Messina, Sicily

Our next port was supposed to be Taormina, Sicily which is a quaint, ancient Sicilian town with a lot of Roman and Greek ruins. Unfortunately, the sea was too choppy for us to anchor in the Mediterranean and take boats to shore, so we docked in Messina, Sicily instead. Messina is covered in graffiti and is much more modern, but the area is naturally beautiful. We managed to find some interesting sights as we walked around town.

Pics include Tempio Votivo di Cristo Re, which is a War Memorial with a promenade below it that has beautiful views of the city and harbor. Duomo di Messina was originally built in the 12th century and accidentally burnt to the ground in 1254, the cathedral was destroyed again in the earthquakes of 1783 and 1908, as well as by an incendiary WWII bomb in 1943. And guarding Messina's harbour is the golden statue of the Madonna della Lettera visible in front of the sunrise as we docked.Read more