Discover Villa San Giovanni – Coast, Culture and Holiday Apartments

Holiday apartment in Villa San Giovanni between coast and history

Villa San Giovanni combines the coast along the Strait of Messina with a dense succession of churches, museums, monuments and an important harbor. A holiday apartment in Villa San Giovanni can therefore be well suited to different vacation interests: You can combine maritime impressions, local history and walks through the center. Particularly characteristic is the transition between the Italian mainland region of Calabria and Sicily, which gives the town a distinct maritime and transportation-historical character.

Harbor, railway station and coastal landscape

The harbor of Villa San Giovanni is the most important maritime connection between Calabria and Sicily. The ferries carry passengers, road vehicles and railway trains. The harbor is also directly connected to the railway station. If you want to plan your trip around the connection across the strait or around rail and ferry traffic, the harbor and railway station are among the town's defining landmarks.

Punta Pezzo is considered the point where the Calabrian and Sicilian coasts are closest to each other. The place is also associated with the Fata Morgana effect: In this phenomenon, the two coasts may appear to be connected by upside-down objects. Cannitello Beach is a beach in Villa San Giovanni and adds a specific waterside destination to the coastal landscape.

Churches and religious history

The churches of Villa San Giovanni reflect different periods of construction and traditions. The first Church of the Immaculate Conception already existed in the former district of Fossa; in 1692, it was visited by the Archbishop of Reggio, Martino Ybañez y Villanueva. The present larger Church of the Immaculate Conception was built in the Neo-Romanesque style based on a design by the architect Pietro De Nava and consecrated on December 8, 1929.

The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary was completed in the early 1960s. It is associated with a long tradition of devotion to the Madonna del Rosario. The Sanctuary of Maria Santissima delle Grazie is located in Punta Pezzo, a district of Villa San Giovanni; its main feast is held on July 2. The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian was approved in 1742 for the new settlement south of Fossa. After being destroyed by the 1783 earthquake, it was rebuilt in 1811; the present bell tower dates from this period.

Museum, monuments and walks through the center

The Museo naturalistico antropologico di Villa San Giovanni was founded in 2002, reopened in 2005 and is housed in the Art Nouveau Palazzo Arena. Its subject matter includes the geological, marine, coastal and anthropological features of the Strait of Messina. The museum thus combines the natural environment, marine life and the history of the people living along this important strait.

A walk through the center of Villa San Giovanni offers the opportunity to see Art Nouveau buildings and monuments. The Old Fountain is one of the Art Nouveau monuments in the center. The Church of the Immaculate Conception is also one of the monuments that survived the 1908 earthquake and the earthquakes that followed. The Garibaldi statue is a work by local sculptor Rocco Larussa. The war memorial from 1925 bears a high relief of the winged goddess of victory, as well as inscriptions with the names of 30 soldiers who died in the First World War and 27 soldiers who died in the Second World War.

Torre Cavallo adds another historic structure. The tower was built around 1559, is a 16th-century watchtower and forms part of the defense system of the Strait of Messina. Together with the churches, museum and monuments, it offers different perspectives on Villa San Giovanni – from religious architectural history and Art Nouveau to the military past of the strait.

Choose the right vacation focus

When choosing a holiday apartment in Villa San Giovanni, you can focus on the experiences you want to define your stay. The harbor and railway station represent the connection between Calabria and Sicily, the center offers walks among Art Nouveau buildings and monuments, while Punta Pezzo and Cannitello Beach highlight the coastal character. Churches, the museum and Torre Cavallo add historical and cultural themes to this selection. This allows you to base your accommodation choice on your preferred balance of coast, exploring the town and history.

More places for planning your trip

Bivongi, Benestare, Pellaro, Gioiosa Ionica, Bianco, Marina Di Gioiosa Ionica, Brancaleone Superiore and Delianuova

To the higher-level travel overview: Reggio Calabria.