Taranto - Old Town | Taranto-Viva.com

Historic alleys, sea, and memories in the heart of the old village.

Areas and quarters

Taranto - Città Vecchia is the historic nucleus of Taranto, in Puglia, located on an island between the Mar Grande and the Mar Piccolo and connected to the modern city by the Swing Bridge and the Stone Bridge. It is an urban area of great historical and identity value, characterized by narrow alleyways, arches, courtyards, noble palaces, churches, sea views, and layered traces of different epochs. Founded in antiquity as a Spartan colony, Taranto was one of the most important cities of Magna Graecia; over the centuries, it has preserved Greek, Roman, Byzantine, medieval, and Baroque testimonies. Among the most significant places are the Cathedral of San Cataldo, one of the oldest in Puglia, the Aragonese Castle, a military stronghold and a symbolic monument of the city, and numerous religious and civil buildings linked to Taranto's maritime and commercial history. Today, the Città Vecchia fulfills residential, cultural, touristic and service functions, hosting urban recovery projects, artisanal activities, restaurants, museum tours, and initiatives related to the enhancement of the local heritage. For visitors, it represents an evocative destination to discover the ancient soul of Taranto: strolling through the alleyways, admiring the panoramic views of the two seas, visiting the Aragonese Castle, the Cathedral, and the historic churches, tasting local cuisine, and grasping the city's deep connection with the sea, fishing, and popular traditions.

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Photo Credits: Italo Mairo (AI assisted)

Why Visit

A must-visit for the authentic charm of the narrow alleys by the sea, filled with ancient buildings, churches, underground tunnels, and views over the Mar Piccolo and the Mar Grande. The Old Town tells the millennia-old story of Taranto, with its evocative atmospheres and iconic landmarks such as the Aragonese Castle and the Cathedral of San Cataldo.

Web Links

Taranto - Old Town - IAM Taranto

Taranto - Old City - www.tarantomagna.it

Taranto - Old City - Idealista.it

How to reach

From the center of Taranto, you can easily reach the Old Town on foot: starting from Piazza della Vittoria, walk along Via D'Aquino towards the Aragonese Castle and cross the Swing Bridge. In a few minutes, you will enter the historic island, amidst alleys, churches, and views of the Mar Piccolo. Alternatively, you can take the city buses that go directly to the Old Town.

More Info

Taranto - Città Vecchia occupies the historic island between Mar Grande and Mar Piccolo and is the oldest nucleus of the city, heir to the ancient Taras founded by the Greeks. The urban fabric retains a dense and layered structure, with narrow alleys, arches, internal courtyards, staircases, noble palaces, churches, and hypogeal environments that tell centuries of history, from the Greek and Roman phases to the Middle Ages, to the Aragonese and modern transformations. Among the most significant elements stand out the Cathedral of San Cataldo, considered one of the oldest in Puglia, with architectural layers that combine Romanesque, Baroque forms and previous testimonies, and the area of historic buildings overlooking the alleys of the island. The Città Vecchia is also a place strongly linked to the seafaring culture: the relationship with the sea, fishing, religious rituals, and popular traditions still define the identity of the neighborhood today. Particularly relevant are the processions of Holy Week, among the most deeply felt devotional expressions of the city, which cross streets and squares, loading them with collective memory. In recent years, the island has been the focus of recovery and enhancement initiatives, with restorations, cultural paths, openings of hypogeal spaces, artistic initiatives, and new activities that are bringing attention back to one of the most complex and suggestive places in the urban Mediterranean.