Messina: Hotels between the Cathedral, culture and nature

The Cathedral, collections and historic sites

Construction of Messina Cathedral began between 1130 and 1154 during the reign of Roger II; it was consecrated in 1197. Its features include a Norman crypt with 17th-century frescoes and a 60-metre-high bell tower. Its mechanical figures move every day at 12 noon—a specific time you can take into account when planning your day.

The Museo Tesoro del Duomo di Messina is located in the Cathedral’s southern atrium. It displays around 400 works dating from the 10th to the 20th century. The collection represents the creative work of Messina’s goldsmiths and silversmiths and bears witness to the city’s devotion to its patron saint, Madonna della Lettera. The building and museum complement one another, offering different ways to explore Messina’s religious and artistic history.

The Museo Regionale Maria Accascina is located on the site of the former Basilian monastery of San Salvatore dei Greci. Its ruins and underground crypt are still visible; the museum displays important works by Antonello da Messina and Caravaggio. The site’s history and its art collection sit side by side here.

Another historic landmark is the monumental portal on Via Giacomo Venezian. It is the surviving part of the Jesuit college founded in Messina by a papal bull issued by Pope Paul III on 16 November 1548. The college is considered the city’s first university and the world’s first Jesuit college. After the 1908 earthquake, the complex was rebuilt to plans by Giuseppe Botto and inaugurated in 1922.

Traditions and Messinese cuisine

The Vara takes place every year on 15 August. Its votive float is 13.50 metres high and weighs around 8 tonnes. Another annual tradition is the historical re-enactment of Don John of Austria’s arrival at the port of Messina, in which the training ship Palinuro represents his galley. If you’d like to plan your trip around one of these events, check the date in advance.

Local specialities also give Messina its own culinary character. Pignolata messinese consists of small pieces of fried dough topped with vanilla and cocoa icing, and is considered probably the city’s most iconic pastry. Pane cunzatu is regarded as homemade bread baked in a wood-fired oven, a Messinese tradition associated with the Colli San Rizzo. These two distinct dishes offer a glimpse of specific aspects of local food culture.

Natural areas and walking routes

The 68.12-hectare Riserva Naturale Laguna di Capo Peloro lies within the municipality of Messina. More than 400 aquatic species live there, and the area serves as a stopover for migratory birds along their route across the Strait of Messina. More than 160 bird species have been recorded there to date. Lago Ganzirri is a rare meromictic coastal basin within the Capo Peloro dune system, giving the natural area a distinctive hydrological character.

Near Messina, the Sentiero dell’ABC is an easy 2.5-kilometre walking route. The walk takes about two hours, and information boards explain the plant and animal species found there. As trail conditions and signage can change, check them before setting out.

You can decide which of these aspects will shape your stay based on the activities you have planned.

Discover more destinations: Roccella Valdemone, Rinella, Brolo, Lipari, Tortorici, Filicudi Porto, Patti, Torrenova.

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