Property for Sale in Messina, Sicily
The Province of Messina covers the north-east corner of Sicily, facing mainland Calabria across the narrow Strait of Messina. It has two long coastlines, the Tyrrhenian to the north and the Ionian to the east, separated by the Peloritani and Nebrodi mountains, and it also includes the Aeolian Islands off the northern coast.
The property market is varied. The city of Messina has a large stock of apartments, the resort towns of Taormina and the Ionian coast have villas and holiday homes, the islands have their own architecture of whitewashed houses with terraces, and the mountain villages offer stone houses and rural properties at much lower prices.
The Aeolian Islands
The seven inhabited Aeolian Islands, Lipari, Salina, Vulcano, Stromboli, Panarea, Filicudi and Alicudi, are volcanic in origin and listed by UNESCO. Traditional Aeolian houses are cube-shaped, with flat roofs, white walls and shaded terraces supported by round pillars called pulere.
Salina, the greenest of the islands, is known for its capers and its sweet Malvasia wine, and has villages such as Santa Marina Salina, Malfa and Leni. Island property is limited in supply, heavily protected and generally expensive.
Taormina and the Ionian Coast
Taormina sits on a terrace of Monte Tauro above the sea, with its Greek theatre looking across to Etna. The town and neighbouring Castelmola have apartments and townhouses in the historic centre and villas on the slopes, while Giardini Naxos and Letojanni below have beachside apartments and holiday homes.
Further north, the coast towards Messina is lined with small resort towns, and hill villages such as Savoca and Forza d’Agrò, set back from the sea, offer old stone houses with views over the Ionian.
Capo d’Orlando, Milazzo and the Tyrrhenian Coast
The northern coast is quieter and more residential. Milazzo, on a long peninsula with a large castle, is the main port for ferries and hydrofoils to the Aeolian Islands. Further west, Tindari has a sanctuary on its headland and the remains of a Greek and Roman town.
Capo d’Orlando is a seaside town with a promenade and beaches, and the coast beyond it has a mix of apartments, family houses and villas facing the islands. Property here is generally more affordable than on the Ionian side.
Messina and the Nebrodi Mountains
The city of Messina was largely rebuilt after the earthquake of 1908, so most of its housing consists of twentieth-century apartment buildings along wide, regular streets.
Inland, the Nebrodi mountains form one of Sicily’s largest regional parks, with beech and oak forests, lakes and grazing land known for black pigs and Nebrodi cheeses. Villages such as Novara di Sicilia, Montalbano Elicona and Floresta have stone houses at modest prices, with a cooler climate and snow in winter at higher levels.
Property and Lifestyle in Messina Province
Messina city, Milazzo, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Capo d’Orlando and Taormina provide year-round shops and services. The islands and smaller resort towns are busy in summer and much quieter in winter, when ferry services are reduced and weather can interrupt crossings.
The local food includes swordfish from the Strait, capers and Malvasia from the Aeolians, citrus fruit, Nebrodi cheeses and cured meats, and granita. Anyone buying in Messina province with holiday rentals in mind should confirm the local licensing and registration requirements first.
Airports and Transport Connections
Catania Fontanarossa airport is the main international airport for most of the province, and is particularly convenient for Taormina and the Ionian coast. Reggio Calabria airport, across the Strait, is close to Messina city, and Palermo airport can be practical for the western end of the Tyrrhenian coast.
The A18 motorway links Messina with Catania along the Ionian coast, and the A20 runs from Messina to Palermo along the Tyrrhenian side. Railways follow both coasts. Ferries cross the Strait to Villa San Giovanni and Reggio Calabria, and hydrofoils and ferries serve the Aeolian Islands from Milazzo and Messina.
Buying and Renovating Property in Messina Province
The Strait of Messina is one of the most seismic areas in Italy. A structural assessment is advisable for older buildings, and any recent work should carry the correct seismic certification. A local surveyor (geometra) should also check that the property matches its cadastral and planning records, since unauthorised extensions and later amnesty applications are not unusual in Sicily.
On the Aeolian Islands, building is tightly controlled, water supply can be limited, and access to some houses is only by footpath or small boat. Check how water and electricity reach the property and what works are permitted before buying.
Coastal properties should be checked for distance from the shore and any landscape restrictions, and hillside and mountain homes for landslide risk, road access and winter conditions.
From island houses on Salina and Lipari to villas around Taormina and stone houses in the Nebrodi, the Province of Messina offers a wide choice of Sicilian property between two seas.