Lungomare Falcomatà

Lungomare Falcomatà follows Reggio Calabria's shore along the Strait of Messina. The 1.7-kilometre promenade joins Liberty-era palaces, ancient Greek walls, Roman remains and modern sculpture, with views across the water to Sicily.

Why it matters

The seafront extends the historic centre and is one of the city's defining public spaces. It was redesigned between 1994 and 2000 under mayor Italo Falcomatà, after whom it is named. Locals also call the waterfront Via Marina, a name used for the system of parallel seafront streets. Tradition attributes to Gabriele D'Annunzio the description “the most beautiful kilometre in Italy,” though the promenade is considerably longer.

What to notice

The view across the Strait frames the shoreline of Sicily; under particular atmospheric conditions, the Fata Morgana mirage can make the opposite coast appear to float above the water. Along the route are fourth-century BCE Greek city walls, Roman thermal remains with a black-and-white mosaic, and a Hellenistic column crowned by a bronze tripod. Modern works include Rabarama's figures, the monument to Corrado Alvaro and Edoardo Tresoldi's 2020 Opera, formed by forty-six metal-mesh columns. Palazzi Zani and Spinelli and Villa Genoese Zerbi contribute the promenade's Liberty and late-Liberty character.

Context and history

After the 1783 earthquake, engineer Giovan Battista Mori arranged buildings behind an open waterfront known as the Real Palazzina. The railway brought a further reorganisation, and the 1908 earthquake led to reconstruction that shaped much of the promenade's early twentieth-century architecture. The present multi-level seafront was redesigned from 1994 to 2000 during Falcomatà's mayoralty. Today, the route brings together Reggio's civic history, archaeological remains and contemporary art.