Originally the site of a Greek acropolis, then an Arab-Norman citadel, Milazzo's enormous castle was built by Frederick II in 1239, expanded by Charles V of Aragon and stormed by Garibaldi's troops in 1860. The whole of Milazzo once fitted within its massive walls. Nowadays it's a lovely site to clamber around, full of flowers and crumbling fortifications, with dreamy views of the bay and the Aeolians from atop the Torre Normanna, the castle's oldest and highest part.
The castle grounds, enclosed within late-15th-century Aragonese outer walls, contain the city's Duomo Vecchio (old cathedral) and the ruins of the Palazzo dei Giurati (the old town hall). To get here, climb the Salita Castello, which rises up through the atmospheric old town. Guided tours (available in English with advance notice) are offered at 4.30pm on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer.
