Hotels Messina, Guesthouses Messina and Residences Messina

The main landing place in the island for those who come from the mainland, Messina is a modern city due to the extensive renovation works it underwent after being the victim of the earthquake of 1908 and World War II bombing. Overlooking the coast of the homonymous strait, the city snakes along its important port which was built exploiting the natural cove of the coast.

Visitors can take advantage of comfortable three-star hotels situated near the port and the main communication routes. The city also boasts a wide range of well-kept four-star hotels which offer tourists high-quality services and utmost comfort. Even cheap guesthouses offer visitors the possibility to spend comfortable stays at reasonable prices. Air-conditioned hotels are the ideal solution to mitigate the suffocating summer heat and give tourists the possibility to rest after a visit to the city.

Zancle, the ancient name of the city, bears witness to the Greek origins of Messina, which was an Hellenic colony in the VIII century B.C., subsequently experienced both Roman and Byzantine domination and finally became a thriving village during the Middle-Ages.
The city was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake and massive air bombing which damaged most of the ancient architecture and therefore retains only few evidences dating back to the Middle-Ages. Walking down the large avenues of the city centre it is possible to admire the main historic and artistic buildings, such as the XII-century Cathedral. The original Medieval layout can be seen in the apsidal area. The facade has three late Gothic portals with noteworthing decorations. The Cathedral dominates the homonymous square which also hosts the Fountain of Orion, erected by Montorsoli in 1550, and provides an outstanding view over the surrounding landscape and the charming hills dominated by the Sanctuary of Montalto and the Church of Cristo Re.
A short distance from Piazza Duomo, in the small Piazza Catalani, is the XII-century SS. Annunziata dei Catalani, featuring a beautiful thirteenth-century facade. It has a cylindrical apse and a high dome emerging from a high tambour. Noteworthy is the external decoration of the transept and the dome area, with a series of blind arches separated by small columns.
Via Garibaldi, the main avenue in the city, runs parallel to the pier, one of the largest in the Mediterranean.
Not to be missed in the nearby via della Liberta, north in the city, is the Regional Museum hosted in the former Mellingoff Spinning Mill, situated along the avenue which leads to the lighthouse. It boasts a collection of both medieval and modern works of art, as well as archaeological finds discovered after the earthquake of 1908. Among the most important works of art are those by Antonello da Messina, such as the famous St. Gregory Polyptych dating back to 1473.
Not to be missed is a boat excursion to Lido delle Mortelle, 14 kilometres north of the Regional Museum.
The 55-kilometre-long Peloritani mountain range dominates the main road which leads to Palermo and shields the small village of Scala and the remains of the Gothic church of St. Maria della Scala. This mountain range is crossed by beautiful scenic routes overlooking the strait of Messina, the Aeolian islands and Milazzo, which all lead back to Lido delle Mortelle through the charming coastal road of Spartà.