Reggio Calabria in a day
Plans for one day in Reggio Calabria, day by day: the Riace Bronzes in the National Archaeological Museum of Magna Graecia first, then the Pinacoteca Civica, Piazza Italia, the Aragonese Castle, the Chiesa degli Ottimati and the cathedral, the evening stroll on Corso Garibaldi, a gelato at Cesare and sunset on the Lungomare Falcomatà looking across the Strait to Sicily. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Reggio Calabria in 1 day
Day 1
National Archaeological Museum of Magna Graecia (Riace Bronzes)
Museum of the Greek cities of southern Italy, home of the two Riace Bronzes, Greek warrior statues found in the sea in 1972.
Pinacoteca Civica
The city's picture gallery, with two small panels by Antonello da Messina and paintings by Mattia Preti among its works.
Piazza Italia
The city's main square on Corso Garibaldi, framed by the town hall and the prefecture, with excavated ancient remains under glass.
Aragonese Castle
Fortress with two great round towers, enlarged by the Aragonese kings of Naples, with views over the rooftops to the Strait.
Chiesa degli Ottimati
Small church rebuilt after the 1908 earthquake in Norman-Byzantine style, reusing old columns and pieces of its medieval mosaic floor.
Reggio Calabria Cathedral
The largest church in Calabria, rebuilt in a neo-Romanesque style after the 1908 earthquake, with a broad facade on Piazza Duomo.
Corso Garibaldi
Reggio's long main street of shops, cafés and palazzi, closed to traffic and full of people for the evening passeggiata.
Gelateria Cesare
Gelato kiosk at the start of the seafront, a Reggio institution; try the bergamot flavour or a granita on a hot day.
Lungomare Falcomatà
The long seafront promenade of palms, gardens and old villas, facing Sicily across the Strait of Messina, busiest at sunset.
When to go to Reggio Calabria
Spring, from April to June, and autumn, in September and October, are the best times, warm and bright, with a swimmable sea from late May. July and August are hot and busy, with life moving to the seafront in the evening. The feast of the Madonna della Consolazione, the city's patron, is held in September with a large procession.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Reggio Calabria on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Reggio Calabria on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Reggio Calabria on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Reggio Calabria
- The archaeological museum is closed on Mondays; the Riace Bronzes are seen in small groups after a short wait in a filter room, so book online or come early.
- Walk the Lungomare towards sunset, when the light falls on Sicily and, on clear days, Etna appears across the Strait.
- Try a bergamot gelato or granita: the province of Reggio grows most of the world's bergamot.
- Churches close over lunch; dress with covered shoulders and knees to go inside the cathedral.
- Scilla has its own Andiamo page; ferries to Messina leave from the port and Villa San Giovanni, close by.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Aragonese Castle: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chiesa degli Ottimati: Franc rc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lungomare Falcomatà: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Archaeological Museum of Magna Graecia (Riace Bronzes): Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Piazza Italia: Antonino Diano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Reggio Calabria Cathedral: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
