Southern Italy

In Reggio we stayed at Maison R Botique B&B.
In Tropea we stayed at Hotel Colombo D’Oro

We used Trenitalia trains. Fewer trains and routes, but they serve all main destinations.

Regarding credit cards read the comment I posted in the thread below. It applies to all of Italy, south or north.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/using-cash-vs-credit-cards-in-sicily

Thank you for the information. It was very helpful.

As for getting cash while there have you heard of Bank O Mat?
Is that reliable place to get cash.

Is Madison R Botique close to the airport?

Is Hotel Colombo D’ Oro near the train station?

We took the train to Tropea and Reggio. we were able to walk to the Colombo D’Oro.
In Reggio you can easily reach to b&b by bus or taxi. The b&b is less than 10 km from the city airport. We mainly used our credit cards in both cities.

Are you traveling in other parts of Itay before?

Bancomat (spelled with a C not a K) is the bank circuit used by Italian banks for ATM and digital payments. That is exactly what you should look for when you withdraw money (click on the hyperlink above and see what the logo looks like. Only use the Bancomat machines, they are attached to banks.

There are also machines saying ATM, which are present at shops in tourist areas. Those machines are run by Euronet, a Kansas company. Avoid using those because they give a less favorable exchange rate.

When you use any ATM machine you may be asked to accept their conversion to dollars that bank offers, always refuse. Make sure you click no, because that way you will be getting the exchange rate given by your bank which is always better than the dynamic conversion offered by the bank in Europe.

Same thing when you use an American credit card. The pos machine will ask you if you want the amount charged in dollars. Always say no. Select to be charged in local currency (Euro)..

Is Madison R Botique close to the airport?
Hotel Colombo D’ Oro near the train station?

For these and any other locations you can see for yourself where they are located and how close to airport, train stations.
Use Google Maps- search for Reggio Calabria (not Reggio Emilia) then locate the airport and/or the train station
click Directions
Put in the name of the hotel (Note it is spelled Boutique)
Google will show you the route and travel time via car, foot or public transportation

Thank you all for sharing your wisdom! We have been overwhelmed by details we know nothing about. Feels like you’re walking in the dark. Thank you immensely.

Another question:
How is the south compared to the north as far as accommodations, transportation and crime?

We found the south to be much less touristed, but we enjoyed being able to explore without big crowds. We always felt safe. English speakers are fewer, but restaurants almost always had menus in English.

If this is your first trip to Italy, you may find it helpful to read the Rick Steves Italy guidebook. It doesn't cover all the destinations you're planning to visit, but it will give you a good idea how things like the trains and getting cash work. Is there a particular reason you chose those specific destinations? If this is your first trip to Europe, the Europe Through The Back Door guidebook also has lots of good information.

I've found that southern Italy is somewhat different in many ways to the north. Rail transportation is not as readily available, and you can get details on schedules, etc. from the Trenitalia website. There are some private rail networks in that area and also buses.

If you could share more details about your trip plans, I'm sure the group here would be able to provide lots of good advice.

Yes, thanks for answering our questions. We have been to Europe before and Italy, but long ago.

We chose Calabria for a couple reasons. Less touristy and crowded for one, secondly relatives from this area (not living anymore) so wanted to see where grandparents came from.

Planning to see Reggio, Scilla, Tropea. Planning to fly in and out of Reggio.

Wondering if anyone has stayed in Scilla and can recommend a hotel. Not planning to rent a car. Will use the train and our feet.

Hi Trish,
We stayed in both Tropea plus Scilla but did not stay in hotels, so I can't help with that.
But I'm confident that those who may be Calabria-bound will have some questions answered while seeing our loooooong Calabrian TR below. It is a quirky combo of music, tips, humour plus a ton of imagery. Over on Fodors I go by 'zebec'.
Tante belle cose.
https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/il-calabrese-a-photo-essay-inc-a-bit-of-rome-1732571/