The fraction of Saponara Marittima in Saponara overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea from the north-eastern coast of Sicily: the municipality of Saponara, populated by about 3.700 inhabitants, is located in the Metropolitan City of Messina, nestled among the green heights of the Peloritani mountains.
The fraction of Saponara Marittima is the town's marina, where the streams also flow Cardà and Perarella, which give rise to the Fiumara di Saponara.
This is the perfect destination for those who love sea and mountains, but Saponara will also be able to surprise lovers of history, art and good food.
From the waterfront to the castle on the hill, from Mother Church of San Nicola di Bari at the Medicine Museum, between street parties such as the Carnival and religious events such as the feast of the patron saint, the town is a lively center with restaurants and pastry shops overlooking the sea, which invites its visitors to relax and have fun in a stay to be discovered.
Imagine starting your tour through the streets of Saponara right now…
The history and traditions of the country
Walking along the seafront of Saponara Marittima, you will begin to foretaste the natural beauties of the town, such as the sea, the stream and the green hills behind you.
Looking up from the free beach towards the green hills that make up the slopes of the Peloritani Mountains, you will see the Saponara Castle.
From here begins the history of the village: we are around the year XNUMX and the Byzantine fortress that dominates this stretch of the Tyrrhenian coast serves as an outpost to protect the territory from Arab incursions; centuries pass and the hill, the coast and part of the hinterland flanking the stream become the territory of a medieval fief under the control of Matteo Palizzi, Vicar of the Kingdom of Sicily in the XNUMXth century.
From family to family, the feud expanded and under the control of the Spaniards it became a duchy. Finally, it passes under the dominion of the Sicilian Alliata family, before being proclaimed an independent municipality in 1824, and then annexed to the Kingdom of Italy with a plebiscite in 1860.
The story continues its course and in 1908 the Messina earthquake causes great damage in the village: Saponara is not saved from the earthquake, losing the Mother Church, which has to be rebuilt. Also there World War I makes victims in the country and the memory of this tragic event is kept in the Monument to the Fallen in Piazza Umberto I.
A living monument to the memory of the country, however, is the Carnival of Saponara, one of the oldest and most loved events in the area, which every year brings the Bear Parade. The traditional Mask of the Bear refers to an event that occurred during the dominion of the Alliatas, in the XNUMXth century, when the arrival of a bear threatened the crops and pastures of Saponara.
Today one of the biggest festivals in the country is the one in honor of the Patron Saint, Saint Nicholas of Bariwhich is celebrated on December 6th.
Saponara Marittima and surroundings: what to see in the village
The tour of the hamlet of Saponara Marittima in Saponara, which began from the seafront with the beauties of the beach and the sea, continues in the town, where you will find several modern-style buildings of worship, such as the Parish of St. Dominic and the Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa; if you want to admire the oldest sacred building in the country instead, reach Matrix square in Saponara, where you can visit the Mother Church of San Nicola di Bari, characterized above all by the Renaissance bell tower and its wonderful interiors, with sacred furnishings including the Baptistery.
Returning to the coast, you can complete the tour of the marina with a pleasant walk through the inland streets, also reaching the Museum of Medicine, which is located in the adjacent hamlet of Villafranca Tirrena, for a cultural stage.
In the inhabited centre, you will find numerous accommodation facilities to welcome you and your stay in the hamlet of Saponara Marittima in Saponara will also become an opportunity to taste the local dishes and the most irresistible flavors of the town, such as the freshest fish and desserts; from here, you can also explore the surroundings, to discover the other beauties of Saponara, such as the ruins of the castle which are located 320 meters above sea level or the Fonte del Bottesco, where in the past the women of the village went to wash their clothes .
From Saponara Marittima, which is only 17 km from Messina, you can easily reach the city of the Strait, to enrich your holiday with the many artistic and natural beauties of the large centre: the Cathedral of Messina, The Forte Gonzaga and the Basilica Sanctuary of Sant'Antonio are just some of the most visited tourist attractions in the city, while from the pier you can admire the Madonna della Lettera, the huge monument dedicated to the patron saint of the city that overlooks the sea.
Sicilian flavors
Panelle and crocchè, arancini, cassata and Sicilian cannoli are the must to taste for those arriving in Sicily, but after a few days on the island, you will become true experts of good Sicilian cuisine, enjoying all the dishes of Messina cuisine in the many restaurants that are waiting in Saponara Marittima.
Pizza and rustici, busiate, stockfish, local cheeses: here are some of the typical products that you will find at the table, while for a sweet and refreshing break, choose the excellent ice cream parlors and pastry shops a stone's throw from the sea.
In the surroundings of Saponara Marittima, you will come across numerous farms, where you can buy genuine local products to take home, from wine to preserves, up to cured meats.
How to get to the hamlet of Saponara Marittima
Saponara is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Messina, less than 20 km from the Strait. Reaching the village and then heading towards the hamlet of Saponara Marittima in Saponara is easy, both by car and by train.
By car, we recommend the fastest route, which is the one that passes through the Rometta exit of the A20 Messina-Buonfornello, less than a km from the centre; by train, you can get off at Messina Central Station, where buses and shuttles are waiting for you to connect the city with the town.
From Saponara, the maritime hamlet can be reached with a short 5 km journey: are you ready to turn this virtual tour into reality?
