Italy Guide
Puglia
Táranto
Straddling two harbours and set beside the deep blue waters of the Ionian, TÁRANTO is an unpretentious city with a thriving fish market, fabulous restaurants and a top-notch archeological museum. Known as Taras to the ancient Greeks, the port became the first city of Magna Graecia (the area of southern Italy colonized by the Greeks) and its acropolis harboured a vast bronze of Poseidon that was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Sadly, little remains of ancient Taras or even of later Roman Tarentum, although their monuments and relics are on display in the city's museum.
Finding your way around is easy. The city divides neatly into three distinct parts: the northern spur is the industrial area, home of the steel works and train station. Cross the Ponte di Porta Napoli and you're on the central island containing the old town. The southern spur holds the modern city centre (Borgo Nuovo), the administrative and commercial hub of Táranto, linked to the old town by a swing-bridge.
Read more ▼
- Practical Information ▼
- Sight(s) ▼