Taranto

Taranto, with its important commercial port and the main Italian naval base, is one of the largest city of Southern Italy. The origin of the name is Taras from old greek, but finds as well its roots in the common name of the Tarantula spider family, which gave birth to the frenetic well-known Tarantella dance. The ancient city was situated on a peninsula, while the modern city has been built over the ancient Greek necropolis. Taranto is composed of two bays: the first one, Mar Grande (Big Sea) where the commercial port is located, and the second bay, called Mar Piccolo (Little Sea), which is formed by the old city and fishing activities. Because of the presence of these two bays, Taranto is also called “the city of the two seas”. At Mar Piccolo, the impressive Aragonese Castle, built in the 15th century, was used to protect the town from frequent foreigner's raids. Entering the historic innermost of the town, a number of old Palazzi are standing right there where the Byzantines raised them in 927 AC. The picturesque alleyways and stairwells, along with the old craftsmen workshops and the several fashion boutiques, contribute to its unique atmosphere.