The Strait of Messina
Messina, Strait of, the channel that separates Sicily from mainland Italy and links the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas. The minimum width is two miles (3 km). The strait has many whirlpools and strong currents—rare in the Mediterranean Sea—and is associated with the legend of Scylla and Charybdis. There are rich fisheries. The main ports are Messina and Reggio di Calabria.