City of Messina,rent your villa in Messina for one or two weeks or even a month…you will always have something to discover.

A golden statue of the “Madonna of the Letter” placed on top of a high white column welcomes travellers crossing the Strait of Messina by boat wishing you a safe trip or welcoming you to the third largest district of Sicily.

Originarily called Zancle for the shape of its natural port (the Greek word means scythe), the city was founded by the Greeks during the 8th Century BC and, after the First Punic War, became an allied of the Roman Empire.

A visit to the city must include the beautiful Cathedral, that was originally build by the Normans but had to be re-built after the massive, devastating earthquake of 1908:
traces of the original structure can be found in the apsidal area, while the façade boasts a Gothic structure.

The most interesting feature of the Cathedral, however, is its Chapel of Sacrament graced with extraordinary mosaics from the 14th Century.

The church also contains the remains of King Conrad who ruled Sicily (and Germany) during the 13th Century.

As far as religious architectures are concerned, don’t miss a visit to the Church of Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani too:

its beautiful façade has noteworthy decorations and the whole building is a remarkable synthesis of Gothic, Catalan and Arabic architecture.

Messina also houses a number of stunning examples of civil and military architectures: don’t miss Palazzo Calapaj if you’re looking for an original example of the typical 18th-Century architecture of Messina (the palace was not wiped out by the earthquake of 1908).

The botanical garden Pietro Castelli located within the University of Messina, the Vittorio Emanuele III Gallery, one of the few iron-based architectures of southern Sicily, and the 16th-Century city gate of Porta Grazia that separates the rest of the city from the citadel, located just outside the port.

Speaking of monuments, the city is rich in beautiful fountains: the Fountain of Orion is set next to the Cathedral, while the Fountain of Neptune is in front of the harbour.

Other lovely fountains include the Senatory Fountain, the Four Fountains and the Fountain of Gennaro.

The Contemporary Art Gallery of the city houses some of the most outstanding works of Caravaggio and Antonello Da Messina.

And of course, a day in Messina must involve a taste of local delicacies:

typical cuisine is one of the most ancient of the island and grounds its roots in the Greek tradition.

Main ingredients of the recipes you’ll find in the restaurants as well as in locals’ kitchen include fish and seafood, almonds, candied fruits and ricotta cheese.

Delicacies
We recommend a taste of “granita”, that locals love to have for breakfast with a “brioche”, local street-food such as “arancine” and “Pignolata glassata”, soft pastry covered with lemon- and chocolate- flavoured icing. Yummy!