What to see in Taranto in 2 days: complete itinerary

What to see in Taranto in 2 days

Taranto, the city of two seas, is experiencing a cultural rebirth that makes it one of Southern Italy's most fascinating destinations. Founded by the Spartans in 706 BC, it preserves an extraordinary heritage between the Old Town island, the Mar Grande and the Mar Piccolo.

Day 1: The Old Town and the MArTA

Morning

Begin at the **MArTA** (National Archaeological Museum), one of Italy's most important museums for Magna Graecia. The Taranto Gold collection, funerary jewellery from the 4th-3rd century BC, displays incredible craftsmanship. The collection of Attic and Italic ceramics is among the world's richest. Allow at least two hours.

From the museum, walk to the **Swing Bridge** (Ponte di San Francesco di Paola). Built in 1887, it opens to let military ships pass into the Mar Piccolo. It is the city's symbol and offers a unique view of both seas.

Afternoon

Cross the bridge and immerse yourself in the **Old Town**, the island between the two seas. Start with the **Aragonese Castle** (free guided tours by the Italian Navy), then lose yourself in the alleys of the ancient quarter. Look for the **hypogea**: beneath the houses hide spaces carved into tufa used as oil mills, cellars and shelters.

Visit the **Cathedral of San Cataldo**, Puglia's oldest (11th century), with the Cappellone di San Cataldo covered in polychrome marble and Baroque frescoes. Nearby, the **Doric Columns** of the Temple of Poseidon (6th century BC) stand in Piazza Castello: they are the oldest in Magna Graecia.

Hidden gem: seek out the **Church of San Domenico Maggiore** with its dramatic staircase, and look out from the Via Duomo belvedere over the Mar Piccolo and its mussel farmers.

Evening

Dine in the Old Town at one of the restaurants reopened during urban regeneration. Seafood from the Mar Piccolo (Taranto mussels, sea urchins, oysters) is legendary. Evening stroll along the Lungomare Vittorio Emanuele III with views of the illuminated castle.

Day 2: The New Town and the sea

Morning

Explore the **Borgo Nuovo** (the 19th-century city). Walk along Via d'Aquino, the shopping street, to the **Giardini Peripato**, Puglia's oldest public park with views over the Mar Grande. Here you'll also find remains of the Greek city walls.

Visit the **Concathedral Gran Madre di Dio**, Gio Ponti's masterpiece (1970): a visionary sail-shaped architecture worth a detour. Continue to the **Ponte di Punta Penna Pizzone** for a panoramic view of San Pietro Island.

Afternoon

Head for the beaches. **Lama** and **Gandoli** beaches to the south offer white sand and Caribbean-like water just a few kilometres from the centre. If you prefer staying close, the **San Vito seafront** has small rocky coves.

Cultural alternative: the **Tamburi** quarter hosts the **Archaeological Park of the Greek Walls** with imposing stretches of the 4th-century BC fortification, and the Greco-Roman necropolis with frescoed chamber tombs.

Evening

Sunset aperitivo on the **Lungomare Vittorio Emanuele** watching the sun sink into the Mar Grande. Dinner with Tarantine raw fish specialities (tubettini with mussels, rice potatoes and mussels) in the Borgo Nuovo.

Recommended walking routes

• **Historic route** (3.5 km): MArTA → Swing Bridge → Castle → Cathedral → Doric Columns → Hypogea → Lungomare
• **Panoramic route** (4 km): Giardini Peripato → Lungomare → Gio Ponti Concathedral → Punta Penna

Practical tips

• MArTA is closed on Mondays; the Castle is visited by guided tour only (book ahead)
• Taranto mussels are certified: the Mar Piccolo has been a natural farm since Roman times
• The Old Town is undergoing regeneration: many buildings are construction sites but the charm is unique
• In summer a ferry connects Taranto to San Pietro Island

Further reading

• [Where to stay in Taranto](/guida/dove-dormire-a-taranto)
• [Where to eat in Taranto](/guida/dove-mangiare-a-taranto)
• [How to get to Taranto](/guida/come-arrivare-a-taranto)