Thomson Cruises has included Taranto in its destinations for 2017, with Thomson Spirit calling at the southern Italian city as part of her itinerary “Taste of the Adriatic”.
The vessel has a length of 214,7m and a capacity of 1.400 passengers, and is expected to call at the Port of Taranto seven times from May to October.
The Port System Authority of the Ionian Sea is currently investing in projects to upgrade the port and, in particular, the areas dedicated to the cruise traffic.
The multipurpose Falanto Port Service Center – also hosting a passenger terminal – is due to be finished later this year. It is being built on the S. Cataldo Pier and comprises two three-storey buildings at a total investment of €6,6m. In addition to passenger handling facilities the Center will host the Port System Authority offices, an auditorium, conference room, area for exhibitions and information desk as well as a bar, restaurants and restrooms. During the construction phase a temporary tensile structure will be operational for passenger handling and shorex departures during cruise ship calls. The Falanto Port Service Center, recalling the historical origins which link Taranto to the ancient Greek city of Sparta, is part of a project aiming at the modernization of the waterfront and integration of the city and the port.
The National Archeological Museum of Taranto (MarTa for short) is a popular destination for families as it adds entertainment to education. The displays cover the Ancient Greek and the Roman Age as the city was the cultural and economic capital of the Greek colonies. It is open every day and the access is free on the first Sunday of each month.
Also, about an hour’s drive from Taranto lies the ancient Cave city of Matera. The city is one of the oldest human settlements in the world, having been populated since 10.000 B.C., and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
