Amendolara: Marine Park, Museums and Traces of Antiquity

Amendolara combines a maritime natural environment with archaeological and historical points of interest. The thematic arc extends from the sea off Amendolara Marina to archaeological, Byzantine and medieval remains. If you see a destination not merely as a place to stay overnight, but as a cultural and scenic focus of your trip, Amendolara offers various ways to engage with it. When choosing your accommodation, you can first decide whether you would like to focus more on the natural environment by the sea or on the history of the town.

Marine Protected Area off Amendolara

Off the coast of Amendolara Marina and the mouth of the Crati River lies the Secca di Amendolara Regional Marine Park. Secca di Amendolara is designated as the special conservation area ZSC IT9310053. For your planning, this natural environment provides a clear focus: Amendolara can also be viewed from the perspective of the sea and protected areas, without being limited to a single type of experience.

Getting There and Orientation

To reach Amendolara, the route from the Sibari exit of the A3 SA-RC motorway follows the SS 534 and SS 106 towards Taranto, as far as the turn-off for Amendolara. The railway stations serving the area include Amendolara Marina, as well as Trebisacce, 10 km away, and Sibari, 25 km away, as alternatives.

Museums in the Historic Centre

In the town’s historic centre, the Museo Archeologico di Amendolara is located next to the castle and on one side of the main square. The Laviola collection in the Museo archeologico nazionale di Amendolara mainly comprises metal finds and pottery fragments from the Protohistoric period, dating from the 12th to the 8th century BC. This creates a clear cultural focus within the historic fabric of the town for your stay.

The Museo archeologico nazionale di Amendolara also offers two multimedia information facilities in four languages. Films, commentary and texts present the settlement of the Amendolara area from prehistoric times to the present day. This chronological sweep broadens the perspective from individual exhibits to the settlement of the area across many different periods.

Byzantine Forms and Traces of Ancient Settlements

The Cappella dell’Annunziata – also known as the Cappella dei Greci – was built during the Byzantine period, between the 9th and 10th centuries, and restored in the 16th century. Despite Baroque alterations, the Church of Santa Maria retains the Byzantine style of its dome on the exterior. In both buildings, older Byzantine forms emerge despite later changes – an intriguing perspective for anyone interested in architecture as it developed over time.

The archaeological site of San Nicola also takes you back to antiquity. It is associated with Lagaria, an ancient settlement dating from the 8th century BC, and preserves the remains of a settlement with a road made of compacted earth. Rectangular houses stood along its sides.

Castello Normanno and the Medieval Settlement

Il Castello Normanno stands in the western part of Amendolara’s medieval settlement, overlooking the Straface stream. Its historic fortifications included a deep, once water-filled moat on one side and massive walls with tall towers at their ends on the other. During the Hohenstaufen period, Il Castello Normanno served as a residence for Emperor Frederick II. The building thus connects its position within the medieval townscape with the history of the Hohenstaufen period and its fortifications. If you would like to combine culture, architecture and landscape in a single stay, Amendolara offers several clearly distinct points of interest.

More Destinations

For further travel planning, also discover Alessandria del Carretto, Villapiana, Bisignano, Brunetta, Calopezzati, Mandatoriccio, La Bruca and Trebisacce.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cosenza.