Gioiosa Marea is a picturesque town that is part of the Bella Sicilia circuit.
It is appreciated by visitors for the breathtaking view and for the many other beauties that characterize the area.
Gioiosa Marea in the province of Messina
In the province of Messina, particularly along the Tyrrhenian coast, the locality of Gioiosa Marea stands out and is appreciated for its breathtaking views and for beautiful beach which it has. One of its peculiarities is that it is composed of approx 30 fractions of different sizes and to offer visitors many exclusive proposals such as the famous carnival.
This town is a concentration of many activities and interests concerning the historical cultural aspect, but also the landscape and food and wine. All this makes Gioiosa Marea a particularly popular destination among visitors who choose the province of Messina for a stay. The first fraction to visit is that of Joyful Guard which is located in the highest part, almost dominating the whole territory. It is an open-air archaeological area in which you can appreciate many remains that refer to past eras.
The story of Gioiosa Marea
Le origins of Gioiosa Marea they are very old, in particular the first settlements date back to the sixth and fifth century BC with the Greeks who inhabited this area. In confirmation of this historical version, there are the ruins that are still visible today and which tell of what happened. Above all the highest area, namely that of Gioiosa Guardia, has been the subject of disputes between various peoples due to its strategic role which allowed it to dominate and control a large part of the northern Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily. Unfortunately this ancient village was completely abandoned by the population after the terrible earthquake of 1783.
The end of Gioiosa Guardia coincided with the birth and development of Gioiosa Marea which instead overlooks the sea directly. Confirmation of the handover between the two inhabited centers is found in the materials and various debris present in Gioiosa Guardia. This completely random fact allowed the development of a center to start which today represents one of the main seaside attractions of the entire northern coast of Sicily.
What to see in Gioiosa Marea
In the area of Gioiosa Marea there are several ideas for those interested in the history of the church, in general for art. First you can take a look at mother church which was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari or to Church of Our Lady of Grace inside which there are important works and frescoes dating back to the eighteenth century and which once belonged to important ecclesiastics of the area. In addition, a special was built museum in which there are many sacred works of art that can be admired and appreciated, confirming how important that spiritual feeling was in the community. There is no shortage of proposals for nature lovers with the possibility of visiting the wonderful Tone Cave or to appreciate a territory in which there are caves such as that of Tono, rich in stalactites and stalagmites.
The village of San Giorgio and Capo Skino
Gioiosa Marea is divided into about thirty fractions, among which the most characteristic is undoubtedly the Village of San Giorgio. It is a village where only fishermen live who carry on this tradition on a daily basis. In this small seaside village there are beautiful beaches which are also comparable to that of Chief Skino. These are proposals to be taken into consideration for a stay to discover the northern part of Sicily.
How to get to Gioiosa Marea
By car:, starting from the city of Messina it is possible to reach the village of Gioiosa Marea covering a distance of 70 km first along the A20 motorway and then the E90. From Palermo, on the other hand, the distance is 150 km with the need to take the A20 in the opposite direction, ie towards Messina.
© Image by Gomera-b, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
