At Sicily’s northeast tip, Messina is the first city being kicked by mainland Italy’s boot, just three miles across the Strait of Messina. It's a main port of entry for visitors via hydrofoils and ferries. Trains board the ferry, too, before continuing service. The 12th-century Norman cathedral, rebuilt after a 1908 earthquake destroyed it and much of the town, is the most famous attraction. A bridge connecting Messina to the mainland is under construction and scheduled to open in 2012.