page_title: Messina
section_title: Main sights
hierarchical_section_title: Messina / Main sights
caption_attribution_description: Messina Strait seen from Messina towards the Italian Mainland Panorama 1/320sec at f/8 ISO 100 EF-S 15-85 f3.5-5.6 IS USM at 28mm The Strait of Messina (Stretto di Messina in Italian, Strittu di Missina in Sicilian) is the narrow passage between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern tip of Calabria in the south of Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian Sea with the Ionian Sea, within the central Mediterranean. At its narrowest point, it measures 3.1 km (1.9 mi) in width, though near the town of Messina the width is some 5.1 km (3.2 mi) and maximum depth is 250 m (830 ft). A ferry service connects Messina on Sicily with the mainland at Villa San Giovanni, which lies several kilometers north of the large city of Reggio Calabria; the ferries hold the cars (carriages) of the mainline train service between Palermo and Naples. There is also a hydrofoil service between Messina and Reggio Calabria. The strait is characterized by strong tidal currents, that established a unique marine ecosystem. A natural whirlpool in the Northern portion of the strait has been linked to the Greek legend of Scylla and Charybdis. In some circumstances, the mirage of Fata Morgana can be observed when looking at Sicily from Calabria (Wikipedia) Best view: press "L"
context_page_description: Messina is the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 231,000 inhabitants in the city proper and about 650,000 in the Metropolitan City. It is located near the northeast corner of Sicily, at the Strait of Messina, opposite Villa San Giovanni on the mainland, and has close ties with Reggio Calabria. According to Eurostat the FUA of the metropolitan area of Messina has, in 2014, 277,584 inhabitants.
  The city's main resources are its seaports, cruise tourism, commerce, and agriculture. The city has been a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and Archimandrite seat since 1548 and is home to a locally important international fair. The city has the University of Messina, founded in 1548 by Ignatius of Loyola.
  Messina has a light rail system, Tranvia di Messina, opened on 3 April 2003. This line is 7.7 kilometres and links the city's central railway station with the city centre and harbour.
caption: Panorama of Messina Strait seen from Messina towards the Italian mainland. Reggio Calabria can be seen on the right.
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