Taranto between the Mar Grande and Mar Piccolo: Culture and Coast

Taranto, known as Tarent in German, lies between the Mar Grande and the Mar Piccolo. The city brings together remnants of the Greek colony, religious buildings, museums and historic sites. Specific points of interest include museums and religious buildings in Taranto, the beaches of the west coast and the Palude La Vela on the Mar Piccolo.

Coastal landscapes and a maritime character

Mussel farming has been carried out on a large scale in the Mar Piccolo for centuries. The Mar Grande near the Cheradi Islands is home to dolphins, other whales and dolphin species, colonies of seahorses, and pink flamingos. The coasts themselves also reveal different sides: the west coast of Taranto has wide beaches, while the east coast combines high dunes, Mediterranean scrub, low cliffs and numerous bays. The landscape therefore cannot be reduced to a single type of coast.

A striking view of the two marine areas can be enjoyed from the Ponte di Pietra. The bridge is also known as the Ponte Sant’Egidio Maria da Taranto and the Ponte di Porta Napoli. It is 115 metres long, has three arches and was built in 1883. From here, there are views of the Mar Piccolo and the Mar Grande. City buses stop a short distance from the Ponte di Pietra. The Ponte Girevole was inaugurated in 1887 and is operated from inside the Castello Aragonese.

Historic buildings in the city

The Castello Aragonese occupies the southernmost tip of the island on which Taranto’s old town is located. The complex has a square layout with a large inner courtyard. The Castello was inaugurated in 1492 and preserves four towers: San Cristoforo, San Lorenzo, dell’Annunziata and della Bandiera. It can only be visited as part of free guided tours, which must be reserved in advance.

The Basilica Cattedrale di San Cataldo is the oldest cathedral in Apulia. Its central nave contains Greek and Roman columns and capitals, traces of a medieval floor mosaic, and a magnificent wooden coffered ceiling with gold decoration. Beneath the main altar is a 10th-century crypt decorated with frescoes from different periods.

The Monastery of San Domenico dates in its present form from the mid-14th century. The cloister preserves the foundations of a Greek temple built in the 6th century BC on the acropolis of the Greek colony of Taranto. The Colonne del Tempio Dorico, in turn, are surviving remains of a temple of Magna Graecia from the early 6th century BC. They are located outdoors, can be accessed free of charge and have no set visiting hours.

Museums between archaeology and everyday culture

The MArTA exhibition traces the history of Taranto and its surrounding area from prehistory to the early Middle Ages. The museum also displays one of the largest collections of artefacts from Magna Graecia, including Taranto’s famous gold finds. In the historic centre, the Museo Etnografico Alfredo Majorano is located in the 18th-century Palazzo Pantaleo. It documents Tarantism and local traditions through objects related to the sea, the land, traditional occupations, games and religious devotion.

The MuDi, the Museo Diocesano di Taranto, is located in Taranto’s old town behind the Basilica Cattedrale di San Cataldo. Its permanent exhibition is divided into seven thematic sections across three levels and displays more than 350 works. On view are silver and gold objects, most of which come from the so-called Tesoro di San Cataldo. The Museo Dal Mare offers interactive workshops and educational activities on seafaring and navigation.

The Ipogeo Funerario consists of two rooms that reuse areas hewn from the rock during the Greek period. The walls of the second room contain openings that probably served an early Christian or Byzantine burial purpose. The hypogeum is generally visited as part of guided tours organised after registration. The nearby Parco Archeologico di Saturo lies in the area around Taranto on the Ionian coast and offers two routes exploring the history of Saturo from the 2nd millennium BC to interventions in the present day.

Wetlands and paths through the surrounding area

The WWF Palude La Vela oasis is a protected wetland of approximately seven hectares on the Mar Piccolo in the area around Taranto. It is home to numerous resident and migratory bird species, including herons, flamingos, ospreys and the rare black-winged stilt. The Giardini di Piazza Garibaldi are a green area in the centre of Taranto that can be accessed free of charge. They are within walking distance of the historic centre; public transport stops nearby.

Special traditions and practical planning

The pilgrimage of Taranto has its own distinctive timing. It begins at 3 p.m. on Maundy Thursday: members of the brotherhood walk barefoot to the churches of the Borgo and the Città Vecchia and return to the Carmine church around midnight. The pilgrimage of the Brotherhood of del Carmine has existed since at least the 16th century. Since immediately after the Second World War, it has been the only tradition of this kind preserved by the Taranto brotherhoods.

When choosing a hotel in Taranto, you can first decide which focus should shape your stay: the city’s museums and religious buildings, its varied coastal landscapes, nature on the Mar Piccolo, or an excursion into the archaeological history of the Ionian coast. The MuDi can be reached by bus lines 27 and 354.A03 as well as by R. train services.

Other places in the surrounding area: Manduria, Taranto, Pulsano, Martina Franca, Marina Di Ginosa, Uggiano Montefusco, Specchiarica, Ginosa, Crispiano, Lizzano, Castellaneta Marina, San Marzano di San Giuseppe, Grottaglie, Talsano, Massafra, Lido Azzurro, Roccaforzata, Faggiano, Librari, Palagianello, Mottola, San Pietro In Bevagna, San Giorgio Ionico, Torre Columena, Monteparano, Laterza, Torricella, Marina Di Pulsano, Sava, Maruggio, Palagiano, Avetrana, Lido Chiatona-stazione di Palagiano, Monteiasi, Castellaneta, Leporano, Monacizzo, Marina di Lizzano.

To the higher-level travel overview: Apulia.