Reggio Calabria and surroundings in 3 days without a car

In 3 days without a car you can see Reggio Calabria with the Riace Bronzes, Scilla with Chianalea and an inland village: Pentedattilo and Bova or Gerace. Keep your base in the city and move by regional train: Scilla is 27-38 minutes from Reggio Centrale, Gerace can be reached by train plus bus via Locri. For Pentedattilo and Bova the train arrives only on the coast, so you need road transport.

For each day you will find public transport, cost alone and cost with Athena ETC. Timetables and prices are checked on October 5, 2026.

The program in brief: Reggio Calabria and surroundings in 3 days

Day 1, Reggio Calabria: National Archaeological Museum with the Riace Bronzes, historic center and Lungomare Falcomatà. All on foot.
Day 2, Scilla and Chianalea: regional train from Reggio Centrale or Reggio Lido, Castello Ruffo and the fishermen's district.
Day 3, Grecanica Area or Locride: Pentedattilo and Bova with organized transport, or Gerace with train plus bus.

The Museum is closed on Mondays: if you arrive on a Monday, start at Scilla.

Day 1: what to see in Reggio Calabria in one day on foot

The center of Reggio can be reached on foot: from the Central Station to the Museum there is about 1.9 km, 25 minutes of walking. The nearest train station to the Museum, which is located in Piazza De Nava, is Reggio di Calabria Lido, about 150 meters away.

The National Archaeological Museum and the Riace Bronzes

The MArRC is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm, with last admission at 7:30 pm. It houses the Riace Bronzes, two bronze Greek warriors from the fifth century BC found in 1972 in the sea of Riace.

Old town and waterfront

From the Museum to the Duomo, in Piazza Duomo, there are about 1.4 km along Corso Garibaldi. For the sunset, return to the Lungomare Falcomatà: from the Arena dello Stretto, where the statue of Athena is located, you look straight over Sicily.

How much does Day 1 cost

On its own: €10 full ticket for the Museum (rates in force from 1 July 2024), €2 from 18 to 25 years old, free under 18 years old and for everyone on the first Sunday of the month.
With Athena ETC: the Reggio City + Museum Tour lasts 3 and a half hours and departs from Piazza Duomo. It includes a walk through the center with a certified guide and a visit to the Museum, in Italian or English. It costs from €85 per person, with a 25% discount from 6 people.

Day 2: How to get to Scilla and Chianalea from Reggio Calabria

From Reggio Centrale to Scilla, the regional train takes 27 to 38 minutes and the ticket costs €2.70 each way. Trains also stop at Reggio Lido, near the Museum. On weekdays, about one train leaves per hour: on Wednesday 14 October 2026, the first available ride is at 7:30 am.

On Sundays there are fewer trains. For Sunday 18 October 2026 Trenitalia offers departures from Centrale at 7:30, 11:53 and 14:43: choose the first train or the mid-day train and check the last return.

Things to see in Scilla

The station is in Marina Grande. The Ruffo Castle occupies the promontory between Marina Grande and Chianalea, the fishermen's district with houses built on the water. The path between Chianalea and the castle has uphill sections: put on comfortable shoes.

How much does Day 2 cost

Alone: €5.40 round trip train. For the Ruffo Castle, the Municipality of Scilla indicates a single ticket of €3, free up to 6 years (card updated in June 2026). Total about €8.40, lunch excluded.
With Athena ETC: the Scilla Experience lasts 5 hours, departs from Piazza Indipendenza with round-trip transport included and includes a visit to Scilla and Chianalea with a guide. It costs from €40 per person (€32 up to 12 years), with a progressive discount of up to 32%.

If you want to sleep on the Strait: two nights at Villa San Giovanni

The Scilla and Chianalea package, two nights on the Strait has six Friday departures, from 16 October to 20 November 2026. You can sleep at the B&B Around The World in Villa San Giovanni, for groups of 2 to 8 people.

Friday: check-in from 3:30 pm to 11:59 pm (€10 supplement after 8:00 pm). Free evening.
Saturday: breakfast and private transfer from the B&B. Guided tour of Borgo Croce, a hamlet of Fiumara, then Scilla with the Ruffo Castle seen from the outside and descent on foot to Chianalea. Free lunch, return to the B&B in the afternoon.
Sunday: breakfast and check-out by 10:00 am.

2 nights accommodation with breakfast, private transport from the B&B, certified guide and Athena assistance in Italian and English are included. Lunch, entrance to the castle, tourist tax and arrival and departure transfers are excluded. The deposit is 100% upon confirmation.

Villa San Giovanni is a 17-29 minute regional train ride from Reggio Centrale (€2.10): on Sundays, after check-out, you can close with the Museum.

Day 3: Pentedattilo and Bova or Gerace

Pentedattilo and Bova without a car

The train takes you to the Ionian coast, the two villages are in the hills and you need road transport. The regional trains arrive in Melito di Porto Salvo (21-41 minutes, €2.70), about 8 km from Pentedattilo, and in Bova Marina (31-55 minutes, €4.00), about 12 km from Bova. Trenitalia does not sell train or bus connections to either village.

With Athena ETC you depart from Piazza Indipendenza with round-trip transport:

Pentedattilo & Bova, the secret villages of Aspromonte: 8 hours, typical lunch included, from € 100 per person (€ 80 for children up to 12 years), progressive discount up to 32%.
Pentedattilo, the ghost village: 4 hours, from €60 per person (€48 up to 12 years), -25% from 6 people.

Gerace by train plus bus

Gerace can be reached with the single Trenitalia train plus bus ticket: regional to Locri, then Autolinee Federico bus from the station square. The bus supplement is €1.80 per ride. On Wednesday 14 October 2026 the fastest solution leaves at 12:14 with the Intercity and arrives in Gerace at 13:55 (€10.30); the return at 17:55 arrives in Reggio at 20:55 (€9.20). On Sunday 18 October the search does not return useful trips.

On your own: about €19.50 round trip, with four hours in the village.
With Athena ETC: the Gerace Experience lasts 7 and a half hours, starts at 9:30 am from Piazza Indipendenza and includes transport, tour leader, tasting of local wines and spirits and typical lunch. It costs from 120 € per person, -25% from 6 people; the professional guide is included for groups of 6 people.

Reggio Calabria in 2 days: the short version

With two days you keep Reggio and Scilla and leave the hinterland for another time. First day Museum, center and seafront; second day morning train to Scilla and return in the afternoon. Alone you spend about € 18.40 per person between Museum, trains and castle. With Athena ETC, Reggio City + Museum Tour and Scilla Experience start from € 125 per person.

How much it costs in total: alone or with Athena ETC

3 days alone, with Gerace: about € 38 per person of tickets between Museum, trains, bus and castle, meals not included.
3 days with Athena ETC, with Pentedattilo and Bova: from 225 € per person (85 + 40 + 100), with lunch included.
3 days with Athena ETC, with Gerace: from 245 € per person (85 + 40 + 120), with lunch and tasting included.

Without a car, the organized formula is the only one that keeps Pentedattilo and Bova on the same day.

In spring: Spring Escape Calabria

If you travel between March and May 2027, Spring Escape Calabria resumes days 1 and 3 of this itinerary in 4 nights and 5 days. It includes Reggio with Duomo and Museum, Pentedattilo and Bova with lunch, light trekking in Aspromonte towards Gambarie, B&B in Reggio and arrival and departure transfers. The price starts from €864.75 per person (for 4 people in a quadruple room), with nine departures from March 3 to May 19, 2027, progressive discount up to 32% and Early Bird of 10% if you book at least 90 days in advance.

How to book with Athena ETC

Athena ETC services are reserved for members: registration is done online from the Join us page. The experiences are on request: choose the date, indicate how many people you are and receive confirmation. For packages choose the departure on the Scilla and Chianalea page or Spring Escape Calabria. For groups or different dates write to info@athenaetc.com or call +39 379 14 92 736.

Frequently asked questions about Reggio Calabria and surroundings in 3 days

Can you visit Reggio Calabria without a car?

Yes: center, Museum and promenade on foot, Scilla by train, Gerace by train plus bus. Pentedattilo and Bova require road transport.

How much does the Riace Bronze Museum ticket cost?

€10 full, €2 from 18 to 25 years old, free under 18 years old and on the first Sunday of the month. The Museum is closed on Mondays.

How long is the train from Reggio Calabria to Scilla?

From 27 to 38 minutes from Reggio Centrale, with a regional ticket from €2.70 each way (October 2026).

How much does it cost to enter the Ruffo Castle in Scilla?

€3 the single ticket, free up to 6 years, according to the file of the Municipality of Scilla updated in June 2026. The castle is closed on Mondays.

How do I get to Gerace by public transportation?

With the Trenitalia train plus bus ticket: regional to Locri and Autolinee Federico bus to the center, with a supplement of € 1.80. For Sunday 18 October 2026 there are no runs.

Can you get to Pentedattilo by train?

The train arrives in Melito di Porto Salvo, about 8 km from the village. The last stretch must be done by road, for example with the Athena ETC experience that starts from Piazza Indipendenza.

What does the Scilla and Chianalea package, two nights on the Strait include?

2 nights with breakfast at Villa San Giovanni, private transfer and certified guide; the updated price is on the package page. Departures on Fridays from 16 October to 20 November 2026.

Do Athena ETC experiences include lunch?

Typical lunch is included in Pentedattilo & Bova and in the Gerace Experience. In the Scilla Experience and in the Scilla and Chianalea package, lunch is free.

Do I need to be a member to book with Athena ETC?

Yes, registration is done online on the Join Us page.

What to see in Reggio Calabria and its surroundings in 3 days, without a car