Reggio di Calabria (to distinguish it from Reggio nell'Emilia), "Reggio Calabria" for short, lies in the southwest of Italy, on the east side of the Strait of Messina. There are numerous shipping links between Reggio di Calabria and Messina.
Importance
The old port, the Greek Rhegion (founded in 743 B.C.) or Roman Rhegium, is the principal town of Calabria, the capital of the province and the see of an archbishop.
It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1783, and again suffered heavy damage in 1908. Thereafter it was rebuilt and recovered all its former economic importance. Reggio is the world's principal center for the production of oil of bergamot, used in making perfumes.
Running southwest from the National Museum the Lungomare Giacomo Matteotti, a beautiful seafront promenade some 3km/2mi long, affords fine views of the coast of Sicily. In the southern section of the seaside promenade can be seen remains of Greek town walls and Roman baths of which the mosaic pavement is partly preserved.
From the Piazza Italia in Reggio di Calabria the Corso Garibaldi runs northeast past the Tempio della Vittoria, a war memorial (1933), to the National Museum, with prehistoric, medieval and modern sculpture and early Italic and Greek archeological material, including the "Heroes of Riace", two bronze statues (fifth century B.C.) which were found in the sea, in 1972, near the town of Riace.
Address: National Museum, Piazza de Nava 26A, I-89100 Reggio di Calabria, Italy
Hours:
9am-7pm
Always closed on: Epiphany (3 Kings' Day ) - Christian (January 6), New Year's Day (January 1), Assumption Day - Christian (August 15), All Saints' Day - Christian (November 1), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Easter - Christian
From the 15th century Castello Aragonese to the northeast of the cathedral there are magnificent views. There are also fine views from Via Reggio Campi, 500m/550yd farther east.
Along the southeast side of the Piazza Italia runs the Corso Garibaldi, the busy main street of Reggio di Calabria, 2km/1.25mi long. Along this street to the southwest is the Piazza del Duomo, with the imposing cathedral, in Romanesque-Byzantine style, rebuilt in 1908.
Farther southwest are the gardens of the Villa Comunale.
An interesting trip can be made to the Aspromonte, which in ancient times was counted as part of the Sila range. The best point of approach is Gambarie di Aspromonte (1,310m/4,323ft), a holiday resort (also popular with winter sport enthusiasts) 24km/15mi northeast of Reggio (chair-lift to the Puntone di Scirocco, 1,660m/5,478ft, to the southeast).
From the National Museum the Viale Genoese Zerbi runs north, passing close to a large bathing station, and crosses the Torrente Annunziata to reach the harbor (ferry services to Messina).
From Gambarie di Aspromonte it is 3.5km/2.25mi south on S.S. 183, then 15km/9.25mi east on a moderately good mountain road through pine and beech forests, to Montalto (Monte Cocuzza, 1,955m/6,452ft), the highest point in the Aspromonte. On the summit is a statue of Christ: magnificent views of the sea and of Calabria and Sicily.
24km/15mi north of Reggio di Calabria lies the charming little town of Scilla (pop. 6,000; destroyed by an earthquake in 1908), the ancient Scylla, dominated by a picturesque castle. The rocks of Scylla, made famous in Homer's Odyssey, and Charybdis are described in ancient poems as a danger to shipping.
9km/5.5mi southwest of Scilla lies the little town of Villa San Giovanni (pop. 12,000), from where ferries leave to cross the 4km/3mi of the Messina Strait to Sicily. A bridge across the strait is planned.
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Scilla, Italy
