Discover Mongiuffi: Churches, History and Trails

Churches, historic buildings and religious festivals shape Mongiuffi’s cultural and historical heritage. There are also trails to Roman ruins and between named contrade. If you’re looking for a hotel for your stay in Mongiuffi, you can plan your visit around whether you’d most like to focus on church art, history, festivals or trails.

Churches, Palazzi and Historic Buildings

Construction of the Palazzo del Marchesato began in 1640. The Chiesa San Nicolò di Bari was built around 1690. It contains a holy water font and a baptismal font made of red Taormina stone and bearing the Corvaja coat of arms. The Chiesa di Santa Maria del Monte Carmelo houses statues of the Madonna della Catena and the Madonna della Vena; the Madonna della Vena is made of marble.

The Chiesa di San Sebastiano also combines historic architecture with a precisely dated feature: it is a 16th-century noble chapel and has an altar dedicated to Saint Joseph dating from 1644. The Madonna della Libera sanctuary stands on Colle Mongilone and replaces an earlier wayside shrine chapel dedicated to the Virgin.

The Santuario Madonna della Catena was built in the early 15th century beside the ruins of a Greco-Roman aqueduct. This Acquedotto Greco-Romano is also known as the Acquedotto del Diavolo. It was built by the Greeks around 200 BC, is about 25 kilometres long and was used to carry water to Taormina. The sites therefore span ancient water routes and the churches and palazzi of the centuries that followed.

Trails to Ruins and Between Contrade

The Pianura di Margi is a stone-paved trail. It runs through trees to the ruins of a Roman camp on a wooded ridge. The Scala Saracena has a different focus: it starts in Contrada Uttara on the banks of the Ghiodaro River, near an old water mill, and leads to Contrada Rocche. The Scala Saracena can be reached from Contrada Uttara. The two route descriptions therefore differ mainly in their destination: one leads to the ruins of the Roman camp, while the other connects the contrade of Uttara and Rocche.

Another historic structure is the Galleria di Postoleone, carved out of solid limestone during the 1915–1918 wartime period. It is located at kilometre 4 of the SP 11 between Letojanni and Mongiuffi Melia and can be traversed by any means of transport. The Acquedotto Greco-Romano can be reached via the Strada provinciale 14. This makes it possible to distinguish the sites by their respective access routes without confusing their destinations.

Festivals and Traditional Customs

The Festa degli Angeli is a peace festival introduced by Marchese Francesco Rao Corvaja in 1830 to affirm the restored harmony between two communities. The religious re-enactment is repeated every Easter Monday. Its date gives the festival a recurring place in the annual calendar, while the story of its origins also links it to a specific historical event.

The Festa di San Sebastiano takes place on January 20 and includes a procession through Melia. Blessed arrows made from bread dough and baked in a wood-fired oven are distributed at the festival. The Festa di San Leonardo, held on November 6, includes the public presentation of the saint’s processional statue after a preparatory novena. A traditional braided loaf called Cuddura is also given out; smaller Cuddure are distributed to those taking part in the procession.

“San Martino, Odori e sapori della Valle del Ghiodaro” is another recurring event, held annually around mid-November, although the exact dates may vary from year to year. If you’re planning a trip around one of these festivals, it’s therefore worth checking the specific date before making plans. The traditions mentioned vary both by season and in character: processions and religious re-enactments sit alongside the sharing of pastries and bread.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

From Messina, the described route follows the A18 towards Taormina, then the SS 114 towards Letojanni, followed by the SP 13 and SP 11 towards Mongiuffi Melia. Check road conditions and signage before setting out. The specific access details can help you find your way once there: the Galleria di Postoleone is on the SP 11, while the Acquedotto Greco-Romano is accessed via the Strada provinciale 14.

Discover more destinations: Malfa, Torrenova, Raccuja, Panarea, Capo D'orlando, Scafa, Rinella, Rometta.

For the broader travel overview: Messina.