There are 21 suggested sights, buildings and monuments to see, and we like the look of the following.

The Church of Santa Maria Annunziata dei Catalani is Messina's most precious treasure after the Cathedral. It was built in the 12th century by William the Good Norman who, by all accounts, was well liked for his enlightened reign.

The building is the peak of Arab Norman art in Sicily and is an elegant blend of Byzantine, Romanesque, Arab and Norman styles. You'll notice that the church is lower than street level as the roads were relaid following the famous earthquake of 1908.

We thought the Galleria looked familiar and, in fact, this and the one in Naples are the only examples of their kind in southern Italy.

Conceived by local architect C. Puglisi Allegra in 1939 the decorations are inspired by Sicilian artistic style of the 18th century. The rest is finished off with polychrome glazing, wrought iron and delicate, indirect illumination.

La Madonnina overlooks the port and stands on a sturdy 60m column on the original keep of the S.Salvatore fort. At 6 feet tall the statue of Mary blesses all those who arrive in the city by sea and represents Messina's deep devotion to the Protector.

The statue was illuminated for the first time in 1934 by Pope Pius XI, who activated it from the Vatican with a radio controlled device invented by Marconi.

Unfortunately, Goethe choose the wrong moment in history to visit the Island during his Grand Tour.

It was just four years after the huge earthquake of 1783 and he miserably described the area as 'a vast prairie and expanse of ruins which would deserve an able architect to prove his ability in restoring'.

He was even unimpressed by Mount Etna describing it as 'a colossal smoking volcano which in the sweetness of the sky appears further away, meeker and fails to arouse terror'.

And we thought this guy was a romantic.

See also province of Messina