Messina
At the exact point where the big toe of Italy seems to be poking up through its boot to get a little soak from the Tyrrhenian sea, lies the Strait of Messina, which connects modern Calabria (ancient Calabria lies toward the heel of the boot) and the island of Sicily. From Messina, you will head to Taomina, which sits on some very nice real estate that not only overlooks the sea, but also Mount Etna, (10,902 feet high) Europe's largest live volcano.
Walkers and nature lovers are in their heaven as the forested areas here teem with bird life. If you'd like to get a view from the summit, you don't have to hike; you can take the cable car or minibus.
Both D. H. Lawrence and Goethe were among those luminaire who were seduced by the breathtaking surrounds of Taomina, and now you can bask in that glow as well. The beach (Isola Bela) lies nearby, but don't dig your feet into the sand too deeply; you'll want to leave time to see the Greek Theatre, built in 3rd century BC, where performance events are still staged and attended. Again, you'll have a beautiful view of Mount Etna, and from the villa communal (public gardens) you'll gain a glorious wander at the sea. From the man-made Duomo (located on Corso Umberto) with its Gothic facade, to the magnificent musings wrought by Mother Nature, you will have much here to marvel at, and plenty to talk about once you get back home.
| City | Hours |
|---|---|
| Civitavecchia, Italy | 6 hours ahead of New York City's Eastern Standard Time |
| Naples, Italy | 6 hours ahead of New York City's Eastern Standard Time |
| Palermo (Sicily) Italy | 6 hours ahead of New York City's Eastern Standard Time |
| Messina (Sicily) Italy | 6 hours ahead of New York City's Eastern Standard Time |
| Katakolon (Pirgos), Greece | 7 hours ahead of New York City's Eastern Standard Time |
| Rhodes, Greece | 7 hours ahead of New York City's Eastern Standard Time |
| Athens, Greece | 7 hours ahead of New York City's Eastern Standard Time |
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