Holiday apartment in Messina: culture, nature and traditions

Messina combines an impressive urban history with exceptional natural areas, vibrant traditions and the flavours of Sicily.

Culture and history in Messina

Messina Cathedral is a particularly historic landmark. Its construction began between 1130 and 1154 under the rule of Roger II; the cathedral was consecrated in 1197. The complex includes a Norman crypt with 17th-century frescoes. The bell tower of Messina Cathedral is 60 metres high. Its mechanical figures move every day at 12 noon.

The Museo Tesoro del Duomo di Messina is located in the cathedral’s southern atrium. Around 400 works from the 10th to the 20th century are on display there. 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 Museo Regionale Maria Accascina is located on the grounds 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.

On Via Giacomo Venezian stands a monumental portal that forms the surviving part of the Jesuit college founded in Messina by Pope Paul III through a papal bull on 16 November 1548. It is regarded as the city’s first university and the world’s first Jesuit college. After the 1908 earthquake, the complex was rebuilt according to plans by Giuseppe Botto and inaugurated in 1922. A fountain was commissioned by the Senate of Messina from the sculptor Giovan Angelo Montorsoli and completed in 1553.

Lagoon, birdlife and trails

The Riserva Naturale Laguna di Capo Peloro is a 68.12-hectare oriented nature reserve in the municipality of Messina. More than 400 aquatic species live in this area. Located along the migratory route across the Strait of Messina, it serves as a resting place for migratory birds; more than 160 bird species have been recorded there to date. Lago Ganzirri is a rare meromictic coastal basin within the dune system of Capo Peloro.

In the area around Messina, the Sentiero dell’ABC offers an easy-to-walk trail 2.5 kilometres long. The walking time is approximately 2 hours, and information panels provide details about the plant and animal species found there. The completed municipal cycling project is also relevant for cyclists: it extended the existing cycle path in the city centre by 6 kilometres along a protected, segregated route and was completed on 31 December 2023.

Traditions, festivals and the flavours of Messina

The Vara takes place in Messina every year on 15 August. Its votive structure is 13.50 metres high and weighs around 8 tonnes. Another historic tradition is the annual re-enactment of Don Giovanni of Austria’s arrival in the port of Messina. In this event, the training ship Palinuro represents Don Giovanni of Austria’s galley.

Culinary discoveries are also part of the city’s character. Pignolata messinese consists of small pieces of fried dough with vanilla and cocoa icing and is probably considered the city’s most iconic pastry. Pane cunzatu is regarded as homemade bread baked in a wood-fired oven in the Messina tradition and is associated with the Colli San Rizzo.

More places for planning your trip

Other places you can compare when planning your trip: Mirto, Gaggi, San Leonardo, San Cono, Santo Stefano Di Camastra, Cesarò, Malfa, Letojanni.

To the higher-level travel overview: Messina.