The strait of Messine (Italian: Stretto di Messina ; Sicilian: Strittu di Missina ) is a Détroit in Mediterranean which separates the Italian peninsula from the island of Sicily. It connects the Ionian Mer to the south with the Tyrrhenian Sea in north. Its smaller width is of 3,3 km.

The two main ports on the strait are Messine in Sicily and Reggio di Calabria, more precisely Villa San Giovanni on the continent.

This strait is often quoted like the example even of the strait formed by the continental territory of a State and an island belonging in this State whereas there exists with broad of this one a road of open sea of comparable convenience from the point of view of navigation. This particular case of strait involves the application of a specific scheme in right of the sea: the ships do not profit there from a " right-of-way in transit without entrave" (contrary to the other straits).

---- There exists a Separation device of the traffic, the cross traffic (ferry) is important. The current are violent one by place. Project of a road and railway bridge exists: the Bridge of Messine, which should be operational in 2012.