Reggio Calabria and The Twins

Our train ride from Lecce was uneventful, but we enjoyed the views of mountains and seaside. The season is changing and we passed through many summer holiday towns about to close for the winter and saw residents out for one last beach day. After eight hours, we arrived at Reggio di Calabria.

Reggio di Calabria is right at the big toe of the boot, about 7.5 miles from Messina. Sicily by ferry. Its population is about 182,500, and it's not ranked well as far as Italian cities go. It does have a beautiful Duomo and sea side walk. 

That's Sicily across the strait...

Intially we planned to simply overnight and head north, but we were advised by one of our hosts to definitely see what he fondly referred to as I Gemelli....The Twins. So off we went to the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia to see the Riace Bronzes.

These approximately 6.5 foot bronzes of two very well built Greek warriors were discovered about 52 years ago by a young  snorkeler named Steffano Mariottini at Porto Forticchio di Raice Marina. They are estimated to be about 2500 years old and were in incredible condition. They are especially rare as most Greek bronzes of that era had been melted down for other uses. While not certain, it is speculated the the statues had been lost in a shipwreck. It was incredible to see these ancient statues so well preserved after all this time.

We are off again tomorrow via train north  to the town of Salerno, gateway to the Amalfi Coast.