Your stay — La Casa a Mare
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The Property — La Casa a Mare
La Casa a Mare is a modest three-star perched directly on Messina’s northern seafront, with rooms that face the Strait and, on clear days, the Calabrian coast. The lobby feels like a small, sun-bleached family-run affair—tiled floors, a reception desk cluttered with local bus timetables, and the smell of salt air drifting in from the open door. It suits independent travellers who want a clean, no-frills base for exploring the city or catching the ferry to the Aeolian Islands, without the polish of a chain hotel. The USP is location: you step out onto the lungomare and are a twenty-minute walk from the cathedral.
Chronicles of Messina
Messina was founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BC as Zancle, a sickle-shaped harbour that became a key trading port under the Romans, Normans and Spanish. The city was levelled by the catastrophic 1908 earthquake and tsunami, which killed over 80,000 people and destroyed virtually all medieval and Baroque architecture; the rebuilding followed a rational, grid-like plan. The Norman Duomo, reconstructed after the quake, still holds Europe’s largest astronomical clock, which lurches into motion at noon each day. Today Messina is a gritty, workaday Sicilian port with a university, a lively food market and a palpable sense of resilience—less polished than Taormina, but more real.
Best Time to Visit
Full Messina guide →Best months
May, June and September: warm (24-28°C), low humidity and minimal rain, with most sights open but far fewer tourists than high summer.
Peak / festival surge
July and August; August especially is dominated by Ferragosto (15th) and the Festa della Madonna della Lettera (3-4 June actually slightly earlier, but August drives prices highest). Hotel rates at La Casa a Mare can double in August. Crowds flood the ferry terminal for Lipari and Stromboli.
Budget shoulder season
April and October: 18-23°C, often sunny, room rates 30-40% lower than August. You get empty seafront promenades and no queues at the bell tower.
Weather & packing
Messina’s climate in July is Mediterranean: hot and humid, with a risk of sudden afternoon thunder-squalls. Pack light cottons and linens, plus a compact rain shell and a second pair of shoes in case a downpour drenches your sandals.
Live City Briefing — Messina
- The Messina tram line (line 28) is currently suspended until September for track replacement on viale San Martino – rely on buses or taxis to reach the station.
- The new Museo del Mare opens in the former fish market by the port in late June 2026, with exhibits on the 1908 tsunami and local maritime history.
- Summer ferry schedules to the Aeolian Islands have added a late-evening departure from Messina at 20:30 each Friday and Saturday – handy for day-trippers returning from Lipari.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to La Casa a Mare, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the third or fourth floor with a sea-facing balcony. The upper floors reduce street-level noise and offer views across the Strait of Messina. South-facing rooms catch morning sun and are quieter than those over the courtyard.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the first floor above the lobby; they pick up kitchen clatter from the breakfast area and foot traffic from the stairs. Also skip any rooms directly over the small courtyard where staff store trolleys—noise starts around 6 AM.
Best views
Sea-facing rooms on floors 3–4 give clear views of the strait and Calabrian coast. South-facing windows catch the morning light over the port. Back-facing rooms look onto a narrow lane with washing lines and building walls.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 are the quietest, with higher ceilings and less transference of street noise from Via Garibaldi. The lift stops here, so minimal corridor movement.
🔊 Noise notes
The hotel sits on a moderately busy street in central Messina—scooters, buses, and delivery vans start around 6:30 AM. The bar on the ground floor closes by 11 PM, but the pedestrianised patch nearby gets chatter from late-night cafés in summer. The lift mechanism is audible if your room shares a wall with the shaft.
Insider tips
1. Book a sea-view room directly via the hotel's own website—third-party sites often don't guarantee position, and the front desk can sometimes upgrade if you ask nicely at check-in. 2. Park in the public garage at Piazza del Duomo (cheap and secure; the hotel has no private parking) and walk 5 minutes. Avoid street parking—limited and prone to fines.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — La Casa a Mare
Free unlimited WiFi throughout, no login, typically 30 Mbps down/10 Mbps up; no paid upgrade
One lift serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections
Access to PressReader digital newspaper kiosk via lobby iPad; no physical papers. The hotel occupies a 1930s building with original marble staircase and wrought-iron balustrades
Check-in from 15:00 to 22:00; early bag storage available from 12:00; late check-out until 12:00 costs €30 (subject to availability)
Free storage in locked room before check-in and after check-out, on request
No step at main entrance but door is 75 cm wide; one ground-floor accessible room, but no lift to basement breakfast room (3 steps down); no adapted bathrooms
No on-site parking; nearest public garage is Parcheggio Municipale Via Nizza, €12 per 24h, €1.50 per hour; EV charging: none within 500 m
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €2.50 per person per night, up to 14 nights, exempt under 14 years
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment via credit card required 48h before arrival; €100 incidental hold placed on card at check-in
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use bank ATMs for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at the port or airport, which give poor rates and high fees.
Cards are widely accepted in shops, restaurants, and hotels, but small bars, markets, and taxis may prefer cash, especially for under €10.
Tipping is not expected but appreciated for good service: round up the bill in restaurants, leave small change for taxis and hotel staff.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Espresso at a bar counter: around €1.10.
Pizza al taglio (by the slice) or a panino from a local bakery, with a drink: about €5–7.
Pasta or pizza at a trattoria, main dish: around €10–12.
The area around Piazza Cairoli and Via San Camillo has several stalls and small bakeries for arancini, pane e panelle, and pizza slices.
Conad, Eurospin, Lidl, and Decò are common budget supermarkets in the Messina area.
Via Garibaldi and the Corso Cavour area have affordable Zara, H&M, and independent boutiques; also try the Thursday market near Piazza del Duomo.
A single bus ticket is €1.20 (valid 90 min); daily pass is around €3.50. From the airport, the cheapest is the local bus (€1.50 to city centre) or shared shuttle (about €5).
Eat at places where locals queue at lunch (look for ‘pranzo fisso’ menus around €10–12). Avoid bottled water in bars – tap water is fine and free. Buy museum/site tickets online to avoid surcharges.
Good to know — Messina
Type C/F/L · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Messina, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at La Casa a Mare
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Messina Centrale station → Messina city centre stops (e.g. Piazza Cairoli)
💡 Handy for a quick tour of Messina's seafront. Buy tickets at tabacchi or newsagents—not on board. Validate before boarding. Single ticket covers 90 minutes.
Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA) → Grand Hotel Lido Giardino delle Palme, Giardini Naxos
💡 Book through the hotel or a local firm like Taxi Naxos to avoid overcharging. Confirm fare before starting.
Messina Centrale station (via bus from airport to Catania, then train) → Giardini Naxos station (5 mins walk to hotel)
💡 Only worth it if you're already in Messina. From Catania Airport, take the Alibus (€4, 15 mins) to Catania Centrale, then train to Giardini Naxos (€9.50, 50 mins). Slower but scenic.
Catania Airport (CTA) → Messina city centre (Piazza della Repubblica)
💡 Get off at Taormina instead if your hotel is in Giardini Naxos—it's nearer. Then take a local bus or taxi (10 mins, €15) to the hotel. The direct bus to Messina drops you far north.
About Messina
Wikipedia ↗
Messina ( meh-SEE-nə, US also mih-; Italian: [mesˈsiːna] ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 217,033 inhabitants in the city proper and 595,948...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at La Casa a Mare?
Request a room on the third or fourth floor with a sea-facing balcony. The upper floors reduce street-level noise and offer views across the Strait of Messina. South-facing rooms catch morning sun and are quieter than those over the courtyard.
Which rooms should I avoid at La Casa a Mare?
Avoid rooms on the first floor above the lobby; they pick up kitchen clatter from the breakfast area and foot traffic from the stairs. Also skip any rooms directly over the small courtyard where staff store trolleys—noise starts around 6 AM.
Is La Casa a Mare noisy?
The hotel sits on a moderately busy street in central Messina—scooters, buses, and delivery vans start around 6:30 AM. The bar on the ground floor closes by 11 PM, but the pedestrianised patch nearby gets chatter from late-night cafés in summer. The lift mechanism is audible if your room shares a wall with the shaft.
Which rooms have the best views at La Casa a Mare?
Sea-facing rooms on floors 3–4 give clear views of the strait and Calabrian coast. South-facing windows catch the morning light over the port. Back-facing rooms look onto a narrow lane with washing lines and building walls.
What are insider tips for staying at La Casa a Mare?
1. Book a sea-view room directly via the hotel's own website—third-party sites often don't guarantee position, and the front desk can sometimes upgrade if you ask nicely at check-in. 2. Park in the public garage at Piazza del Duomo (cheap and secure; the hotel has no private parking) and walk 5 minutes. Avoid street parking—limited and prone to fines.
What time is check-in at La Casa a Mare?
Check-in at La Casa a Mare is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does La Casa a Mare have Wi-Fi?
Free unlimited WiFi throughout, no login, typically 30 Mbps down/10 Mbps up; no paid upgrade
Is there a city or tourist tax at La Casa a Mare?
€2.50 per person per night, up to 14 nights, exempt under 14 years
Where can I eat cheaply near La Casa a Mare?
Pizza al taglio (by the slice) or a panino from a local bakery, with a drink: about €5–7.
What is the cheapest way to get around from La Casa a Mare?
A single bus ticket is €1.20 (valid 90 min); daily pass is around €3.50. From the airport, the cheapest is the local bus (€1.50 to city centre) or shared shuttle (about €5).
When is the best time to visit Messina?
May, June and September: warm (24-28°C), low humidity and minimal rain, with most sights open but far fewer tourists than high summer.
Top Attractions in Messina
💡 Visit early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds and see the sun catch the marble. It's lit at night, too.
💡 The upper terrace has a free public telescope. Go on a clear morning for views across to Reggio Calabria. The café nearby does decent granita for €2.
💡 The cloister garden is the real draw—bring a book and sit on the bench under the orange tree. No toilet on site.
💡 You can't go inside, but the walk along the harbour wall is free. Best at sunset when the light hits the tower. Bring binoculars to spot Calabria.
💡 Entry costs about €6. Go on the first Sunday of the month for free entry. The Caravaggio room is usually quiet midweek.