Strait of Messina, Mediterranean strait between Sicily and Calabria, Italy
The Strait of Messina is a waterway between Sicily and Calabria in Italy that links the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north with the Ionian Sea to the south. At its narrowest point, the channel measures roughly 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) across and forms a natural divide between the island and the mainland.
Greek sailors passed through these waters in ancient times and named the natural hazards Scylla and Charybdis. These names later became symbols for difficult choices in myths and stories.
The Calabrian side of the crossing holds the promontory of Scylla, where local fishermen still work with tides that shift direction throughout the day. On the Sicilian shore, small harbors shelter swordfish boats designed to handle the deep channel.
Ferry crossings between Messina and Villa San Giovanni run throughout the day, carrying travelers and vehicles across in about 20 minutes depending on weather. Views of both coastlines are clear from the deck when skies are open.
Under certain weather conditions, the strait produces a Fata Morgana effect, an optical illusion that makes distant coastal points appear to hover above the water. This phenomenon once fed legends and shaped stories of ghost islands.
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