Reggio Calabria Travel Guide: The Bronzes of Riace & the Toe of Italy

Reggio Calabria is Italy’s southernmost major city and one of the least visited by foreign tourists. It contains one of the most important archaeological museums in the world and sits on the Strait of Messina with views of Sicily and Mount Etna. The city itself has been rebuilt several times after major earthquakes (most recently 1908, which killed an estimated 25,000–30,000 people) and lacks historic urban fabric, but the waterfront Lungomare is beautiful and the museum alone justifies a visit.

The Bronzes of Riace

The Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia (Piazza de Nava 26) houses the Bronzes of Riace — two life-size bronze warriors discovered in 1972 by a snorkeller in the sea off the Calabrian coast near Riace. Cast in Greece around 450 BC, they are among the finest surviving examples of Greek sculpture from the Classical period. The inlaid silver teeth, copper lips, and glass eyes survive intact; the musculature is extraordinary — these are masterpieces of the highest order.

The museum also has significant Greek and Roman archaeological material from Magna Graecia (ancient Greek southern Italy): terracotta votive tablets from Locri, the Porticello head (another Greek bronze), and material from the Greek colonies of Rhegion (Reggio), Locri, and Caulonia.

Entry approximately €8 as of 2026. Open Tuesday–Sunday 9am–8pm. The museum was extensively renovated and reopened in 2016. Allow 1.5–2 hours.

The strait and the waterfront

The Lungomare Falcomatà is one of the finest seafront promenades in southern Italy — approximately 2km of palm-lined walkway with views across the strait to Sicily (approximately 3km away at the narrowest point). On a clear day, the summit of Mount Etna (3,357m) is visible. D’Annunzio called the Lungomare “the most beautiful kilometre in Italy.”

The Arena dello Stretto — an open-air theatre on the waterfront — hosts summer concerts and events against the backdrop of the strait.

What to see

Chiesa degli Ottimati — A 10th-century Norman church, one of the few buildings that survived the 1908 earthquake. Byzantine-Norman architectural elements.

Castello Aragonese — A 15th-century Aragonese castle on the southern edge of the city, partially buried under later construction. Open for visits and temporary exhibitions.

Corso Garibaldi — The main commercial street, running the length of the city from the station to the museum. The evening passeggiata fills this street with locals.

Bergamot

Reggio Calabria produces 80–90% of the world’s bergamot, the citrus fruit whose essential oil flavours Earl Grey tea and is used in high-end perfumery. The trees grow in a narrow coastal strip along the Ionian coast south of the city (the Costa dei Gelsomini). In January and February, the harvest is visible and the landscape fragrant. The Museo del Bergamotto (Via Vittorio Veneto) documents the history and cultivation. Bergamot-flavoured gelato and liqueur are available throughout the city.

Where to eat

Calabrese cuisine is spicy and direct: ‘nduja (soft, spreadable spiced salami from Spilinga), swordfish (pesce spada — caught in the strait), pasta with sardines, and peppers in every form. Baylik (Vico Leone 1 — seafood, mains approximately €14–20) is the best-known restaurant in the city. Taverna Nicastro (Via Reggio Campi II Tronco — traditional Calabrese, mains approximately €10–14) serves home-style cooking.

Where to stay

Budget: approximately €40–60/night. Mid-range: approximately €70–110/night. Hotel Medinblu (Via Torrione 95 — doubles from approximately €75/night) is centrally located with modern rooms.

Getting there and onward

Reggio Calabria Centrale station: trains from Naples approximately 3–4 hours (from approximately €25), from Rome approximately 5–6 hours. The ferry to Messina (Sicily) departs from the port every 20–40 minutes (approximately 20 minutes crossing, approximately €3.50 foot passenger). From Reggio, it’s also possible to reach the Aeolian Islands via Milazzo (approximately 3 hours north by train, then hydrofoil). Reggio Calabria Airport (REG) has limited domestic connections; Lamezia Terme Airport (SUF, approximately 1.5 hours north) has more options.

Day trips

Scilla (approximately 20km north) — A fishing village with a castle on a cliff above the sea, named for the mythological monster Scylla. The Chianalea fishing quarter is built directly over the water. Reachable by regional train in approximately 25 minutes (approximately €2.50). Locri and Gerace (approximately 100km north-east) — The archaeological site of ancient Greek Locri Epizefiri and the medieval hill town of Gerace above it, with one of the largest Norman cathedrals in Calabria.

Practical details

Visiting the Bronzes: The Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia has a dedicated room for the two bronzes, with lighting designed to show the surface detail. Photography without flash is permitted. The museum also holds educational panels on the 1972 discovery — the bronzes were found in approximately 8m of water by a snorkeller named Stefano Mariottini, who called the police fearing they were bodies. Allow 1.5–2 hours for the full museum. Entry approximately €8 as of 2026.

Crossing to Sicily: The ferry to Messina from the Stretto terminal in Reggio (operated by Caronte & Tourist and others) runs every 20–40 minutes around the clock. Foot passenger fare approximately €3–4. The crossing is approximately 20 minutes. From Messina, trains connect to Catania (approximately 1.5 hours), Palermo (approximately 3 hours), and Taormina (approximately 45 minutes). Reggio makes a practical base for a Sicily day trip or crossing point. For the Basilicata interior north of Calabria: Matera is approximately 3.5 hours by bus or car — worth the detour for the sassi cave districts.

Accommodation: Reggio’s hotels are affordable relative to Italian averages. Budget: approximately €40–60/night near the station or on Corso Garibaldi. Hotel Medinblu (Via Torrione 95 — doubles from approximately €75/night as of 2026) is the best mid-range option — modern rooms, central location, good reviews. Grand Hotel Excelsior (Via Vittorio Veneto 66 — doubles from approximately €90/night) is the largest and most traditional hotel in the city, on the seafront boulevard. Higher-end options don’t really exist in Reggio itself; visitors looking for luxury typically cross to the Messina side or use Scilla’s small boutique hotels (from approximately €100/night).

Food note: ‘Nduja — the soft, fiery spreadable salami from nearby Spilinga — is sold throughout Reggio and is one of the best food souvenirs from Calabria. It comes in jars (approximately €5–10) and keeps well. Swordfish (pesce spada) from the Strait is a serious local speciality — look for restaurants advertising spadara (swordfish fishery) provenance. The swordfish is fished using traditional feluca boats with long lookout masts; the season runs from April to September.

For accommodation in the city: Reggio Calabria hotels. For the Riace Bronzes, the Strait viewpoints, and day trips to Scilla: things to do in Reggio Calabria. Book a guided Reggio Calabria tour to visit the Bronzes of Riace and explore Magna Graecia history with a local expert. From Reggio, the ferry crosses to Sicily in 20 minutes — our Sicily itinerary starts from Messina and covers the island from north to south.