Milazzo awaits you with its Castle, enchanting beaches, and the unique atmosphere of the old town. Experience a journey through history, nature, and authentic flavors for an unforgettable adventure.
Milazzo awaits you with its Castle, enchanting beaches, and the unique atmosphere of the old town. Experience a journey through history, nature, and authentic flavors for an unforgettable adventure.
Milazzo was founded by the inhabitants of Zancle, today’s Messina, as a sub-colony on a peninsula and promontory extending towards the Aeolian Islands, which form a crown just a few miles away. It is a departure point for the islands via hydrofoils and ferries. Situated on a gulf, it has two beaches: a pebble beach (to the west) and a sandy beach (to the east).
Ancient Mylai, called Mylae by the Romans, then Melaz by the Arabs, and later Milazzo, is rich in mythological legends and a land of fierce battles due to its strategic location, as evidenced by its fortress that has seen many rulers.
There are numerous places to visit in this Tyrrhenian town: foremost, the Arab-Norman Castle, considered a national monument with an area of over 7 hectares and consisting of 7 walls, dominates the landscape of Milazzo from the top of the old town. In 1608, the Old Cathedral, Duomo Vecchio, was built inside the castle.
The oldest part of the city is the old town, which includes the fortified citadel that overlooks the medieval quarters that spread at its feet along the hillside. Within the old town, there are several religious buildings, including the Sanctuary of Saint Francis of Paola, a church founded by the saint during his stay in the city in 1464. On the right wall of the church, a cannonball is embedded, shot by the Bourbon forces from the castle hill during the famous battle against Garibaldi’s men. A little further on, between the 17th-century Church of the SS. Savior and the Church of St. Gaetano, stands the Governor’s Palace or Palace of the Viceroys, so named because it hosted the governor, the local military authority, and the Viceroys from the late 1600s for over a century.
Continuing, you will come across the Church of the Madonna del Rosario, which served as the seat of the Inquisition tribunal until 1782.
Less than 5 km by car, along the beautiful Garibaldi promenade, which connects the port, the modern center, and the old town, you reach a panoramic road that runs along the eastern side of the Milazzo promontory. Upon reaching Capo Milazzo, a stunning display of colors unfolds, offering a wonderful panorama of the cliffs, the Aeolian Islands, the Sicilian and Calabrian coasts, and the Peloritani and Nebrodi mountain ranges.
From Piazza S. Antonio, a staircase leads down to the Sanctuary of St. Anthony of Padua, carved into a cave where it is said that the saint took refuge from a storm in 1221. A place of worship since then, the cave was transformed into a sanctuary with altars, marble coverings, and stucco bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the saint’s life.
Heading back toward the center, specifically along the sandbar of the western coast, a coastal road runs parallel to the sea, leading to the Cave of Polyphemus, where the legendary Homeric episode of Odysseus’ encounter with the Cyclops is believed to have taken place. In front lies the wide and enchanting beach of Baia del Tono.
Equally important is the so-called “Lower Town,” the more recent area built in the 18th century when the decision was made to abandon the Upper Town, the ancient village, in favor of settling in a flatter area closer to the sea. The center of the Lower Town revolves around Piazza Caio Duilio; the square is bordered to the west by the Proto Marchese Palace, which served as Garibaldi’s headquarters, and to the east by the elegant facade of the Church of the Carmine. Continuing, you reach the new cathedral, a building from the 1930s.
Of significant importance are the various monuments that testify to the rich history of this city, including the Monument to the Fallen, which dominates Piazza Roma; the Statue of Liberty, which stands midway along the Garibaldi promenade, with its pedestal adorned with inscriptions and bronze reliefs depicting Garibaldi defending himself with a sword against a Bourbon cavalryman. This monument closely resembles the famous one in New York.
Numerous noble villas embellish the town, such as Villa Vaccarino, dating back to 1929. The villa retains beautiful wood, iron, stucco, and glass decorations, as well as wrought-iron railings with floral motifs in the elegant garden, where you can admire a charming fountain with a basin featuring an artificial island that replicates Sicily. The Buccafusca Villa is a wooden construction typical of the years following the 1908 earthquake. Other neoclassical villas with Gothic and Renaissance influences, built in the early 1800s, line the promontory of Capo Milazzo.
Panoramic villas that allow you to dominate the coasts of the east and west include Villa Bonaccorsi, Villa Calcagno, Villino Grillo, Villino Lo Presti, and Villa Rizzo (once owned by the famous admiral), among others.
Equally charming are the numerous buildings scattered throughout the town. Notably, the Town Hall, designed between 1886 and 1887, also known as the “Palazzo dell’Aquila” (Palace of the Eagle) due to its civic heraldic emblem, with its neoclassical architectural forms, dominates the port. On two central marble slabs, there are inscriptions celebrating Milazzo’s patriotism and the Garibaldian victory of July 20, 1860.
Palazzo Proto, which in 1806 hosted the Bourbon royal family, overlooks Piazza del Carmine, with its façade dominated by a central arched doorway, originally adorned with four columns that supported the large balcony of the noble floor.
Along Via Giacomo Medici, numerous palaces stand, including Palazzo Bonaccorsi, Palazzo Catanzaro-Gemelli, Palazzo D’Amico-Gullotta, and Palazzo Cumbo-Borgia.
The beauty of the environment and the landscapes, as well as the biological and ecological importance, extend beyond the land. Not only is the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the stunning scenery of the Aeolian Islands celebrated, but it continues underwater as well.
Below the crystal-clear sea lies the greatest surprise, with strange and fascinating forms of life, the most vivid colors, and the most captivating underwater scenes.
Treat yourself to a special weekend in the heart of Milazzo: breakfast in the garden, a sunset aperitif, and a tour of the historic village. Unforgettable moments await.
Indulge in a Unique Experience in the Crystal-Clear Waters of Capo Milazzo, Now a Marine Protected Area. We offer boat rentals, sailing or motor charters, jet skis, and guided dives to explore the vibrant and beautiful seabed. Contact us for more information.