Reggio Calabria is the largest and oldest city in the Calabria region (although it is not the regional capital, which is Catanzaro). It was founded in 743 BC by Greek colonists under the name Rhegion. The city is located at the very tip of the Italian "boot", with ferries departing from here to Messina, in Sicily.

Although the city suffered extensive damage during the 1908 earthquake, it boasts an elegant seafront promenade and several noteworthy tourist attractions. Among them is the National Archaeological Museum, which houses the famous statues known as the Bronzi di Riace (Riace Bronzes), discovered in 1972 along the Ionian coast.