Day 1 – Arrival in Reggio Calabria
On arrival in Reggio Calabria, the ancient Greek colony of Rhegion, the tip of the Italic boot, with its seafront promenade and splendid view of the Strait of Messina, you will immediately immerse yourself in the magnificence of ancient archaeology. We will take you to the National Archaeological Museum, home to the Riace Bronzes, considered among the most significant examples of classical Greek art. The day will end with hotel accommodation in Reggio Calabria.
Day 2 – Archaeology in Bova Marina and Bergamot
Today we will take you on a discovery of an archaeological heritage with roots in prehistoric times. You are in Archeoderi Park in Bova Marina, in the centre of Reggio Calabria’s Hellenophone area. The site includes a synagogue dating from the fourth century A.D. with its polychrome mosaic depicting the most important Jewish symbols: The Menorah, Ram’s Horn, the Cedar and Solomon’s Knot. In the same area, you will also admire the small Church of the Panaghia and the Byzantine Church of San Niceto (almost unique in Calabria for its two-storey structure) and you will have the opportunity to meet Greek speakers (whose ancestors arrived 28 centuries ago), a true testimony of living archaeology. Your journey will continue in the name of perfume and taste, with a visit to a well-known producer of Bergamot, the green gold of Calabria. Here you will see the many ways in which the precious citrus fruit is processed, and you will be enraptured by its aroma and flavour. Your day will end with arrival at your hotel on Riviera dei Gelsomini.
Day 3 – The Murals of Sant’Agata del Bianco and the Roman Villa of Casignana
Before heading back, we will take you to Sant’ Agata del Bianco, a small town in the province of Reggio Calabria, where Murals and Porte Pinte tell wonderful stories through vivid colours and evocative images. The murals were created not only to beautify the town, but also to tell its story and rediscover its identity for future generations. You will also stop for a visit to Villa Romana di Casignana, a large detached villa brought to light in 1963, with thermal baths and residential areas, one of the most important Roman complexes in southern Italy containing the largest group of mosaics known in Calabria. The villa, built during the first century A.D. in an area marked by traces of Greek occupation, reached its peak in the fourth century A.D. Among the marvellous mosaic floors, you will admire the unique circular tile depicting the Indian Triumph of Dionysus.