The largest fortified citadel in Sicily, above the port for the Aeolian Islands
Milazzo, on a narrow peninsula on the Tyrrhenian coast, is best known as the port for the Aeolian Islands, but it deserves a visit for its castle, the largest fortified complex in Sicily. Its layers tell the history of the island: an Arab and Norman keep, a Swabian castle enlarged by Frederick II, Aragonese walls and an immense sixteenth century Spanish citadel enclosing a whole town.
Within the walls stand the Duomo Antico, a late Renaissance church, the Palazzo dei Giurati and the old prisons. The ramparts offer views over the port, the Aeolian Islands and the Gulf of Milazzo. In 1860 the town was the scene of a decisive battle won by Garibaldi during the Expedition of the Thousand.
Tip: the castle hosts exhibitions and summer events; combine it with a walk along the seafront and a granita in the Borgo, the old quarter below.
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