Discover Locri: Ancient History and Coastline

Locri combines the history of ancient Locri Epizefiri with the present-day town and the Costa dei Gelsomini. The modern image of Locri includes ancient theatre and sanctuary complexes, museums, sacred art and equipped beaches along the Costa dei Gelsomini. The character of the town emerges from the alternation between concentrated cultural discoveries, various visitor routes and days on the coast.

Town centre and archaeological area

The railway station is located in the town centre and connects Locri via the national rail network with other cities and towns in the region and across the country. The Locri Archaeological National Park lies about 5 km from the present-day town and offers four visitor routes. One of these routes leads to the Greek-Roman theatre in the Pirettina area. Locri also has equipped beaches along the Costa dei Gelsomini. This makes it possible to view cultural visits, routes through the ancient site and days on the coast as different travel ideas, without combining them into one fixed itinerary.

Greek and Roman traces

The Locri National Archaeological Museum presents the history and life of Locri during the Greek period. It preserves hundreds of artefacts found during excavations, including terracotta votive tablets known as pinakes, dating from the 5th century BC. In the archaeological area of Locri Epizefiri, the Sanctuary of Aphrodite is one of the ancient sites of interest. The Temple of Marasà preserves the temenos, altars and temple as visible components of a large sanctuary. It was probably built around the middle of the 7th century BC.

The Teatro di Locri Epizefiri also tells the story of several periods: it dates from the 4th century BC and was fundamentally altered during the Roman period. During the Greek period, it was used both for theatrical performances and assemblies. It was built on the natural slope of a hill, with its cavea facing the sea. Torre Moschetta bears the name Casino Scaglione and was the first home of Locri’s archaeological collection; it also housed the archaeologist Paolo Orsi.

Museums and sacred art in Locri

In the centre of Locri, the Museo del Territorio is housed in Palazzo Nieddu. It documents the protohistoric period of the Locride and is part of the network of cultural sites belonging to the Locri Epizefiri Archaeological National Park. The ground floor displays grave goods from important necropolises in the Locride; the first floor contains an area dedicated to private collecting. The Museo del Territorio presents permanent and temporary exhibitions. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Maestro houses sacred artworks, including paintings, sculptures and frescoes. The Church of Santa Caterina also houses sacred artworks, with paintings, sculptures and frescoes.

Town experiences and an offering for children

For a stay with school-age children, the Museo dei Ragazzi offers an educational tour. On Piazza Nosside, a monument commemorates Nosside, a poet from ancient Locri Epizefiri. Every year at sunrise, the Il Suono dell’Alba concert takes place there. These cultural points of reference complement the archaeological sites with individual town experiences and give a stay in Locri different rhythms.

Discover more places

For further travel planning, you can also discover Laureana Di Borrello, Villa San Giovanni, Monasterace Marina, Palmi, Brancaleone Superiore, Tritanti, Santa Domenica and Delianuova.

To the higher-level travel overview: Reggio Calabria.