The Messina Travel Guide
About Messina
Messina was one of my top places to go when I came to Sicily. In this messina travel guide, I will be walking you through everything I experienced, from the food and historical sites to getting around, parking, hotels, and budgeting. I went in September and despite being the third largest city in Sicily, it had a quieter, more relaxed feel to it. So I hope you enjoy this messina travel guide from my latest trip.
The city sits on the northeast corner of Sicily and is the entry point into mainland Italy. It is where you get the train from Messina to Calabria, connecting the two. The city was first founded by the Greeks in the 8th century and came under Roman rule, then the Goths, a few others, and eventually the Normans. So it has gone through a lot of rule and has a lot of history inside. The population of Messina is about 277,000, though during the summer months and public holidays this can increase.
What is Messina known for?
Food
I had some of the best food I have ever had in Sicily here. Messina is known for local street foods such as Pidone, which is very similar to calzone. It is also known for Sciusceddu soup and Caponata. You can find out more in my best restaurants in Messina guide.
Beaches
Messina also has a lot of beaches you can visit. One that comes to mind is Capo Peloro Beach, which is a lovely sandy beach. Others include Lido Beach and Venetico Marina Beach, and all of them are great for sunbathing and swimming. If you are staying right in the city of Messina though, you will need to take transport to reach them.
Historical sites in Messina
What I really wanted to go to Messina for was the historical sites. The city has so many places to visit and thats why I included them in my Messina travel guide. There is a 17th century palazzo called Palazzo Calapaj - d'Alcontres and the Basilica Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta. These are some of the places, like the Palazzo, that survived the 1908 earthquake. The cathedral was impacted by both the earthquake and World War 2 bombings, so there is a lot of history inside. You can read more in my things to do in Messina guide.
Festivals in Messina
Messina is also known for its festivals. The main one is the Passeggiata di Giganti, which translates as the walk of the giants, and it is a huge festival in Messina. Unfortunately I just missed it as it is usually in August and I went in September.
Languages spoken in Messina
Despite being very close to mainland Italy, they have a Sicilian dialect. However, Messina is a popular city so a lot of locals do speak English. If you venture a little further out towards the beachy areas though, it might be worth brushing up on some Italian, just in case. The Italians really do appreciate it when you try and speak the language.
How to get to an around Messina travel guide
Depending on your starting location, there are various transportation options available to reach and explore Messina.
Airplane to Messina
Getting to Messina really depends on your starting location. From another country, or even mainland Italy, it is probably going to be by airplane as this is the quickest way. The closest airports are Catania Airport or Reggio Calabria Airport. Reggio Calabria Airport is over the strait so you would still need to take the ferry, or you can fly direct into Catania Airport, which is what I did when I went to Sicily. From there it takes about an hour to an hour and a half to reach Messina. From the UK to Catania takes about 3 hours, and from Australia to Catania takes about 25 hours, then you have just got that extra time to drive into Messina.
Train to Messina travel guide
A lot of my friends have taken trains all around Sicily and also from mainland Italy. The nearest station is called Messina Centrale. From Calabria Airport it takes about 1.5 hours, or from Catania Airport about 2 hours. You can also take the train from Rome, however it does take about 5.5 hours and you have to go over the Straits of Messina.
Driving to and around Messina
This is probably one of the easiest ways to travel, but it really depends on you. They drive on the right hand side and most of the cars are manual. You can get automatics but they are more expensive. It takes about one hour and 15 minutes from Catania Airport. Coming back to my earlier story, it can be a little bit difficult at first as a lot of people tend to speed in Italy.
From Catania to Messina there are also toll roads, so make sure you bring some cash when you pick up your rental car. Apart from that it is kind of one long road so it was actually very easy, and renting a car made it a little bit easier getting to every place when I was touring Sicily. You do need to find parking though, which I will talk about more below. Save now and book a rental car.
Taxi
Taxis are a great way to get around, especially if you cannot drive a manual or are a little worried about it. They are an easy way to get around Messina, especially if you want to hit the beach and do not have a rental car. You get to avoid waiting times for trains and the hassle of renting a car, which actually took me about 45 minutes waiting in line. A reliable taxi service is Radio Taxi Jolly, and they also have a mobile app you can use.
Ferry to Messina
There are a lot of ferry services and you can get to Messina by ferry from Lipari, Salina, Stromboli, and Vulcano. It is actually a really nice way to arrive and you get to look out, enjoy the ocean, and see Calabria and Sicily.
For instance, Messina and Lipari takes about three hours and 45 minutes. The only downside is that ferry schedules are limited, with only a few crossings each day and week, so make sure to check beforehand.
Walking around Messina travel guide
If you are in the city like I was, I pretty much walked everywhere. If you do not mind walking, it is a very easy town and you do not have lots and lots of tourists, so it was more relaxed. That way you can take pictures of all the famous sites. That is how I found Neptune's Fountain, the Fontana del Nettuno.
Parking in Messina travel guide
Parking can be very difficult and it took me a while to understand it. I had to figure it out as soon as I arrived. Finding a spot near the city centre can be really difficult and you have to be mindful of residential areas, resident parking versus pay parking versus free parking. A general rule is that white lines are free spots and blue lines are paid parking areas. There are not many white spots, and if there are, they might have a sign saying resident, meaning you cannot park there if you are not a resident.
ZTL in Messina
You also have to think about the ZTL, which are restricted areas where you cannot go in. You can find out more about the restricted area and where you can park and what the restrictions are when entering the city. Here is the restricted ZTL areas in messina.
Paying for parking in Messina
Most of the time you can go to a local tobacco store to get your ticket for paid parking or find a metre. However at the place I was staying, I could not find one at all. I was worried, so I spoke to the locals and they told me to download the EasyPark app. The hotel owner mentioned it too.
It is a simple app that uses GPS to recognise where you are, you put your number plate in, and then you can pay for the parking. You can pay for multiple hours and EasyPark will tell you the restrictions and how many hours you can stay. If you come back to your car earlier, you can stop the timer. So make sure you download the EasyPark app.
You have also got Parcheggios, which are parking garages, and there are quite a few within Messina. You can either have sheltered or non-sheltered parking, and they typically have security cameras so it is a little bit safer than parking on the street.
Also check for parking at your hotel, as some offer free parking and some charge a small fee. There have been many cases where the hotel was too expensive and I found a parcheggio just a two minute walk away, so it is something to know. You can find more information on where to stay in Messina to help plan ahead
The Best things to do in Messina
I have a whole best things to do in Messina travel guide, but here are a few highlights from this messina travel guide.
- First there is the Museo Interdisciplinare Regionale, which is an art museum that shows a lot of 12th and 18th century arts and culture. Interestingly, before it became a museum it was actually a spinning mill, until the 1908 earthquake happened.
- There is the Basilica Cathedral de Santa Maria. Again, the earthquake comes up a lot in this things to do in Messina guide. It was rebuilt and then hit by the World War 2 bombing, so there is a lot of history inside but it is a lovely place to visit.
- Near the Messina Cathedral is the Bell Tower Astronomical Clock, make sure to take a picture of that.
- There is the Sanctuary of Montalto, which is a lovely stained glass window church. I went up there and it took a bit of time to reach, but you get beautiful views of the city.
- There is also the Tempio di Cristo Re, which is a really nice place to visit as well. Other highlights include Orion's Fountain and Neptune's Fountain, which are really nice to just sit down at, take it all in, and enjoy the art.
Top 5 Hotels in Messina
As part of my messina travel guide I thought I would include some hotels. There are quite a few hotels in Messina and some of my favourites are below.
- The 4 star Vmaison Hotel Messina in Messina was built from the 1900s and has a rooftop terrace. Bonus points, they have a shuttle from Catania Airport so if you talk to them beforehand they can organise that.
- Hotel CineApollo is another 4 star hotel and was actually designed by a famous architect, Filippo Rovigoa. All the rooms are different and inspired by different movies and cinema. Room include Fifty Shades of Grey and the Godfather.
- Close to the city centre you have got Hotel Messenion. My friends stayed here. They said some rooms have a balcony and are also soundproofed. I have been to many hotels where they have not been soundproofed, so this is great.
- The Royal Palace Hotel is another 4 star hotel where a lot of the rooms have terraces or panoramic views of the city. I love a panoramic view from a hotel room. They also have parking for the car and are only a few minutes from the train station.
- If you are looking for something a little more boutique, Residence Acqua del Conte is a 4 star boutique hotel. It has a lot of paintings and sculptures by famous artists. Very similar to Hotel CineApollo has each room dedicated to different movies with some having original film posters inside. Very unique.
How much should you budget for a trip in Messina?
In terms of how much to budget for a trip to Messina, it really depends on the activities. Here is a general guide I use. It is worth noting this is a lower cost area, not like Taormina which is a little more luxury.
Breakfast, sometimes included, but budget around €20. Lunch, I would budget about €30. Dinner, if you want to go a little fancier, probably about €50. Activities and things to do, about €30. Going out and having a drink, about €30. Accommodation is reasonable and I would say about €100 per night. All in all that is about €260 per person per day.
| Activity | Cost |
|---|---|
| Breakfast (sometimes included in accommodation) | €20 |
| Lunch | €30 |
| Dinner | €50 |
| Tourist Activities | €30 |
| Going out | €30 |
| Accommodation | €100 |
| Total cost per day | €260 |
Best travel card to use on holiday
Although Italy likes cash, Messina is pretty built up and modern so you will be able to use your card if you do not want to carry too much cash on you. One of the best cards I have ever used, and I have been using it for years, is the Wise card. They have really low transaction fees and also a couple of free withdrawals each month.
The transactions are very small in cost, you can use your phone or order a physical travel card, and they work on Apple Pay and Google Pay. You will save a lot of money compared to using your local card. I have also used it for transferring money abroad, such as paying the hotel in Messina beforehand. Make sure to compare your bank versus the Wise card.
I recommend Wise card and have been using it for all my trips all over Italy and the world. If you want more tips like this, check out my travel essentials for Europe guide.
How long should you stay in Messina?
In this messina travel guide you will see there are quite a lot of things to do. Not too many, but still a lot, such as the palazzo, the cathedral, and the fountains. I would probably say spend about 2 to 3 days there, a little bit longer if you want to go to the beaches. Personally I stayed 3 days myself.
I got off the plane and did not get a good sleep, so day one was kind of a write off. However, if you are with a family or want a slower pace, want to discover the countryside, go to more of the restaurants, maybe go for a week or longer. Messina has some of the best restaurants in Sicily, so try and go to a few in Messina.
I would also note that Sicily in general gets very popular during the summertime, so I would recommend booking your flights and accommodation in Messina well in advance. There are limited high star hotels in Messina, so definitely look to book those as soon as you can.
I hope you liked this messina travel guide and got something out of it. If you have been to Messina and want to add anything or have any comments, please leave a comment below. I can potentially add it to this messina travel guide so our users can get more value out of it. Enjoy Messina.
Messina travel guide FAQs
What are the best things to do in Messina?
Some of the top things to do include visiting the Basilica Cathedral de Santa Maria, and the Bell Tower. Astronomical Clock, the Sanctuary of Montalto, Orion's Fountain, Neptune's Fountain, and the Museo Interdisciplinare Regionale. You can read more in my things to do in Messina guide.
What is the best way to get to Messina from Catania Airport?
You have a few options including renting a car, taking a train to Messina Centrale, or getting a taxi. By car it takes about one hour and 15 minutes, and by train about two hours. There are toll roads on the drive so bring some cash with you.
How many days do you need in Messina?
I would recommend 2 to 3 days to cover the major highlights. If you want to spend time at the beaches or take things at a slower pace, maybe a week.
What is the best time of year to visit Messina?
I went in September and found it to be quieter and more relaxed than the summer months. Summer can get very busy across Sicily, so early autumn is a great time to visit.