Discover Messina on a private walking tour

Meet your guide at the cruise port or another place you are staying in Messina. Despite the dramatic destruction caused by the disastrous earthquake of 1908 and the mass bombings of World War II, the city managed to save many monuments and museums that are well worth a visit. Your journey begins at the Cathedral Square where you can admire the world’s largest astronomical clock, the second-largest in Sicily Cathedral, with its impressive mosaics of the XIV century and Orion’s Fountain. This 60-meter high bell-tower reconstructed using old designs, includes one of the greatest of all astronomical clocks, a work by the Strasbourg firm of Ungerer placed there in 1933. Every day at noon (or sometimes shortly after) the figures begin to move and show scenes from the history of Messina, including the handing-over of the legendary letter of protection from the Madonna to Messina.

During this 3-hour tour, you will have the opportunity to see the most important and beautiful spots in the city such as Catalani’s Church. The Church of the Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani (Catalani’s Church) is a church in Messina, Sicily (Italy). It is an example of Norman architecture on Sicily. The church dates from the 12th century when Sicily was under Norman rule. Built on top of the ruins of an older temple dedicated to Neptune, the church is an example of Sicilian Norman architecture with its mix of different cultural elements. The church displays influences from Arab and Byzantine architecture and also contains Roman elements. Particularly the apse is unusually well-preserved. The name of the church derives from merchants from Catalonia who established a presence in Messina in the 16th century.

Messina Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Messina, Sicily. Formerly the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Messina, it became in 1986 the archiepiscopal seat of the Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela. In June 1947 Pope Pius XII granted it the status of a minor basilica.

Orion’s Fountain in Messina is the work of one of Michelangelo’s students, Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli (1507-1563). Born in Florence, Montorsoli was a friar of the Servite Order as well as a sculptor and an architect; the Senate of Messina entrusted him with creating a monument to celebrate the completion of the first aqueduct in Messina, in 1547.

The Palazzo del Monte di Pietà is a palace in Messina, Sicily, located on via XXIV Maggio. It was built in 1616 for the Arciconfraternita Degli Azzurri to designs of Natale Masuccio. The building was severely damaged during the earthquake of 1908.

You can already recognize this magnificent dome from the ship. It sits on a hill overlooking the town of Messina. This building from 1937 is a burial site for thousands of Italians killed during World War I. Every day at sunset the huge bell rings to commemorate the soldier’s sacrifice.

In 1282, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to a friar named Nicholas. During the apparition she promised to send a white dove to the Caperrina hill where she wanted a church built in her name. The cornerstone for the Sanctuary of St Mary of Montalto was laid in 1295 by Queen Constance of Sicily. It was a monastery for Cistercian nuns from 1389 until 1866. The Santuario della Madonna di Montalto was severely damaged during the 1908 earthquake and rebuilt in 1930. This view of the bell tower gives you a hint at the beauty of this Gothic and Romanesque structure.

Zanca Palace is the town hall palace that was rebuilt after the 1908 earthquake, but its location in the urban structure is very old. In fact, it first construction can be traced back to the 17th century during Spanish domination. The building occupies an area of over twelve thousand square meters. The eclectic style refers to the nineteenth-century classicism. The decorations, all in Comiso stone, were made by Giarrizzo from Palermo and Antonio Bonfiglio from Messina, author of the bronze bust of Antonello da Messina, placed on the landing of the grand staircase. Exploring Messina means also experiencing flavours, trying local products and typical dishes. You can add tasting experience to your tour. An exact and convenient tour route will be compiled by the guide, depending on where the tour starts. The tour will end with a return to the original departure location.