Messina province is one of the nine provinces that make up the region of Sicily. The province is located along the north-east coast of the island. The Città Metropolitana di Messina, as the province is now called, consists of 108 municipalities. The capital is Messina itself. However, the province’s biggest tourist attractions are Taormina and the seven Aeolian Islands. Two of these islands, Stromboli and Vulcano, still have active volcanoes.
Province of Messina travel guide
Capital city Messina
The province is named after its capital Messina. Thanks to its location – of all the larger cities on the island, it is the one closest to the mainland – it is a very busy city. Originally (8th century) BC, it was a Greek colony. The city’s biggest tourist attractions are the Cathedral and the National Museum. Messina has almost a quarter of a million inhabitants.
Taormina
Although Taormina does not have much more than ten thousand inhabitants, the city is among Sicily’s most famous attractions. This is due to its natural beauty as well as the blue sea and its beautiful palaces and other structures, including Greek and Roman ruins. Highlights include the cathedral, the Greco-Roman theater and Palazzo Corvaja.
Aeolian Islands
The Isole Eolie are also known as the Isole Lipari. It is an archipelago consisting of seven islands, located about 22 kilometres north of the coast of Messina. The most famous ones are Lipari, Stromboli and Vulcano. Although all seven are of volcanic origin, only the last two are still working. Thanks to the beautiful blue sea, the islands are an extremely popular summer holiday destination.