Gioiosa Marea is a town in the province of Messina, set on a flat area along the coast. It was founded in the middle of the XVIII century by the population of Gioiosa Guardia, (also called Gioiosa Vecchia), who had abandoned it after the earthquake of 1783; the old town, of which nothing now remains but a few ruins, had been founded in 1366 by the Vinciguerra farnily on the top of the mountain that forms the promontory of Capo Calavà.
The Mother Church, dedicated to San Nicola di Bari, preserves important paintings by Olivio Sozzi and a statue of the Virgin Mary by Gagini. The remains of the ancient town of Gioiosa Guardia are still visible on the mount of the town where archaeological findings of the V century b.C have been found too.