The final port of call on our 10-day Mediterranean cruise, Messina, Sicily, proved to be somewhat of a let-down after the preceding islands and cities we’d visited. Granted, we were all probably a bit weary at that point in our travels, and we only had a half-day there — on a Sunday in late September, at that.

We decided not to partake of any formal tours which would have taken us to the slopes of Mt. Etna or the charming vacation town of Taormina. (I visited there two years ago on my last visit to Sicily and found it to be utterly charming and lovely.) Instead, we grabbed a map of town, walked off the ship (conveniently docked near the center of the city) and headed for one of the high points in the city, the Sacrario di Christo Re.

Messina was easily the most industrial, “working” city we visited . . . and also one of the dirtiest. We climbed steadily up steep streets and staircases, past walls festooned with graffiti and over gritty, broken pavement. The view from the church-turned-war memorial was impressive, though, offering more than 180 degrees of the city; its perfect, sickle-shaped natural harbor; and the Strait of Messina and the coast of southern Italy beyond.

From our high perch, we spotted our next destination, the cathedral and its clock tower with a truly amazing astronomical clock. After winding our way back downhill, we paused for a while to cool off near the 16th-century Orion Fountain in the courtyard before the Duomo. We took in the detailed figures of the clock tower (built in Strasbourg and installed in 1933) but weren’t able to stay to see them in action at the stroke of noon.

With the heat and humidity rising, we made a desultory attempt to find some open shops to hold our interest but quickly decided it was time to make our way back to the ship. Giving Messina a final chance to leave us with a positive impression, we purchased some gelato for the stroll back. Sadly, the connoisseurs in our group agreed unanimously that it was the worst we’d had thus far.

Next time we’re in Sicily, we’ll leave the big city behind and head for the countryside!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor