Car Hire Messina - Mini guide to Messina

Located 145 miles east of Palermo, at the foot of the Peloritani mountains, is the island of Messina. Three miles from the mainland, it is Sicily's third most populous city. Flattened by bombs in the war and rebuilt, it remains one of the most modern and bustling cities in southern Italy.

Messina does have its fair share of historical sights, and the Duomo, on Piazza del Duomo, is well worth a visit. Even after being devastated by an earthquake and a bomb in the early 20th century, it is still is an elegant architectural sight.

In town on the Viale della Libertà, is the Museo Regionale. Located in a former silk mill and dating from 1914, it is one of Sicily's best museums, and is home to a collection of art from the 15th to 17th centuries. There’s a garden at the back of the museum that displays some beautiful statues.

There are also plenty of places to find traditional Sicilian cuisine in Messina. On Plaza Municipio 4, is the restaurant Il Due Sorelle, which offers local food. Around the Plaza del Duomo are a scattering of cafes and pubs that stay open until the early hours of the morning.

An easy bus ride from Messina is Mortelle, the city's beach resort, lying 12kms north of the city. Mortelle opens onto some fine beaches, and in the evening it flourishes until late at night with loud music and energetic youths.

Getting to Messina shouldn’t pose a problem. The nearest airport to Messina is on the Italian mainland at Reggio di Calabria. The airport, Svincolo Aeropoerto, lies south of Reggio. A bus will take you from the Stazione Centrale in Reggio to the airport. By car, follow the A3 south to Reggio di Calabria, getting off at Villa San Giovanni and taking a car ferry across the Straits of Messina to Messina itself.