Reggio Calabria in One Day: Riace Bronzes, Castle, Waterfront

We start our day in Reggio Calabria at the National Archaeological Museum, home to the famous Riace Bronzes and one of the richest collections of Magna Graecia. The building, designed by Marcello Piacentini in the 1930s, was the first in Italy purpose-built for an archaeological museum. After a long restoration, it reopened in 2016 with a modern layout on four levels. The journey unfolds from prehistory to the Roman era, but the highlight is on the ground floor: the Riace Bronzes, two Greek statues from the 5th century BC, almost two meters tall, with incredible details like calcite eyes and silver teeth. To preserve them, you enter the hall after a brief stop in a decontamination room, where a video tells their story. Don’t miss the Kouros of Reggio, the pinakes of Locri, and the Philosopher’s Head of Porticello. The museum is easy to reach, just steps from the waterfront and Reggio Lido station. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am-8 pm (last entry 7:30 pm). Full ticket €10, reduced €2 for ages 18-25. I recommend booking online to avoid queues, especially on weekends.

We start our day in Reggio Calabria at the National Archaeological Museum, home to the famous Riace Bronzes and one of the richest collections of Magna Graecia. The building, designed by Marcello Piacentini in the 1930s, was the first in Italy purpose-built for an archaeological museum. After a long restoration, it reopened in 2016 with a modern layout on four levels. The journey unfolds from prehistory to the Roman era, but the highlight is on the ground floor: the Riace Bronzes, two Greek statues from the 5th century BC, almost two meters tall, with incredible details like calcite eyes and silver teeth. To preserve them, you enter the hall after a brief stop in a decontamination room, where a video tells their story. Don’t miss the Kouros of Reggio, the pinakes of Locri, and the Philosopher’s Head of Porticello. The museum is easy to reach, just steps from the waterfront and Reggio Lido station. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am-8 pm (last entry 7:30 pm). Full ticket €10, reduced €2 for ages 18-25. I recommend booking online to avoid queues, especially on weekends.

After the stop at the Archaeological Museum, it’s time to immerse yourself in an art collection that tells centuries of history. The Pinacoteca Civica, housed in the foyer of the Teatro Francesco Cilea, is a small gem often overlooked. Here you will find two extraordinary works by Antonello da Messina – Saint Jerome in Penitence and The Three Angels Visiting Abraham, painted around 1460 – which alone are worth the visit. But that’s not all: the exhibition spans from the Renaissance to the 20th century, with paintings by Mattia Preti, Luca Giordano, and Calabrian artists such as Rubens Santoro and Vincenzo Jerace. The eleven rooms, lit by three Murano glass chandeliers, create an intimate atmosphere. The single ticket (€7) also includes the Aragonese Castle, a deal not to be missed. Open Tuesday to Saturday (closed Monday), with reduced admission for residents. A corner of culture that surprises, also for temporary exhibitions like the one on Lego that caused a spike in visits.

After the Pinacoteca, go down one floor and you’ll find yourself inside the Teatro Francesco Cilea, the largest in Calabria with its 1,500 seats. Inaugurated in 1931 and reopened in 1964 after expansion, it was closed for nearly twenty years from 1985 for restoration. Now it shines again, with its horseshoe-shaped auditorium, three tiers of boxes, and a central royal box. Giants like Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti have performed here. The exterior evokes classical architecture, but the interior is an elegant mix of 19th-century and modern style. Every year it hosts the Rhegium Opera Festival and prose seasons. If you catch a show, ticket prices vary; otherwise, it’s worth at least a peek at the foyer.

After the Pinacoteca, go down one floor and you’ll find yourself inside the Teatro Francesco Cilea, the largest in Calabria with its 1,500 seats. Inaugurated in 1931 and reopened in 1964 after expansion, it was closed for nearly twenty years from 1985 for restoration. Now it shines again, with its horseshoe-shaped auditorium, three tiers of boxes, and a central royal box. Giants like Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti have performed here. The exterior evokes classical architecture, but the interior is an elegant mix of 19th-century and modern style. Every year it hosts the Rhegium Opera Festival and prose seasons. If you catch a show, ticket prices vary; otherwise, it’s worth at least a peek at the foyer.

Just a stone’s throw from the theater, here is another little-known gem: the Remains of the Odeon/Ekklesiasterion, discovered by Paolo Orsi in 1922. Initially mistaken for an odeon, scholars now believe it was the bouleuterion, where citizens gathered to decide the fate of the polis. Dating back to the 4th-3rd century BC, little remains above ground: a circular structure made of limestone blocks, with about fifteen tiers of seats that could hold up to 1,500 people. It seems incredible that here, in 344 BC, an assembly was held at the behest of Timoleon. As you stroll between Via XXIV Maggio and Via San Paolo, try to imagine the echo of political debates. A few meters away, Orsi found three decorated Ionic capitals, perhaps part of the stage scenery. A dive into Greek Reggio, hidden among the streets of the city center.

To end the day on a high note, climb up to the Pentimele hill, where the Fortini di Pentimele offer one of the most spectacular views of Reggio Calabria and the Strait of Messina. These two Umbertine fortifications, built in 1896 and carved into the rock to avoid detection from the sea, are twins but with different names: Fortino Nord (or Pizzi) and Fortino Sud (or Pellizzeri). Recent restoration has brought back their old charm, though some signs of vandalism remain. Strolling through the corridors, dormitories, and cisterns, you can feel the atmosphere of a late 19th-century military outpost. Don’t miss the belvedere next to Fortino Sud, with the statue of Saint Paul overlooking the panorama. Access is via Via Lupardini, a steep road winding through the hills. At sunset, the lighting makes it even more evocative. A perfect finale for a cultural and scenic city break.