Messina

Messina is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, Italy, and the capital of the province of Messina. It is located near the North-East corner of Sicily, at the Strait of Messina, just opposite Villa San Giovanni on the mainland.

The main economical resources of the city are: the port, provided with several shipyards; agriculture, that includes the cultivation of lemons, oranges, mandarin oranges, olives, and wine production; tourism. The city has been a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and Archimandrite seat since 1548 and is home to a locally important International Fair.

There are at least hourly ferries to Villa San Giovanni on the mainland and also several hydrofoils each day to Reggio di Calabria. Some days, visitors arrive by cruise ships...most frequently in the summer season. Ships often berth right downtown, within an easy walk to a popular piazza, dominated by the clock tower, and which is served by many tour buses and a hop-on/hop-off double-decked bus offering a modest overview of the waterfront portion of the city.