Sicily - Messina

[joizy]

I am on my way to Catania for a few days, but thought I’d spend a few days in Messina, right across the Strait of Messina from Reggio di Calabria, where I am basing myself for a month.

I was surprised at my popularity in Reggio and the number of guys I’ve met there - many hot. I was also getting hit up on Grindr by guys in Messina, so I thought I’d try my luck here. I came here for a half day (it’s 35 minutes by ferry) and liked it, and thought a few days would allow me to get to know the place better, and possibly meet some of the guys who had been messaging me.

The verdict?

Nice place to visit.

As far as meeting guys - it’s been a bust.

First, Messina. Like Reggio, it was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami in 1908.  There are a few buildings that survived, but most of it is fairly new. The style is described as art nouveau/liberty, and it gives the city a very charming feel. Grid layout, apartment buildings with lots of decoration, balconies and shutters. The weather has been great, so it’s lovely to walk around. There isn’t a whole lot to see, and cruise ships dock here almost every day, so the tourist center gets crowded with large groups. The locals have been VERY friendly. Friendlier than any place I’ve been in Italy - and I’m talking away from the center, in areas where only locals go. It’s been a really nice place to hang for a few days. 

Grindr has been a disappointment. I met one guy - 24 years old - slightly heavy, average body, average cock, quick bj - he seemed nervous, shy, maybe not out. I have had a lot of people message me. They apparently don’t read my profile. Many looking for daddies, but wanting big dicked top daddies, and nothing in my profile suggests that I am any of those things, so a lot of time wasters.

I had one hot guy message me last night with a huge dick. He wanted a “regalo” (gift) - 30 euros just to give him a BJ. I am suspicious when the fee is so low, but I said okay. Then he said we could meet at a shopping center which is kind of far from where I am staying. I didn’t bother to reply. Were we going to do something there? Was it a set up? It wasn’t worth it.

I was curious about the difference between Messina and Reggio and wondering if it was just my perception or if there really was a difference in the response rate on Grindr, so I asked Chat GPT (continuing the other chat I was having about Reggio and other Italian citiies) - here is a little of what it said. I’m amazed at how insightful it is about these differences.

 

• Reggio Calabria: ~180,000 people. Fairly spread out but feels like a large town. Locals often know each other indirectly.
• Messina: ~230,000 people — so slightly larger and a bit busier, especially near the port and university.

 

🟩 Effect on Grindr:

Reggio’s smaller and more provincial feel means your profile stands out more easily — there are fewer active users at any one time, so locals notice you quickly.

Messina, while not a big metropolis, has a slightly more transient flow (students, commuters, ferry travelers), which adds variety but also dilutes individual visibility. You might get attention, but not the concentrated response you get in Reggio.

I also asked about Catania, so here’s the comparison between the three places.

Aspect	Reggio Calabria	Messina	Catania
Size / pace	Small, intimate	Mid-size	Big, bustling
Openness	Very discreet	Semi-discreet	Open & visible
Grindr responsiveness	High	Moderate	High but scattered
Ability to stand out	Very strong	Moderate	Moderate-low
Comfort / amenities	Limited	Moderate	Excellent

 

[ShivRoy]

1 hour ago, joizy said:

 

I had one hot guy message me last night with a huge dick. He wanted a “regalo” (gift) - 30 euros just to give him a BJ. I am suspicious when the fee is so low

That actually could be normal with street trade in these parts of the Mediterranean. That's the average that a guy would ask you at a sex cine in Naples for full sex in a toilet/cabin (could be even 20, or alternatively of course could be as high as 50, but 30 is usual) - same in sex cines (and its surroundings) in Athens too where street trade usual average was just about 30.

[joizy]

14 minutes ago, ShivRoy said:

That actually could be normal with street trade in these parts of the Mediterranean. That's the average that a guy would ask you at a sex cine in Naples for full sex in a toilet/cabin (could be even 20, or alternatively of course could be as high as 50, but 30 is usual) - same in sex cines (and its surroundings) in Athens too where street trade usual average was just about 30.

Thanks. Also had a guy in Napoli ask for 30. Wasn’t really my type but good to know it’s the going rate.