Reggio Calabria

A city on the strait at the “toe” of Italy's boot, where the Riace Bronzes are housed in the National Archaeological Museum of Magna Graecia and the seafront promenade looks across to Sicily and Mount Etna.

Reggio Calabria sits on the “toe” of the Italian peninsula, facing Sicily across the Strait of Messina. It is the most populous city in Calabria and grew out of the ancient Greek colony of Rhegion. The 1908 earthquake almost entirely destroyed it, and today's centre is largely an orderly grid rebuilt in the early 20th century. Sightseeing focuses on two parallel streets: the Lungomare Falcomatà seafront, dubbed “the most beautiful kilometre in Italy”, and the pedestrianised Corso Garibaldi. The National Archaeological Museum of Magna Graecia, the cathedral and the Aragonese Castle are all within walking distance and can be seen in a day. Beyond the city, head east up into Aspromonte National Park and the mountain village of Gambarie, south to Greek-speaking villages such as Pentedattilo and Bova, or across the mountains to Gerace and the ruins of Locri on the Ionian coast; the fishing village of Scilla to the north and Messina and Taormina across the strait are usually separate trips. May–October is best; midsummer is hot but good for swimming, and spring brings mountain wildflowers ideal for hiking. Getting there: Reggio has a small airport, and high-speed trains run direct from Naples and Rome to Reggio Calabria Centrale; ferries to Messina, from Villa San Giovanni or directly from the city port, take about 20–30 minutes. Plan to stay 2–3 days. Don't miss bergamot gelato, swordfish and spicy 'nduja sausage.

Top sights

• National Archaeological Museum of Magna Græcia (Riace Bronzes) – Southern Italy's most important archaeological museum, home to the two Riace Bronzes, Greek warrior statues from the 5th century BC.
• Lungomare Falcomatà – Hailed as 'the most beautiful kilometre in Italy,' a seafront promenade overlooking the Strait of Messina toward Sicily and Mount Etna.
• Arena dello Stretto – A semicircular seaside amphitheater on the Lungomare, with the sea as its backdrop. The statue of Athena by the water makes it a great suns…
• Aragonese Castle – An Aragonese-era castle in the city center with two massive round towers. The top of the towers offers views over the city and the strait.
• Reggio Calabria Cathedral – The largest church in Calabria, rebuilt in a Romanesque-Gothic Revival style after the 1908 earthquake.
• Chiesa degli Ottimati – A small church rebuilt after the earthquake using original building elements, in Norman-Byzantine style, with ancient mosaic floors inside.
• Corso Garibaldi – A pedestrian shopping street running parallel to the Lungomare, linking Piazza Italia, theaters, and museums.
• Pinacoteca Civica – A civic art gallery housing two small works by Antonello da Messina, located near the Teatro Cilea.
• Bergamot Museum – A small museum about Reggio's signature bergamot fruit. Roughly 90% of the world's bergamot is grown along this coast.
• Punta Pezzo (Strait of Messina Viewpoint) – One of mainland Italy's headlands closest to Sicily. From the lighthouse, you can watch ferries cross back and forth, with the opposite sho…
• Aspromonte National Park – A mountain national park on the 'toe' of Italy's boot. From its highest peak, Montalto, you can see both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas.
• Gambarie – A resort village at 1,300 meters in the Aspromonte mountains. It has skiing in winter and serves as Reggio's summer retreat.
• Maesano Waterfalls – A three-tier waterfall deep in Aspromonte National Park. A forest trail leads to clear, emerald-green pools.
• Pentedattilo – An abandoned ancient village built beneath a huge rock shaped like five fingers. It is Calabria's most photogenic 'ghost town.'
• Bova – The capital of Calabria's Greek-speaking area, an old town with stone lanes, Norman castle ruins, and a memorial to steam locomotives.
• Roghudi Vecchio – An abandoned Greek-speaking village perched on a rock ridge above the Amendolea valley. The whole village was relocated in the 1970s after…
• Gerace – A medieval hilltop town above the Ionian coast, home to Calabria's largest Norman cathedral.
• Locri Epizephyrii Archaeological Park – The ruins of Locri, a Greek colony on the Ionian coast. Visit its city walls, temples, theater, and archaeological museum.

Where to eat

• L'Accademia – A seafood restaurant on the second floor of a century-old building beside the archaeological museum, listed by both the…
• Gelato Cesare – A green kiosk on the seafront operating since 1918, Reggio's best-known gelato shop, famous for local flavors such as b…
• La Ristobottega – A Michelin-listed spot that sells local cured meats and cheeses by day and turns into a bistro by night, known for its…
• Vecchio Porto Seafood Restaurant – A seafront Michelin Bib Gourmand seafood spot in Villa San Giovanni, with a terrace overlooking the Strait and known fo…

Itineraries

• Calabria: Coast & Ancient Villages – A self-drive loop from Lamezia Terme covering the Coast of the Gods, the Violet Coast, the Reggio Bronzes, and ancient…
• Grand Southern Italy: Naples to Sicily – Cross from Naples to Puglia, travel down the toe of Italy to cross the strait to Taormina, using trains and buses with…