Taranto is a modern city that still keeps an ancient heart. It stands on a shoreline famous for its beauty, balanced between the Mar Grande and the Mar Piccolo. In the northern part of the city there are the calm waters of  the Mar Piccolo, at the southern end the grandeur of  the Mar Grande bursting in the Gulf of Taranto (on the Ionian Sea). The secret of its glamour is there, in the Small and Big Sea. The swing bridge is the connection between the past and the present, the island of the città vecchia and Taranto. It is mainly in the old town and in the National Museum that one can find evidence of the glorious history of Taranto, colony of Sparta and capital of the Magna Graecia. Taranto was founded around 700 B.C. The advantage of the city’s extraordinary location helped reach its period of biggest prosperity in the IVth c. B.C.  Because of its strategic position Taranto suffered from the invasion of Bizantines, Ostrogoths, Saracens,Normans, Swabians, Angevins and Aragoneses. Their domination left a mark on the architecture and civilization of Taranto and its  "città vecchia". After Napoleon Taranto went into decline until it was liberated in 1860 by the troops of Garibaldi. In 1866 the Italian government turned the town back into the biggest Italian naval base.

Our visit starts from piazza Fontana. The "Marina" is in via Cariati, where the fishers stop their boats every day to sell fresh and tasty fishes, octopus, mussels and oysters.

Most of Taranto occupied the "città vecchia" until the last century, when the peninsula was turned into an island connected to the town by the stone bridge and by the swing bridge.

The historical center is a peculiar network of narrow alleys surrounded by elegant and poor houses, restored or decaying buildings. From Via Garibaldi you will arrive in an area of the old town where the restoration of buildings have been completed.

Following Via Cava you will get to the back side of the cathedral (1071). No one can miss this splendid monument, which is one of the oldest Romanesque churches in Apulia. The cathedral is dedicated to the Patron of the city, San Cataldo, who was bishop of Rachan, Ireland. Restructured, modified and burnt down several times through the centuries, the cathedral has a baroque facade of the early XVIIIth century. The baptismal font is surmounted by a XVIth century canopy. The impressive interior is characterized by a wide navy and two aisles supported by marble columns that are decorated by carved capitals (Romanesque, Arab, Bizantine, Longobard style). The floor still keeps some remains of its original mosaic paving. The central nave is covered by a beautiful wooden coffer ceiling from the XVIIth century. At the interior the attention is attracted by the transept and the cupola. They belonged to a bizantine church of the Xth and XIth century which was latinized in 1170. The cathedral contains an interesting crypt, under the High Altar, which has bizantine frescoes of the XIIth century. The outstanding chapel of San Cataldo is a blooming collection of inlaid marbles, statues and frescoes of the end of XVIIIth century. The imposing altar holds the bones of San Cataldo and a silver statue of the Patron.

The other interesting church to see is San Domenico Maggiore. It was built on the ancient San Pietro Imperiale in 1300 and repeatedly modified. The façade has a baroque double staircase and a central rose-window. It keeps several baroque altars and the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. The faithfuls carry her statue in a pitcuresque parade on Holy Thursday at midnight. On its left stands the noble Palazzo Pantaleo, gorgeous entertainment office of the Municipality. Other remarkable residences are: Palazzo Carducci and Palazzo D’Aquino.

The Ringhiera is the sea-front from where one can admire the light blue of  the Mar Grande. The sandy beaches and pine-woods of Cheradi Islands are in front of the old town.

In Piazza Castello there are the castle, the town hall and the Doric temple. Nowadays the castello hosts the head quarters of the Navy, but it was built more than 500 years ago by the Aragoneses. The cylindrical towers date back to the primitive construction (1492) which was enlarged by the Spaniards.  The ruins of a great Doric temple consecrated to Neptune are represented by two tall columns (VIth c. B.C.). The deep channel allows the crossing of militar and civil ships going from Mar Grande to Mar Piccolo and vice versa. The swing bridge is the entrance to the city.

The National Museum faces the beautiful gardens of Piazza Garibaldi. It is considered one of the most important archeological museums in Southern Italy for its wide collection that gives visitors a complete view of the Magna Graecia civilization. The history of Grecian Taranto can be read in the precious art exhibits of the museum. Most of the rich collection of terracotta objects, ceramics and jewels come from the tombs of the necropolis on which modern Taranto has been built.

Rare patterns of Laconia ceramics (made in Sparta) are evidence of trade relationships between colony and mother-country.

The priceless gold jewellery collection dates back to the height of Taranto (IVth - IIIrd century B. C.) when local artists designed masterpieces of jewellery. Among all the most remarkable is a set of jewels found in the famous grave of Canosa. There is one more museum attached to the Thalassografic Institute. Close to it is Villa Peripato, a public garden full of tall palms and pines.

To go deep into the spirit of Taranto one must visit the town during the Holy Week.

The rites are about the commemoration of the Passion and Death of Christ. They are barefoot tunic and have their heads covered by a hood with two small eye-holes. The whole parade recalls some ancient Spanish rites that Taranto probably inherited from the long domination of Spaniards. The Holy Week begins the Sunday before Easter.

The Concattedrale and the Punta Penna Bridge are the most interesting areas of the new town. The Concattedrale (1970) was planned by the  architect Ponti. The Punta Penna bridge (1978) gives direct access to the new city jumping over Mar Piccolo.

The outskirts are full of beautiful beaches and small seaside resorts along the N-W and S-E coast that stretch on a light blue clean sea.

 The inland culture has strong connections with an underground civilization which developed inside the ravines. Monks and common people lived for centuries in deep gorges riddled with caves, troglodyte houses and painted crypts like those in Palagianello, Mottola and Ginosa.

Castellaneta also rises along the ravine, but this small town is mostly known as the birthplace of Rudolph Valentino, the Italian emigrant who became a world known actor in the 20 century. Castellaneta has recently opened a museum to celebrate the myth of its famous fellow-citizen.

Crispiano lies in the middle of a well kept country side full of olive-trees. More than 100 ancient farms are situated around it, some of which are opened to visitors.

The traditional cooking offers a variety of delicious dishes based on a combination of either fish or meat with excellent vegetables.

The king of the table is a locally produced olive oil. Fresh cheese and home made pasta (orecchiette) are also very tasty. The sea supplies very good mussels and oysters. Local wines come in a variety of flavours and bouquets.