Sicily, Italy · Europe
Messina is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Larderia, 48km from Gole dell'Alcantara.
Messina is a city located in Sicily, Italy. With a population of 219,948, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Messina sits in Italy, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Rome time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Messina to your route.
Messina ( mess-EE-nə, US also miss-; Italian: [mesˈsiːna] ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 217,033 inhabitants in the city proper and 595,948 in theRead more
metropolitan city as of 2025. It is located near the northeast corner of Sicily, at the Strait of Messina and it is an important access terminal to Calabria region, Villa San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria on the mainland.
Founded by the Sicels with the name of Zancle in 757 BC, which in their language meant sickle, it was repopulated by Greek colonists of Magna Graecia and renamed Messana. The city was renamed Messina in the Byzantine period. It was a major Roman city that contracted under the Byzantine and Arab rule to rise sharply in importance during the Norman era. It reached the height of its prosperity between the late Middle Ages and the mid-17th century, when it competed with Palermo for the role of capital of the Kingdom of Sicily.
Put to fire and sword in 1678 after a historic anti-Spanish revolt that led to the annihilation of its ruling class, it was seriously damaged by an earthquake in 1783. In 1908, another earthquake destroyed the city almost entirely, causing the death of about half the population. Rebuilding started in 1912, largely in the Liberty style, and an orderly and regular network of wide and straight streets in a north-south direction were built. Being a strategic target, the city of the strait was heavily bombed by the Allies of World War II in 1943 during the landing in Sicily, being hit by about 6,500 tons of explosives in about 2,800 air raids and four naval bombardments. This event earned the city the Gold Medal of Military Valor. Winston Churchill visited Messina after the bombing. He came to the city in July 1943, during the time when the Allies were executing the invasion of Sicily.
Its port, for thousands of years has been one of the main commercial crossroads of the Mediterranean and only recently becoming a port of call for ferries to the continent, is the first in Italy in terms of the number of passengers in transit. According to Eurostat the FUA of the metropolitan area of Messina has, in 2014, 277,584 inhabitants. The city has been a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and Archimandrite seat since 1548 and is home to the University of Messina.
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Messina offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Messina is located in Sicily, Italy, Europe. The coordinates are 38.1939 latitude, 15.5526 longitude.
Messina has a population of approximately 219,948 people, making it a city in Italy.
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Essential numbers in Italy
ACI roadside assistance: 803 116. ZTL (limited traffic zones) in city centres are camera-enforced.
Full driving guide for Italy6 notable places within an hour's drive.
photogenic
Fishermen's quarter of Scilla where houses rise straight out of the Strait of Messina, earning it the name 'little Venice of the South'. Swordfish boats with their towering lookout masts still land catches beneath Ruffo Castle.
16 km · about 30 min drive
ancient ruins
A Greek-Roman theatre framing Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea, Sicily's most spectacular ancient stage.
44 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
A glamorous hilltop town in Sicily with an ancient Greek theater offering jaw-dropping views of Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea.
45 km · about 50 min drive
beach
The site of the first Greek colony in Sicily, now a beach resort at the foot of Taormina with views of Mount Etna.
48 km · about 55 min drive
natural wonder
Basalt gorge near Etna where the cold Alcantara river cuts between 25-m walls of prismatic lava columns, like a Giant's Causeway turned canyon. Wade the icy river from the Motta Camastra entrance or view it from the free stairway.
48 km · about 55 min drive
beach
A rugged granite promontory in Calabria with pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and panoramic views of the Aeolian Islands.
54 km · about 60 min drive
April to October
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