Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
uninterrupted string of resorts, thronged in the summer months and shut down from Octo-
ber to May.
It's worth taking a trip inland to visit
Santa Severina
, a spectacular mountaintop town,
26km northwest of Crotone. The town is dominated by a Norman castle and is home to a
beautiful Byzantine church.
MAGNA GRAECIA MUSEUMS OF THE IONIAN COAST
In stark contrast to the dramatic Tyrrhenian coast, the Ionian coast is a listless, flat affair dotted with large tourist
resorts. However, the Greek ruins at
Metaponto
and
Policoro
, with their accompanying museums, bring alive the
enormous influence of Magna Graecia in southern Italy.
Metaponto's Greek ruins are a rare site where archaeologists have managed to map the entire ancient urban
plan. Settled by Greeks in the 8th and 7th centuries BC, Metapontum's most famous resident was Pythagoras,
who founded a school here after being banished from Crotone (in Calabria) in the 6th century BC. After
Pythagoras died, his house and school were incorporated into the Temple of Hera. The remains of the temple - 15
columns and sections of pavement - are Metaponto's most impressive sight. They're known as the
Tavole Palat-
ine
(Palatine Tables; Parco Archeologico), since knights, or paladins, are said to have gathered here before head-
ing to the Crusades. It's 3km north of town, just off the highway; to find it follow the slip road for Taranto onto
the SS106.
In town, the
Museo Archeologico Nazionale
( 0835 74 53 27; Via Aristea 21; admission €2.50;
9am-8pm Tue-Sun, 2-8pm Mon) houses artefacts from Metapontum and other sites while in the
Parco Archeolo-
gico
, 2km northeast of the train station, are the remains of a
Greek theatre
and the Doric
Tempio di
Apollo Licio
.
In Policoro, 21km southwest of Matera, the
Museo della Siritide
( 0835 97 21 54; Via Colombo 8; admis-
sion €2.50; 9am-8pm Wed-Mon, 2-8pm Tue) has a fabulous display of artefacts from 7000 BC through to
Lucanian ornaments, Greek mirrors and Roman spears and javelins.
SITA (
Click here
) buses run from Matera to Metaponto (€2.90, one hour, up to five daily) and on to Policoro.
Metaponto is on the Taranto-Reggio line; trains connect with Potenza, Salerno and occasionally Naples.
Le Castella
This town is named for its impressive 16th-century Aragonese
castle
(admission €3; 9am-mid-
night summer, 9am-1pm & 3-6pm winter)
, a vast edifice linked to the mainland by a short causeway.
The philosopher Pliny said that Hannibal constructed the first tower. Evidence shows it
was begun in the 4th century BC, designed to protect Crotone in the wars against Pyrrhus.
Le Castella is south of a rare protected area (Capo Rizzuto) along this coast, rich not
only in nature but also in Greek history. For further information on the park try
