Taranto overlooks the Jonio Sea.
Its territory for the most part washed by the sea, has three peninsuls and an artificial island formed when they built the Aragonese Castel’s moat and separated it. Infact the city is also known as the “City of the two Seas” being washed by the Big Sea and the Small Sea that form a big basin. In Taranto’s territory there are architecture that are evidence of its historical and cultural importance from the ancient cult zones such as the Doric Temple’s ruins, the Greek-Roman necropolis architectural ruins and of the Chamber Tomb, the Saviour crypt and the famous Taranto’s jewels that are housed in the Marta’s Museum. It also has important buildings owened by noble and very important families of the city like Pantaleo Palace and D’Ayala Valva Palace.
Il Ponte Girevole or Saint Francesco of Paola’s Bridge is the structure that connects the Borgo Antico‘s island with the Borgo Nuovo peninsula and its an authentic masterpiece of engineering.
Importante places of the territory are:
- Martina Franca with its importante historical centre and a suggestive view of the Itria Valley where you can see the famous structures of “Trullo”. - Grottaglie famous for its handmade production of ceramics.
- Massafra well known for the “Gravine” that are characheristic natural formations unusual and strange that are the sign of the landscape and of the morphology of the jonic territory.
- Manduria not far from paradisiac beaches and known for its vineyards of primitive grapes that produce one of the most important Italian wine the “Primitivo di Manduria”