Messina Italy

Athens to Rome Cruise

Messina Italy

February 8, 2026 

As we left Valletta last night just at dusk the city lights were coming on an illuminating the old town and the fortress' which surround the harbour.  They were truly beautiful.

This morning we awoke to see the see the statue of Madonna della Lettera, who guards the entrance to the Messina harbour.  This statue has been on guard for almost 90 years but Madonna della Lettera has been looking after Messina since 42 AD.  

On the bus tour we were off to see the narrowest part of the straight which separates Sicily from the main land.  On the way we passed a fish market where a fish monger proudly displayed his catch of a huge squid.  The straight of Messina is only 3 kms wide and while there has been some talk of building a bridge but  it is impractical as there is a huge fault which runs down the straight.  Once there Agnes couldn't help herself and hammed it up for the camera. 

The tour continued as a walking tour down town. We stopped for a Granita an d a cannoli at a local side walk café.  A very refreshing stop.  I was a little surprised to see quite a few of the building still displaying Fasces, which is the symbol of Italian fascism from the time of Mussolini.  The fasces is a bundle of wood bound with a leather binding and sometimes with an axe. 

The last stop on the tour was the Cathedral of Messina.  The entire town of Messina was destroyed in a huge earthquake in December 1908.  So the entire town was reconstructed.  A lot of this construction was done under Mussolini's rule. As a result the Cathedral is quite modern but none the less absolutely stunning.  Mass was proceeding as we visited the Cathedral so we got to hear the pipe organ.  Out side the cathedral is the bell tower.  It has the worlds largest and most complex astronomical mechanical clock in the world.  Everyday at noon it goes through a 10 minute sequence. The cathedral emerges from a sand box, followed by a roaring lion who has a huge roar, a crowing rooster who has a huge loud crow, and parade parade of angles around the Madonna della Lettera.  Sitting in the sun watching the action was great.  It was very impressive.

It was a short walk back to the ship.  Unfortunately it was Sunday so all the shops were closed. 

Terry