Thursday, May 17, 2012

MESSINA, SÍCILIA

2 years ago I decided to have some different holidays, that allowed me to get to know several places at the same time… no, it was not an interrail, it was a cruise! And I simply loved it… for real (so much that since then I’ve done 3 :$)!
One of the cities I visited in my second cruise was Messina. We arrived to the Port of Messina early morning and we chose to visit the city on our own.
We left the boat and started walking towards the city that did not seem far (and it was not). Once there we looked for a tourism office and that’s when the adventure began… you cannot imagine how hard it is to find a tourism office (I could not imagine either). We have signs in one side of the road and we try to follow them… but when we ask in a coffee cause we were not able to find anything where the sign was indicating they tell us it’s on the opposite side of the avenue (and opposite side of the sign)… On the 2nd floor of a building (no indication, once again only found it because we asked)…
Finally on the tourism office, they only spoke Italian… yes, you can laugh… but with a little bit of Portuguese mixed with Italian we managed to get the map so we could get to the Cathedral on time to see the clock – noon.
With the map (that we got with a lot of effort :P) in our hands we were finally able to arrive to the touristic spot of the town: Messina Cathedral, just in time for the performance by mechanically animated statues telling the core facts of civil and religious history of Messina on the clock at noon!
Also the cathedral has the largest astronomical clock in the world.
It was worth the wait! Here are my records from the highlight of Messina!

Há 2 anos resolvi fazer umas férias diferentes, que me permitissem conhecer vários sitios ao mesmo tempo... não, não foi um interrail, foi um cruzeiro! E adorei... mesmo (tanto que desde então já fiz 3 :$)!
Uma das cidades que pude visitar no meu segundo cruzeiro foi Messina. Chegamos de manhãzinha ao porto de Messina e optamos por conhecer a cidade por nossa conta e risco.
Saímos do barco e começamos a andar em direcção à cidade que não parecia longe. Uma vez aí procuramos por um posto de turismo e aí começou a aventura... Não imaginam como foi dificil encontrar um posto de turismo (eu também nunca imaginei). Segue-se as indicações que existem de um lado da rua e tentamos segui-los, quando não conseguimos perguntamos num café e indicam-nos que o posto é do outro lado da avenida (exactamento ao contrário do que a seta indica)... No 2º andar de um edificio sem menção nenhuma... o que vale “quem tem boca vai a Roma”, neste caso, vai ao posto de turismo...
Chegadas ao posto, só falavam italiano... mas nós lá conseguimos o que queriamos (com uma mescla de portugues e italiano) que era o mapa para conseguirmos chegar à Catedral a tempo de ver o relógio a tocar – ao meio dia.
Depois de a muito custo termos encontrado o posto e já com o mapa na mão lá conseguimos encontrar o ponto turistico da cidade mesmo a tempo do relógio tocar ao meio dia e as figuras animadas contarem a história da cidade!
A Catedral também tem o maior relógio astronómico do mundo!
Custou mas valeu a pena! Aqui ficam os meus registos do marco da cidade de Messina!



45 comments:

  1. I went to Messina meny times during my summer vacations, it's really a beautiful and artistic city!
    xxx
    S
    http://s-fashion-avenue.blogspot.it

    ReplyDelete
  2. queria tanto conhecer! Quer dizer quero tanto conhecer tanta coisa! Mas Itália e as ilhas sempre me fascinaram!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I always head to the nearest tourist office when I am visiting somewhere new. I'm glad you found it in the end!
    I like the new design on your blog.
    Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
  4. We actually have a place here in SA with the same name, but is nowhere as beautiful as this!

    ReplyDelete
  5. *64

    Belas fotos Filipa! Parabéns!
    Beijocas e boa sexta-feira!

    Margarida
    http://oblogdasandracosta.blogspot.pt/

    ReplyDelete
  6. Adoro, está na minha lista de lugares a visitar :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Deve ser incrível :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, I have never been there, but it looks amazing. Thank you for your comment. Have a nice evening. XOxo V.V.

    ReplyDelete
  9. isn't getting lost part of the adventure? ;) i'm so glad you made it on time for the ceremony. it looks like such a lovely place. it must be if you have been there 3 times, right? or did you mean 3 cruises?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Teddi, I meant 3 cruises.. In Messina, I've been only once! :)

      Delete
  10. Absolutely gorgeous photos. I'd love to see Italy someday as well!!

    That GOOD GOOD Blog

    ReplyDelete
  11. fiquei maravilhada com essa catedral, lindissima.

    Bjokas

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sometimes getting lost means you find things you wouldn't otherwise. At least you got there right on time for the best part of the city!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh dear! I'm so grateful that u stopped by so that I could discover your blog! LOVE TRAVEL BLOGS! Do u live in Germany?

    I'll follow u now, so that we keep in touch easier! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, no, I don't live in Germany... I work for a German company and sometimes go to Munich at work... but live in Portugal...
      XOXO

      Delete
  14. Hello :)
    Adorei a nova "roupagem" do teu mapa de viagens :)
    beijinhos

    ReplyDelete
  15. Looks wonderful - I´ve never been on a cruise but friends have and they said it was fun! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. So glad you enjoyed Sicily dear! Next time you come in Sardinia the island where I live, I bet you will love it!:) Kisses and have a nice day!!:*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lilli, Already been in Sardinia back in 2007... will post in the meantime something of Alghero and Cagliari :)
      XOXO

      Delete
  17. Ir num cruzeiro deve ser uma coisa mais que maravilhosa, imagino essa experiência, deve ter sido única :D

    Beijinho*

    ReplyDelete
  18. Que rica solução!
    Bj** e bom fim-de-semana.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Também gostava de conhecer :)

    Bom fim-de-semana viajante :)!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Gorgeous shots and I love your new blog design!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love it!!!^^
    I stay in Milano and I think that It deserves a visit ;)

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  22. Associo sempre a Sicília à máfia... ahahah. lindo!

    ReplyDelete
  23. What an amazing building! WOW!!!

    & thanks for your comment :)

    http://petitemini.blogspot.se/

    ReplyDelete
  24. Olha não sabia que tinhas ido aqui e muito menos que se tinham perdido! :P
    O que eu fico a descobrir aqui :)

    Lau

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Foi quando andaste lá por Barcelona... agora ando a surpreender-te :P

      Delete
  25. Cruises are the best, aren't they? Such a great way to see a bunch of beautiful places, like Messina.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. really... I really love this way of travelling...
      Next year I hope I can make another! :)

      Delete
  26. Ola Filipa,

    Thank you for your good luck wishes!
    My first exam was Dutch and it was difficult.
    Like the new background. Have you ever been to
    Havana, Cuba?

    xx
    me-travelleroftheworld.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Gostava imenso de fazer um cruzeiro.Acho que deve ser uma experiência engraçadda.Uma forma diferente de viajar!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Great photos, looks impressive!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Deve ser tão bom viajar assim.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Ai também gostava tanto de fazer um cruzeiro *.*

    ReplyDelete
  31. Lovely post. I've never been their before, but looks like a beautiful place that i must visit!
    would you like to follow each other?
    A
    xx
    http://epiquemoi.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Amazing post:) thank you for sweet words on my blog...Im happy that you following me:) I follow you also, come back soon..I have more swedish inspiration for you:)

    LOVE Maria at inredningsvis.se
    (sweden)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Ual, que lugar lindo!!! vc gosta de igrejas ne? sempre vejo vc com fotos de lugares que pelo menos parecem uma, rs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aqui na Europa... em cada cidade há imensas igrejas... quer se goste ou não acabas sempre por as ir ver... algumas são bastane giras :D

      Delete
  34. This is such a great post. I love it!!!
    Best Regards
    Miss Margaret Cruzemark
    http://margaretcruzemark.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  35. Um sitio mágico que tenciono voltar a visitar!

    ReplyDelete
  36. I don't know many people who have gone on Cruises so it's nice to read of it for a change. That clock tower looks awesome, something I'd be willing to get lost just to see.

    ReplyDelete