Messina: The Gateway to Sicily

Today, Messina is a key access and transit point for cruise and tourist traffic, with its impressive port being the busiest in Italy in terms of passenger numbers. The city truly offers a lot to visitors. Every corner of the city center has its own attraction.

Messina is therefore not just a transit and logistics hub; it truly deserves a longer stay to explore its beautiful historic center, starting from Piazza Duomo with its Orion Fountain, continuing to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III and the magnificent Teatro Vittorio Emanuele II, as well as the Cristo Re area.

It’s a Messina rich in culture, architecture, and spirituality — for example, the Church of San Francesco d'Assisi, the first built in Sicily by the order of the same name.

Among the many other tourist attractions, don’t miss a walk around the Ganzirri Lakes, an afternoon of shopping at Viale San Martino and Piazza Cairoli, and, of course, a lunch featuring focaccia, arancini, and mozzarella in carrozza in the neighborhoods famous for their street food. In the evening, both around the lakes and in the small squares of the center, nightlife comes alive with music and culinary themes.

Moreover, Messina offers a complete cuisine that in many ways differs from other Sicilian localities. Both meat and fish are staples, reflecting the city’s border position by the sea and its long history influenced by centuries of various dominations. The local cuisine itself is a discovery and a tourist attraction.