Page 272 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

North of Messina

Several mountain or coastal destinations, all well worth a visit, are less than thirty

minutes from the centre of Messina by bus or car. Mortelle is the focus for Messina’s
bronzed youth in summer, who throng the orderly lidos and sleek bars and pizzerias,
filling the air with the screech of motorbikes. Fine sandy beaches extend west from
here, most easily accessed from such villages as Acquarone (also called

Acqualadrone). If you’re driving, you might wish to follow the high-level Via
Panoramica north rather than the congested coastal road, which is the route the bus
takes; but make a point of taking this lower road – an extension of Via della Libertà –
at least once, passing fishermen’s houses that back onto short sandy strips in areas that
must once have justified their idyllic names of Paradiso, Contemplazione and Pace. In
Pace, look out for the British cannons lining the esplanade, pulled out of the Straits

where they were sunk during the Napoleonic Wars.

Ganzirri

Buses #79, #80 and #81 run to Ganzirri from Messina

Wedged between a salt lake (where mussels are farmed) and the sea, 10km north of
central Messina, is the ramshackle fishing village of GANZIRRI. Messinese flock
here in summer to eat fresh shellfish, swordfish or whatever else has been hauled in
that day by the many boats operating on the lake and in the Straits. It’s a pleasant spot
for a meal, though prices can be high and quality variable. Bear in mind too that traffic
can be hell in the summer – whether you get here by bus or car, expect to spend quite

some time in jams. Most of the trattorias are squeezed in between the lake and sea,
and you can eat outside at nearly all of them.

EATING: GANZIRRI

Lilla Currò Via Lido di Ganzirri 10 090 395 064. Signposted on the right side of
the lake, it’s well worth seeking out Lilla Currò for its very reasonably priced,
exquisitely cooked seafood dishes – you can enjoy a feast for €25. Booking is
essential for evening meals, and service can be slow. No credit cards. Tues–Sun lunch
& dinner.

La Sirena di Mancuso At Via Lago Grande 96 090 391 268. Fifty metres further up
from Lilla Currò, La Sirena di Mancuso also puts on a very good spread, again at
low prices, with lake views from its covered veranda. Lunch & dinner Mon, Tues &
Thurs–Sun.

Punta del Faro

Punta del Faro (also called Capo Peloro) is the very tip of Sicily, the nearest point to