaggio. Finish your day by diving into the city’s culinary heart with a street-food tour or an in-home cooking lesson followed by a lively family-style meal.

Day 2: The Heights of Taormina and Mt. Etna

Set off south along the Ionian coast to one of the most beautiful towns in Sicily: Taormina. Perched on a hilltop above the coastline, the old town is home to the magnificent 2nd-century Greek Theater and 13th-century cathedral, as well as the bustling Corso Umberto I thoroughfare and Piazza IX Aprile, with its scenic terrace overlooking the countryside to the sea. From Taormina, make a quick stop either above or below town in the charming hilltop village of Castelmola or coastal outcrop of Isola Bella. Finally, take a guided walk on Mt. Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, then stop at one of the mountainside wineries on the way back down for a tasting.

Day 3: Sicily on the Silver Screen

Sicily is the setting for much of The Godfather, and fans of Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic franchise can join themed tours that trace the series’ most important locations. Godfather completists will enjoy visiting the village of Savoca, backdrop to the wedding between Michael Corleone and Apollonia Vitelli in the church of Santa Lucia. Most tours also stop in Forza D’agrò, where Santa Annunziata Cathedral stood in for the main square of Corleone, as well as at the villa where Michael was ultimately betrayed and Apollonia killed. Also learn about the history of Sicily’s mafia, its clan wars, and its spread to the New World from your guide before returning to Messina.

Sicily’s busiest port, Messina is a popular jumping-off point for visiting sights farther down the Ionian coast. Spend a day taking in the city’s architecture, art, and street food before adventuring farther south to admire the ancient ruins in Taormina and the smoldering peak of Mount Etna. Here’s how to spend two days in Messina.

Day 1: Messina

**Morning:**Dedicate the morning to exploring the old town, rebuilt after a devastating earthquake and World War II bombing. A handful of historic buildings survive, so join a walking or Segway tour to visit the 12th-century Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani, Norman cathedral flanked by its spectacular bell tower and astronomical clock, and Fountain of Orion. 

**Afternoon:**As the temperatures start to soar, take refuge in the halls of the Regional Museum, hung with an impressive collection of masterpieces by the Messina school and other Renaissance and baroque artists. Highlights include works by the 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina, a local treasure, and the inimitable Caravaggio.

**Night:**Unwind after a day of art and architecture with a food tour, discovering Sicilian street food during a guided stroll through the historic center. True foodies can opt for a home-style cooking class led by a local cook for a hands-on lesson in preparing traditional Sicilian dishes. Cap off the evening with a festive dinner to sample what you’ve created in the kitchen.

Day 2: Taormina and Mt. Etna

**Morning:**One of the most head-turning hill towns in Sicily, perched high above the coast, Taormina is a delightful mix of the truly ancient and simply historic. Tour the old town with a guide to fully appreciate its dazzling Greek Theater, lively Corso Umberto I, and panoramic Piazza IX Aprile. 

**Afternoon:**Many day trips to Taormina make a brief but scenic stop at the tiny hill town of Castelmola, with a crumbling castle above and postcard-ready views of the coastline below. Alternatively, head to Isola Bella, below Taormina, a dramatic, rocky outcrop along the coast—it’s a photographer’s paradise.

**Night:**Take advantage of the golden late-afternoon light to summit Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, which rumbles and belches on the horizon above Sicily’s eastern coastline. Explore the lava flows and craters on foot, and then stop for a tour and tasting at one of the wineries located on its slopes.