Messina is a city that rewards visitors who look beyond the ferry terminal. While most travellers pass through on their way to the Aeolian Islands or Taormina, the city holds two of Sicily’s finest cultural treasures: the world’s largest astronomical clock and two original Caravaggio paintings. The 1908 earthquake destroyed 90% of the city, so what you see today is largely early 20th-century reconstruction, but the surviving medieval gems and the restored wide boulevards give Messina a distinct character. From Norman-Arab churches to panoramic hilltop sanctuaries, here are the best things to do in Messina. Messina weather by month. best time to visit Messina. Messina events and festivals. Messina neighborhoods guide. where to stay in Messina. Messina travel tips.
Things to Do in Messina: Historic Centre
Cathedral of Messina (Duomo) and Bell Tower
The Duomo di Messina on Piazza Duomo is the city’s symbolic heart. Built by the Normans in the 12th century and consecrated in 1197, the original structure was nearly destroyed in the 1908 earthquake and again by Allied bombing in 1943. What stands today is a faithful reconstruction completed in the 1920s. The interior features a gilded coffered ceiling and the tomb of Archbishop Guidotto de Tabiatis (1333). The real showpiece stands outside: the 60-metre campanile (bell tower), home to the largest and most complex astronomical clock in the world. Built in 1933 by the Ungerer company of Strasbourg, the clock’s mechanical figures spring to life every day at noon. A gilded lion roars, a rooster crows and flaps its wings, Dina the dove circles above, and statues of the Church, Faith, and the Madonna della Lettera rotate on a platform. The entire performance lasts about 15 minutes. Climb the tower (EUR 5, open 10:00-13:00 and 16:00-19:00) for views across the strait to Calabria. The cathedral itself is free to enter.
Fountain of Orion (Fontana di Orione)
Sitting in front of the cathedral on Piazza Duomo, this Renaissance masterpiece was sculpted by Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli, a pupil of Michelangelo, in 1553. The fountain depicts Orion, the mythical founder of Messina, surrounded by four cherubs riding dolphins representing the rivers Tiber, Nile, Ebro, and Camaro. The upper basin features four tritons and the lower level has eight mythological figures. The marble is Carrara white, and the fountain still uses its original 16th-century hydraulic system. Montorsoli built it to celebrate the completion of Messina’s first aqueduct, which brought water from the Peloritani mountains to the city. Visit in the evening when the fountain is illuminated.
Church of Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani
This 12th-century church on Via Garibaldi is one of the few structures in Messina that survived the 1908 earthquake largely intact. Built during the Norman period with clear Arab-Byzantine influences, the church has a distinctive striped stone exterior (alternating light and dark bands) and three apses facing east, a layout more common in Byzantine churches than Italian ones. The interior is compact but atmospheric, with original 13th-century columns topped with Arabic-style capitals. The church is free to enter and typically open 09:00-12:00 and 16:00-18:00, though hours are irregular. It sits 3 metres below current street level, a result of centuries of urban buildup from earthquakes and reconstruction.
Things to Do in Messina: Museums and Art
Regional Museum of Messina (MuMe)
The Museo Regionale Interdisciplinare, known locally as MuMe, is worth visiting for two paintings alone: Caravaggio’s “Adoration of the Shepherds” (1609) and “Raising of Lazarus” (1609), both painted during the artist’s frantic final year in Sicily while he was on the run from a murder charge. The museum also houses a substantial collection of Antonello da Messina’s works, including the “Polyptych of San Gregorio” (1473). The archaeology section covers Messina’s Greek and Roman periods (the city was founded as Zancle by Greek colonists in the 8th century BCE). Located at Viale della Libertà 465, about 3 km north of the centre. Entry is EUR 8 (EUR 4 reduced). Open Tuesday-Saturday 09:00-19:00, Sunday 09:00-13:00. Closed Monday. The museum reopened in 2017 after a major renovation and is modern, well-lit, and has excellent English-language information panels.
Gallery of the Vittorio Emanuele III
Housed in the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele II (the opera house on Via Garibaldi), this small gallery contains 19th-century Sicilian paintings and rotating contemporary exhibitions. The theatre itself is worth a look for its neoclassical facade and ornate interior. The gallery is free and open during theatre hours (typically 10:00-17:00, closed during rehearsals). Check at the box office before entering.
Things to Do in Messina: Views, Nature and Day Trips
Sanctuary of Montalto (Santuario di Montalto)
Perched on the hillside above the city, this 20th-century church offers the best panoramic view of Messina, the Strait, and the Calabrian coast beyond. The sanctuary was built in 1928 as a votive offering after the city survived the 1908 earthquake. The bell tower features an 8-metre gilded statue of the Madonna. From the terrace, you can watch ferries crisscross the strait and, on clear days, see Mount Etna smoking 70 km to the south. To get there, walk up the scenic Viale Italia staircase from Piazza Unità d’Italia (about 20 minutes uphill) or take bus 17 from Piazza Duomo.
Capo Peloro and the Two Seas
At the extreme northeastern tip of Sicily, Capo Peloro is where the Ionian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea meet. The currents collide visibly on windy days, creating a distinct line of choppy water. A small lighthouse (Faro di Capo Peloro) marks the point where the strait narrows to just 3.2 km. There is a sandy beach here, the Lido Horcynus Orca, which is popular in summer (EUR 10 sunbed, EUR 8 umbrella). The beach faces east and catches morning sun. Reach it via tram from the centre (get off at Capo Peloro, end of the line, EUR 1.50 single ticket). The area has several seafood restaurants serving fresh swordfish (pesce spada), the local speciality.
Forte del Santissimo Salvatore
This 16th-century fortress guards the entrance to Messina’s harbour. Built in 1546 under Emperor Charles V, it was part of Sicily’s coastal defence system against Ottoman raids. The fort has a distinctive star-shaped layout and features a 60-metre stele topped with a gilded Madonna della Lettera statue (1934), visible from across the strait. The fort grounds are open daily during daylight hours (free entry), though the interior buildings are closed except for occasional exhibitions. The views of the harbour, the strait, and incoming ferries make it a worthwhile 30-minute stop.
Mural of the 1908 Earthquake
On Via Lepanto near Piazza Duomo, a 70-metre-long mural by contemporary Sicilian artist Giovanni Cammarata depicts the destruction and aftermath of the December 28, 1908 earthquake. The 7.1-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami killed an estimated 75,000-80,000 people in Messina (roughly 60% of the population) and levelled most buildings. The mural is graphic and moving, showing the collapsed cityscape, rescue efforts, and the grim process of body collection. It provides essential context for understanding why Messina looks the way it does today. Free, viewable from the street at any time.
Day Trip: Taormina
Taormina is Sicily’s most famous hill town, 52 km south of Messina (about 45 minutes by car or train). The Greek Theatre (Teatro Greco), carved into the hillside in the 3rd century BCE, offers views of Mount Etna and the Bay of Naxos that justify every postcard. Train tickets from Messina Centrale to Taormina-Giardini station cost EUR 5-8 (regional train, 40-60 minutes), then take the local bus up the hill (EUR 1.50). The theatre entry is EUR 10. Go early (before 10:00) to avoid tour groups. Combine with a swim at Isola Bella, the pebble beach below the town connected by a narrow sandbar.
Day Trip: Aeolian Islands
The seven volcanic Aeolian Islands are accessible by hydrofoil from Messina’s port (Liberty Lines, EUR 25-40 one-way depending on the island). Lipari (45 minutes) is the largest and most practical for a day trip, with a clifftop castle, archaeological museum, and pumice beaches. Stromboli (1.5 hours) is for the night hike to see the active volcano’s fireworks; guided tours depart at sunset and cost EUR 30. Book hydrofoil tickets at the port ticket office (Via Vittorio Emanuele II 25) or online at libertylines.it. Summer schedules run April-October with 3-4 daily departures; winter service drops to 1-2 times daily.
