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Alì Terme: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Messina, Sicilia. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Alì Terme

The report looks at the exact point: landslide and flood risk, seismic zone, price per square metre for the area, services and nearby stops.

For example: Via Francesco Crispi 1, Alì Terme.

Alì Terme, on the Ionian coast between Messina and Taormina

Alì Terme is a village on the Ionian coast of the province of Messina, squeezed between the sea and the Peloritani mountains that rise straight behind it. Its name comes from its thermal waters, which gave it a long tradition as a spa and summer resort. Messina lies to the north, Taormina to the south, and the coast road links the villages along the shore.

There is little flat land: houses line the road and the beach, and the ground climbs as soon as you move away from the sea. Buyers find flats in small blocks, village houses and homes used as summer residences. Near the sea and the fiumare (the short, seasonal torrents running down from the mountains) it is worth checking the official flood and landslide maps, which the report looks up for the address.

Istat, the national statistics institute, counts 2,318 residents in 2023, down 9.7% since 2011. The average age is 47.0, close to the provincial 46.7, and foreign residents make up 2.1%. Declared incomes are in line with the provincial average.

Earthquakes are the point to look at most closely. Alì Terme is in seismic zone 1, the highest class set by the Civil Protection Department, like 16 other municipalities in the province, and the expected ground acceleration is 0.248 g. The Strait of Messina area has a long seismic history, so before buying ask for the year of construction, any strengthening work and the structural documents.

The climate is mild, climate zone B, with short, gentle winters. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps here, and the report traces the plot from the address.

Key points

  • Spa village on the Ionian coast, between Messina and Taormina.
  • Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration 0.248 g.
  • Residents down 9.7% since 2011.
  • Mild climate; check torrents on the official maps.

Overview

Alì Terme is a municipality in the province of Messina, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 2,318 residents, ranked 49 of 108 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Alì Terme is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. Only 17 of 108 municipalities in the province are in zone 1.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.248 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Alì Terme, the building matters a great deal: ask for the design year, whether it met the 2008 seismic standards, and whether any seismic retrofit has been carried out.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 9.7%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 2.1% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Alì Terme declared an average taxable income of 20,676 euros, in line with the province (20,687 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Alì Terme is in climate zone B, with 642 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 December to 31 March, for up to 8 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 9 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Alì Terme has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets and 1 sports facility.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.8 per 1,000 residents.

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 11.9% of the land in Alì Terme, compared with 6.0% in the province and 6.6% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Alì Terme.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Alì Terme: the report checks the address against the ISPRA maps.

House prices

The Revenue Agency's price ranges per square metre (OMI) apply to zones, not to whole municipalities: the report gives the range for the address's zone.

Land registry

The cadastral maps for Alì Terme are public: from the address the report finds the sheet and parcel number.

Liveability area by area

The Vicinalia liveability index runs from 0 to 100 and looks at the place, not the people who live there: services within walking distance, transport, green space, natural hazards, air, quiet, buildings and connection. Here it is worked out at the centre of each of the 21 inhabited census areas in Alì Terme. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 53 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 30.6%
  • fair 69.4%

Vicinalia index by census area, licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Data: IdroGEO ISPRA (2026), Istat, INGV, EEA, AGCOM, Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.

The colour is the value at the centre of the area. For an exact address, search for it above: the free check looks at that exact point. How the index is worked out

Data sources

ISTAT code 083003. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.