Messina Walking Tour: Arab-Norman Sites & Puppet Museum

Discover the highlights of Messina on a 2-hour walking tour. Visit Cathedral Square, Catalani Church, Vittorio Emanuele Gallery, and more. Don’t miss the Sanctuary of Montalto and the Shrine of Christ the King.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Annunziata dei Catalani Church - is one of the few great monuments that have resisted earthquakes and the fury of incendiary bombs of war events,
  • Municipio di Messina - The biggest palace ever rebuilt after the earthquake of 1908.
  • Galleria Vittorio Emanuele III - built by the architect Camilo Puglisi Allegra in between 1924 and 1929
    -…
What's Included
  • Professional guide
  • Tasting of typical Sicilian products
  • Entrance fee to the Museum of Sicilian Puppet Theater
What's Not Included
  • Food and Drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Additional Information

Your 2.5-hour walking tour begins at the Catalani Church, a prime example of Arab-Norman architecture. Next, you’ll head to the City Hall, the largest palace reconstructed after the 1908 earthquake. The Vittorio Emanuele Gallery, situated in Antonello Square, is the second largest in Southern Italy.
A highlight of the tour is Cathedral Square, featuring…

Location
Discover Messina Sicily
Via I Settembre
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(275 Ratings)
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Cottle1017
Oct 6, 2025
A great walking tour - A great tour. Informative and insightful. Chiara was an outstanding tour guide. The group was appreciative. Highly recommend the experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Camilla_w
Oct 6, 2025
Good Overview of Messina - Messina’s cathedral, astrological clock, and puppet museum are highlights of a tour of Old Town, especially with a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide like Chiara. She provided interesting insights, and the cannolis at the end were amazing!
Review provided by Viator
Lindaha9730un
Sep 24, 2025
Delicious Tour - Roberto was great! Friendly, informative, and so willing to be very flexible! I do wish we had paid attention to the afternoon Siesta’s… Not the tourist issue at all, but we were not aware and missed out on shopping!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mel
Sep 24, 2025
Best way to see Messina! - Our tour guide Elisa was sweet, very knowledgeable, informative, fun and easy going! She made our trip enjoyable and relaxing! And of course, the cannolis at the end!!❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Olga_c
Sep 23, 2025
Good walking tour. Our... - Good walking tour. Our guide, Gabriella, was knowledgeable, humorous and considerate. The group was a. perfect size and we learned lots about Messina and it’s history
Review provided by Viator
Hereticlives
Sep 15, 2025
Chiara on Discover Messina Sicily - Our tour guide Chiara had a wonderful personality, her English is excellent, she is very knowledgeable and was patient for those in the group that needed a little more help. The tour provided a historical insight into Sicily and Messina. My wife and I enjoyed the tour and highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N4858kwshannonm
Sep 8, 2025
10 out of 10 - Claudio was super informative and made sure we saw everything we wanted to see. Great explanations of both art and architecture. Highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jodie_d
Sep 6, 2025
Well worth it! - Very personable and knowledgeable guide! She talked about so much we would not have otherwise known! Puppet museum was awesome!
Review provided by Viator
Akshay_a
Sep 10, 2025
A basic guided tour. - Get a tour around the main business area near the port. Good if you want something short and still want to see something quick. Ends with a sweet treat. For a cheaper option, take a hop on hop off bus; this was at least given by a local.
Review provided by Viator
Tracy_h
Sep 18, 2025
Too long/Too much detail - The tour started out ok but then went in to WAY more historical detail than I needed. Luckily, we got a break from all the facts at noon to watch the bell tower performance. I’m glad I saw some of the statues we saw but a quick walk by would’ve sufficed, I didn’t need a 10 minute lecture on each one.
Review provided by Viator
From $49
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).