Messina, Sicily. IT

Messina is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, Italy and the capital of the province of Messina. It is located near the North-East corner of Sicily, and is the closest point on Sicily to mainland Italy. It is easily accessible from Reggio di Calabria or Villa San Giovanni on the mainland.

Messina is a modern city with few intact monuments due to an earthquake in 1908 and Allie bombings in 1943. It is gateway to nearby Taormina, Mt Etna and ancient Naxos.

Things to See & Do

* Palazzo Calapaj - near the Duomo
* The Fountain of Orion and the Fountain of Neptune
* The San Ranieri Lighthouse
* Messina Cathedral
* Mt Etna and Taormina

General information

Cruise Season - Feb to Dec
Currency - Euro (€)
Language - Italian
Land Area - 211 km²
Population - 250,000 approx
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC + one hour
International Country Telephone Code - 39

Port Location -The port of Messina is a short walk from the main shopping area of Messina along Via Garibaldi, Piazza Cairoli, and Viale San Martino.

Travel Links - There are at least hourly ferries to and from Messina to Villa San Giovanni on the mainland and also several hydrofoils each day to Reggio di Calabria.
Messina is Sicily's link to the main Italian train network. Long distance trains from Rome and Naples cross the Straits of Messina by ferry and continue on to Palermo and Catania. Regular regional trains also run to Milazzo, Cefalu, Taormina and Syracuse.
Long-distance buses stop in Messina, linking Rome and Naples to Catania and Palermo. Regular buses also run to Taormina and Milazzo (for the Aeolian Islands).