Reggio Calabria between museum culture and the coast
Accommodation in Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria combines important evidence of Magna Graecia with a distinctive waterfront landscape and the wider regional surroundings of Calabria. The Riace Bronzes are Greek bronze sculptures from the 5th century BC. The permanent exhibition at the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia comprises 220 display cases across four exhibition levels and tells the history of Calabria from prehistory to the Roman era.
File:Reggio Calabria - Lungomare Falcomatà - 5.jpg
Photo: Benjamin Smith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Culture
The city’s cultural profile includes several independent collections and historic buildings. Palazzo Piacentini houses the Museo Archeologico di Reggio Calabria, or MArRC for short, and was the first palace built exclusively for a museum exhibition. Access to the Hellenistic necropolis is located on level −1 of the MArRC.
The Pinacoteca Civica preserves and displays predominantly works of art owned by the municipality of Reggio Calabria. Its older works date from the 15th to the 19th century and originate from the collections of the former Museo Civico. The exhibition tour comprises eleven rooms divided into five sections.
The Castello Aragonese was founded during the Byzantine period between the 9th and 11th centuries. The parts visible today include two battlement-crowned round towers from the Aragonese period in the south, connected by a defensive wall. Today, the Castello Aragonese is also a venue for temporary exhibitions and cultural events. Authentic Roman columns are located in the Villa Comunale Umberto I.
Coast
The Lungomare Falcomatà is the natural extension of the historic centre of Reggio Calabria. The Arena dello Stretto, a modern theatre inspired by the ancient theatrical tradition of Magna Graecia, is also located in this coastal area. The arena hosts film, music and theatre events; music and theatre events take place during the city’s summer season.
Parco Urbano – Il Tempietto is located on Lungomare Italo Falcomatà and is an expansive, upgraded area for sport, art, culture and leisure. Reggio Calabria has numerous gelaterias, particularly in the old town and along the Lungomare.
Nature
Punta Pellaro on the Ionian coast of Reggio Calabria is suitable for kitesurfing. In the wider surroundings of Reggio Calabria, a large part of the area lies within Parco Nazionale dell’Aspromonte. On the Tyrrhenian side there are pine forests, while on the Ionian side there are beech forests.
In the wider regional surroundings of Reggio Calabria, the Costa Viola is known for the purple reflections of its waves at sunset and for its terraced slopes above the sea. The Ciclovia dei Parchi della Calabria also connects the region with a distinctive cycling route: the Gambarie–Reggio Calabria stage reaches the Arena dello Stretto via a cycle path close to the coast, while the Ciclovia dei Parchi della Calabria ends at Lungomare Falcomatà in Reggio Calabria.
Getting there
For travel by train, Piazza Garibaldi railway station is important. It is served by national long-distance trains and also offers regional train connections. The airport is connected to Reggio Calabria by ATAM scheduled buses and can also be reached by train via Reggio Calabria Aeroporto station.
Also make sure to check which services are included, which price components make up the total amount and which booking or cancellation conditions apply. Reviewing these fields keeps the comparison objective and makes differences between offers comprehensible.
Other places: Sant'alessio In Aspromonte, Acquacalda, Benestare, Gambarie. Other destinations in Calabria: Cosenza, Crotone.
To the higher-level travel overview: Calabria.
