So yesterday we were at the tip of the boot, today we travel to the arch….
Benvenuti a Taranto! Known as the “City of the Two Seas” (la Città dei Due Mari), Taranto is one of Southern It is literally split between two worlds: the historic, atmospheric island of the Old Town (Borgo Antico) and the bustling 19th-century New Town (Borgo Nuovo), connected by a swinging bridge.
Castello Aragonese (Aragonese Castle) – Guarding the canal between Taranto’s two seas, this massive 15th-century fortress is the literal bridge between the city’s past and present.
Incredible stone architecture, managed by the Italian Navy, and it’s free.
The Swinging Bridge, this historic hydraulic bascule bridge links the old town to the new town and it’s right by the Aragonese Castle It physically opens by rotating 90 degrees horizontally to let massive military and naval ships pass between the Mar Piccolo (Little Sea) and Mar Grande (Great Sea).
MArTA (National Archaeological Museum of Taranto) – Don’t let the word “museum” fool you—this is widely considered one of the most important archaeological museums in all of Italy.
Cathedral of San Cataldo (Duomo di Taranto) – Located in the heart of the Old Town, this is the oldest cathedral in Puglia, originally built in the 10th century.
A gorgeous Baroque facade, but the real showstopper is the Cappellone di San Cataldo, a side chapel completely covered in jaw-dropping, multicolored marble inlays.
The Doric Temple (Tempio di Poseidone)
Two massive, lone Doric columns standing tall out in the open. They are the remnants of a 6th-century BC Greek temple, making it the oldest columned temple in all of ancient Magna Graecia.
Taranto Vecchia (The Old Town Labyrinth) – The island district of Taranto is a maze of crumbling tufa-stone buildings, narrow alleyways, and arches.
Striking architecture that feels stuck in time, hidden tiny squares, and clotheslines strung across alleyways…. They said some of the houses are on sale for 1 Usd
New Town
Back at the ship, they invited local artists to perform song and dance Tamburellista!Mesmerizing show
And then it’s windstar’s signature sunset deck bbq…. They really rolled out a feast
