The seafront of Reggio Calabria is a sublime strip of beauty overlooking the Strait of Messina in a unique position in the Mediterranean. It represents the natural extension of the historic center of the city and is certainly an unmissable stop both for the people of Reggio and for visitors, to experience something that enchants the senses and restores the soul.

Defined as “the most beautiful kilometer in Italy,” this seafront is a symbol of pride and beauty for the city. Born as a symbol of rebirth after the earthquake of 1783, it was engineer Giovan Battista Mori who imagined and created an open space facing the sea, with a series of buildings that followed the shape of the coast.

Later, the arrival of the railway led to a reorganization of the seaside street, which had to be reborn once again after the earthquake of 1908, taking on its current form. In 1994, the seafront underwent further redevelopment, with the creation of walkways on various levels, which transformed it into one of the largest public spaces in Europe.

It is composed of four streets: Lungomare Falcomatà, Lungomare Matteotti, Corso Vittorio Emanuele III, and Viale Genoese Zerbi, which together form the famous Via Marina, along which stand buildings that display the Liberty style, a testament to the reconstruction that took place in the early twentieth century. Among these, Palazzo Zani, Palazzo Spinelli, and Villa Genoese Zerbi capture attention with their particular charm.

Walking along the seafront also offers the opportunity to learn about the history of the city through commemorative monuments and remains from the Greco-Roman period. Visible, in fact, are two sections of the defensive walls of the Greek city and part of a thermal complex from the Roman age.

The seafront, moreover, is characterized by the presence of almost century-old tree species coming from different parts of the world, making it a treasure chest of remarkable naturalistic and landscape value. A true botanical attraction that includes the presence of various varieties of palms, from dwarf ones to taller ones, and various succulent plants which, thanks to a favorable exposure and the Mediterranean climate, have found their ideal habitat here.

There are several specimens of Ficus magnolioides, an ornamental plant native to India that captures attention with its majestic aerial roots and broad, glossy leaves, and also specimens of Phoenix canariensis, known as the “Canary Island Date Palm,” characterized by gathered and pleated leaves.