From footwear to pret-a-porter, from bicycles to automobiles and, undoubtedly, excellent enogastronomic traditions, Italian products bearing the prestigious Made in Italy title are highly-coveted the world over - for their integrity and durability, design originality and creativity, and for their distinct tastes and flavors.
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In the neighbourhood of Viterbo nature makes a spectacle of itself. A few kilometres away there is the beautiful Lake of Vico which lays in the...
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We are on the road from Alberobello to Putignano. The white of the houses, in particular the trulli, stands out from the expanse of red earth,...
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Castello Episcopio, Grottaglie, Taranto
The coast of Taranto in Apulia spans over 87 mi, with a diverse and beautiful natural landscape: wild areas with sheer cliffs, long stretches of fine sandy beaches that blend with the deep blue sea and the green maquis, in some places completely deserted, in others enlivened by quaint seaside resorts.
Gentle hills, wide valleys and rocky areas make up the landscape of the hinterland, interrupted by characteristic villages, ancient and isolated farms and karst caves, a sign of ancient rock dwellings. In many areas the famous trulli are visible - they are typical Apulian cone-shaped buildings that, in the village of Alberobello, comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many farmhouses have been restored and today accomodate important farming and winery activities, attesting to Apulia's ancient tradition of producing excellent products, such as olive oil and wine.
A scenery varied as a mosaic, where natural environments harmoniously fuse and bear the traces of the different cultures that have settled and moved here over the centuries: churches, castles, palaces, and ruins remaining long after their ancient civilizations contribute to the rich cultural heritage of Taranto and its territory.
History also lives in the folklore that enlivens the festivals, popular and religious, that are celebrated all through the year; many of them are dedicated to ancient crafts that are still created today in small artisan workshops. The itineraries for exploring this corner of Puglia are numerous and feature one common denominator: the region's rich and tasty cuisine, still prepared according to ancient traditions that are made with quality ingredients and, above all, the passion of the people of Taranto.
"The City of Two Seas" is how Taranto is called: located on a spit of land that separates the open sea, it divides what are known as Mar Grande and Mar Piccolo. The artificial channel that connects them is surmounted by the famous Swing Bridge, beyond which lies the heart of old Taranto, an ancient Medieval town comprised of the Cathedral of San Cataldo, the Aragonese Castle, also known as Castel Sant'Angelo, and many other monuments that recount of its ancient origins.
It may be the city of two seas, but it is also the city with two faces, because beyond the bridge, progress and modernity have designed the new Taranto, a city developed around the 19th-Century village facing the waterway. Housed in the former Convent of San Pasquale Alcantarini, the National Archaeological Museum is famous for its rich collection of rare finds.
Along the coast are many lovely places to enjoy a relaxing and fun vacation, whether diving into the crystal clear waters of the Ionian Sea or simply enjoying the sun while lying on the fine white sand. To the north of Taranto, Marina di Ginosa, a small, coastal jewel where the transparent water of the sea reflects the blue of the sky and the green of the pine forests.
Near Salento is Marina di Pulsano, where low cliffs, white inlets and clear waters offer visitors a truly beautiful landscape. To the south of the provincial capital, another charming area, Marina di Leporano, is perfect for those who prefer a jagged coastline with cliffs interrupted by small sandy beaches.
The sea, though beautiful, is not the only attraction here. An extraordinary landscape makes up the beautiful hinterland of Taranto: sometimes green and lush with large vineyards and olive groves, sometimes rocky and rough with ravines, caves and gorges where ancient civilizations settled.
In Massafra, the Ravines of San Marco and La Scala are a dense network of paths, slopes, caves and places of worship around which the modern part of the town was built. The Ravine of Laterza, 7.5 mi long, is of considerable size and historical importance as evidence of the ancient origins of this town. The "city of many caves:” so Grottaglie is called, an ancient village whose first settlements date back to the 1st Century AD. It is famous worldwide for its handmade pottery, a craft whose roots hark back to ancient times.
The area's ancient farms became spearheads of local agricultural development during the Middle Ages. They are scattered all over the Apulian territory, but around Crispiano are some 100, thus earning it the nickname the "city of 100 farms."
Remarkable also is the presence of prehistoric ruins, including the Village of Triglie. Castellaneta lies in the heart of the Park of Ravines, a mix of natural environments made even more evocative by ancient ruins. North of Taranto, Martina Franca is a charming town that overlooks the Itria Valley, with its lush green nature contrasting with the white trulli and ancient farms that frame the old town's Baroque architecture.
The desire to rediscover things made according to historic traditions has grown significantly in recent years. Hence, the idea of "routes" dedicated to experiencing authentic flavors and traditional crafts has expanded in Taranto Province, with many routes for enjoying the finest wines and olive oils, or the creative art of ceramics that has made this land famous.
The many landscapes in this area of Apulia offer the possibility of organizing very interesting excursions. An interesting destination for lovers of photography and birdwatching is the Lake of Salinella near Marina Ginosa, where pine forests, clearings and sandy areas are home to a rich variety of wildlife and birds.
Immersed in the beautiful scenery of Riva dei Tessali, lapped by the clear waters of the Ionian Sea, golf enthusiasts can find ideal places to practice the sport. And if the sea is your passion, opportunities for water sports certainly abound.
The gastronomy of the Province of Taranto is characterized by a twofold tradition that makes it complete and captivating: the sea and the land.
Mussels and oysters, the pride of Taranto, but also fish and shellfish, can be tasted along with typical Apulian pasta or served as main course, and enhanced by exquisite, local extra-virgin olive oil. The crops in the hinterland provide excellent raw materials for dishes based on vegetables and legumes (excellent when combined with fish). Do not go without tasting the typical cheeses - among all the burrata - and sausages, including the tasty capocollo of Martina Franca.
And finally, a wide variety of very sweet fruits round out the menu: grapes, oranges, and the famous clementines of the Gulf of Taranto. Intense flavors that deserve to be paired with the excellent wines of the province, such as the Primitivo di Manduria, the Martina Franca and the Lizzano.
The province of Agrigento stretches out among ancient ruins and Baroque architecture, sparkling beaches, marvellous islands, crystal-clear waters and flourishing ocean beds. It is the ideal place to for those in search of culture, history and art, all in an ...
Campania is one of the regions of Southern Italy and stretches along the Tyrrhenian Sea , from the mouth of the Garigliano River to the Gulf of Policastro . The mild climate, the beauty of the coasts, the richness of its art and history, and the ...
Calabria is at the toe of the boot, the extreme south of Italy - lapped by the splendid crystal blue Ionian and
Salento , the heel of Italy, is nestled in the clear waters of the Adriatic and Ionian coasts , where tall cliffs sculpted by the sea alternate with sandy beaches, green stretches of maquis and a small "eden" reachable only by boat.
Taranto, overlooking the Gulf of the Ionian Sea, is called “the city of two seas” because it is placed between the Mar Grande and Mar Piccolo. It is a city of nobly born. The Greek Taras was a metropolis, and when it passed to the Romans, with the name of Tarentum, became smaller. Its symbolic ...
The area is very rich in clay and it is therefore regarded as fertile ground for the emergence of a flourishing pottery crafts. In former times, in the town of Grottaglie, it was possible to find in each house about fifty pieces of pottery, as told by the local craftsmen, because they were ...
A suggestive landscape in the nearby of Castellaneta, marked by chalky faces' ravines and Karst origin cracks, and located on the top of a natural flight of steps; but Castellaneta is also known as the birthplace of the famous movie star Rodolfo Valentino. Even a museum is dedicated to him. For ...
Cities that have known greatness over the course of history are aware that only archaeology can reveal the secrets of their identity. Taranto, the city on two seas, is still looking for evidence and concrete signs of its past greatness, which is slowly being acknowledged. The Martà-museum’s ...
In the archaeological site of Roca Vecchia, settlements have been present since the Messapian town of the fourth century, of which we can see the cyclopic walls. The structures of the harbour and of the 'murenari', tanks in which fish and above all the 'murene' or moray eels were kept alive, date ...
We are in the harbour of the beautiful city of Otranto, of which we can see the imposing walls. A Roman, Byzantine and Norman centre, in 1480 it suffered a terrible massacre by the Turks. After a stroll through the fascinating historical town centre, the tourist harbour offers crystal clear waters ...
We are in the point where the land gives way to the sea, the place that the ancients called 'the end of the world', the 'finimunno' in Salento dialect. From the square in front of the sanctuary of Santa Maria di Leuca, also known as the sanctuary de Finibus Terrae, we overlook the port and see the ...
Sailing around Capri we encounter numerous sea grottoes of considerable beauty. The Grotta Azzurra is known throughout the world for the reflections that fill it with blue light: a unique spectacle. But also in other grottoes and sea caves sun and sea create wonderful effects.
