Things to Do in Taranto

Things to Do in Taranto, Italy - Taranto Attractions

Things to Do in Taranto


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Top Attractions in Taranto

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Historic Sites
The hypogeum Bellacicco is a hypogeum structure. Its peculiarity which makes this structure unique all over the historic and artistic landscape of Taranto is that in it we can find records of all the ages and the historical periods dating back from Taranto's foundation by the Spartans up to the XVII century, date of the building of the homonymous noble palace. The hypogeum is divided into 4 rooms (5-8 metres hight) and shows an extension of 800 square metres and a depth which reaches, at the lovest levels (4 altogher) 16 metres under the street basement and 4 metres under the sea level. The structure, in central position as regards the isle of the historic centre, represents a crossroad with the other hypogeum structures of the ancient village that constitues, on the whole, the system of "Taranto Underground" that reaches and radiates just from the hypogeum de Beaumont Bonelli Bellacicco. Thought it is difficult to set a precise date of building and the different historic developments of the structure, all the historical, archeological and geological studies report as date of the first building of the hypogeum the period of foundation of Taranto city when the Spartans extracted the first rock banks to build the first constructions and fortifications. Later this area of the historical centre will be called Caves Area.The structure is private property and privately run without public financing. It currently houses the Cultural Association "Filonide" and it is the only hypogeum structure fully restored and accessible in the historical centre. The restoration of the structure (lasted 6 years) was realized by the family funds of its current owners (family Bellacicco) without public or private financing. In 2007 it received the acknoledgement as remarkable cultural heritage by the Minister for cultural heritage and activities by the apposition of a display at the entrance of the structure. The hypogeum is object of different degree thesis in Italy and in the U.S.A and it is a container of cultural and artistic events of different kind
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What travelers are saying

  • Majikfish
    21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is one of the landmark historical attractions in Taranto. They pretty much have tours every hour on the hour except for the hour after the midday break (2pm). The tour is provided by a member of the Italian Navy. We had a chief petty officer who was fantastic and fortunately for me, bilingual (Italian and English). The tour is only about an hour and is highly recommended. My favorite part was when he talked about how the father of Alexandre Dumas was imprisoned here after having a disagreement with Napoleon Bonaparte during the expedition in Egypt. This experience was the inspiration for the main character in The Count of Monte Cristo. Another excellent segment of the tour took us through a room filled with large high quality photographs of the submarine ecosystems in the area. I'm an avid snorkeler and regret that I was unable to get some time in exploring this aspect of Taranto.
    Written August 3, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Tanya P
    Maidstone, UK191 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is bucket list stuff! We had a wonderful few hours on the water, saw many more dolphins than we had expected to, the crew were lovely gave us lots of information about the dolphins and their habitat. We only just got to the boat before it left due to parking issues, we thought we could park at the marina, however it’s not public parking. We spent 30 minutes looking for a space and found one in the piazza Garibaldi which is just under a mile away from where the boat leaves, make sure to leave plenty of time to find a place to park!
    Written September 19, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Ignazio C
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great experience with Stefano's guide. It was a trip since Taranto's Born and italian navy to actual days. There are many many models, historic finds and the drawing room of italian navy.
    Written September 28, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • SergioEvergreen
    Evergreen, CO143 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The museum has an extraordinary archeological collection from the local area that is a must see. It provides an excllent overvue of the histroy of the area up unyil the Byzantine era.
    Written September 25, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • MrN
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Built, maintained, and operated by a dedicated group. You’ll learn about the history of Taranto by passionate locals. Definitely worth visiting to learn more about the rich history of Italy from this hidden gem.
    Written May 22, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Rafael Miranda
    London, UK172 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice bridge where you can cross to the other side of the town and see the view from above and to the castle near by
    Written July 29, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • terry5656
    Nottingham, UK143 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    For us Taranto was a very poor port of call but this church is worth a visit.
    Buried in the almost derelict old town.
    Lots of marble and treasures to be seen in this free to enter attraction.
    The rest of the area is almost derelict and the only work being done was on the church
    Written May 27, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • David S
    Middlesbrough, UK1,722 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    My wife and I had a short stop off in Taranto whilst on a TUI cruiser and enjoyed the visit. The seafront views are absolutely amazing, so scenic and beautiful. The city is a joy to explore.
    Written July 21, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • machinmad
    Yaxley, UK2,508 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This long, tree-lined boulevard is cooling and shady to walk along in the hot summer months. It's situated along the sea-board with great views. There are plenty of places to stop and rest as well as vendors selling refreshments.
    Written August 13, 2017
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • David S
    Middlesbrough, UK1,722 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The monument to the Sailor is dedicated to all sailors of the Italian Navy and is located near the castle, over the bridge. It is made of bronze and is about seven meters tall. The monument is positioned to greet the boats that sail the nearby waters.
    Written October 1, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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