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How loud is Messina, Italy?
In Messina, Italy, most noise-exposed residents face average day-evening-night (Lden) transport noise of 55–75 dB, mostly from road traffic, dropping to 50–65 dB at night. That ranks Messina #3 of 314 European cities by measured EEA exposure, above the European median.
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| European rank (of 314) | #3 |
|---|---|
| Daytime Lden range | 55–75 dB |
| Night Lnight range | 50–65 dB |
| vs. WHO guideline | ≈ 12 dB above the 53 dB Lden road-noise guideline (night guideline: 45 dB) |
| Dominant source | road traffic |
| Population | 220,094 |
| Data confidence | high |
With 220,094 residents, Messina reports day-evening-night transport noise of 55–75 dB for its exposed population (50–65 dB at night), mostly from road traffic. That is #3 of 314 European cities, above the European median. Among Italy's 34 ranked agglomerations, Messina is the 2nd-loudest. Across Europe it sits just below Bacau, Romania (#2) and just above Bruges, Belgium (#4).
The WHO road-traffic guideline is 53 dB Lden by day and 45 dB Lnight at night, so Messina's exposed residents run roughly 12 dB above the daytime guideline. The figures count road, rail, aircraft and industry only, so sirens, nightlife and construction sit outside the model — which is why measured exposure can differ from a city's reputation for noise.
These are measured values, not estimates: they come from Italy's strategic noise maps reported under the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2022 round) and harmonised by the European Environment Agency. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only people above the 55 dB Lden reporting threshold are counted, so the range describes the noise-exposed population, not the city's quietest streets.
Messina noise: the numbers
- Ranks #3 of 314 European cities by measured day-evening-night (Lden) transport-noise exposure.
- Exposed residents face Lden 55–75 dB by day and Lnight 50–65 dB at night.
- Dominant noise source: road traffic. Population 220,094.
- The 2nd-loudest of Italy's 34 ranked agglomerations.
These are measured values from the EU Environmental Noise Directive strategic noise maps (2022 round), harmonised by the European Environment Agency — see the methodology on the European city ranking. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only residents above the 55 dB Lden threshold are reported.
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