In a nutshell

Old Taranto is a walk in history. Your local guide will take you back to the time when the city of the two seas was called Taras, and to the age of Ferdinand of Aragon, in Castel Sant'Angelo. You’ll uncover its baroque side in the Duomo di San Cataldo and its superstitious side when a whale appeared in the gulf. Before returning, you also have some time to discover it as you prefer.

Main stops

Walking tour of the old city: internal visit to Castello Aragonese and the Duomo di San Cataldo
Free time

The programme

Don’t lose sight of your local guide. Your journey into history is about to begin. The first destination is the Castello Aragonese, a fortification from 1482 that is now the headquarters of the Italian Navy.
The torture chamber is chilling: the cries of the victims passed through the hole in the ceiling to scare the prisoners. The sea view from the walls, on the other hand, is breathtaking and a photo is a must.
It may be from here that the people of Taranto saw the whale that ended up in the gulf in 1887. Never having seen one before, they thought it was a sea monster.
Outside the castle, two Doric columns mark Magna Graecia’s most ancient place of worship. It’s commonly thought to be dedicated to Poseidon, but your guide will reveal how that isn’t really the case…
From here you’ll keep walking, among the squares and alleys of the old city, as far as the Duomo di San Cataldo. Puglia’s oldest cathedral is a baroque triumph, and the relics of the saint can be found in the side chapel.
Now you can decide what to do with your time for yourself : you can explore the old city at your pace, or relax for a while before heading back to the ship.

Good to know

Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the experience.