Maratea, Italy is one of Italy’s best-kept secrets. A beautiful picturesque city is full of villages along the enchanting coasts in Basilicata. Discover from incredible cliffs, pine forests and beautiful beaches that will offer you a relaxing holiday in Italy.
Things to Do
Known as “The pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea”, the city of Maratea will offer you a few days of tranquility, surrounded by beaches, a wonderful natural life, streets with stories and impressive buildings. In addition, it is known as “City of 44 churches”, due to a large number of chapels, churches, and monasteries found in the region.
Maratea always attracts families and couples to spend some incredible days. However, most tourists are from Italy, because it is not well known to foreigners. The anonymity of the city helps keep the waters clean, crystalline, emerald and sapphire, which give it that special touch.
Can spend an incredible day on the sandy beaches of Maratea. Do not get bored, you can swim and practice trekking. In addition, if you are a fan of navigation, a boat offers you wonderful views of the beauty and biodiversity of the famous Amalfi Coast.
Going along the coast you will come across Fiumicello, Porto Di Maratea and Marina Di Maratea. These places in the summer are one of the most lively, due to a large number of yachts in the port. In addition, there are also nearby bars, restaurants, and cafes to have fun.
Statua del Redentore
You will spend an afternoon taking a walk through the ancient city of Maratea. Walk among its winding alleys, ancient churches, and beautiful squares. If you continue your journey further up, you will reach Monte San Biagio.
You can not miss the great symbol of Maratea, the Redeemer, 22 meters high. This large statue made of Carrara marble refers to Christ the Redeemer with arms outstretched in the shape of a cross. It is the second highest in the world, after Rio de Janeiro. From above you have the world at your feet, along with the landscapes, in addition, you will have the most incredible views of the coasts.
How to get there
Maratea is located in the province of Potenza, in southern Italy. Exactly in the region of Basilicata on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The nearest airports are Napoli Airport about 200 km to the north and Lamezia Terme International to 153 km to the south. You can rent a car for the panoramic trip to Maratea.
When to go
You can swim from May to June until October, but the coast is ideal for hiking throughout the year. Most beach clubs, restaurants and also hotels are only open from May to October. The last two weeks of August, when Italians take their summer vacation, are the busiest.
How long
The ideal is to take a week’s holiday to enjoy the whole paradise of Maratea, however, a getaway of 2 or 3 nights will be enough to relax and have fun in this place.
Opening and Closing Hours
As in most cities in southern Italy, Maratea stores close for a long break for lunch between 1:30 p.m. and 4 or 5 p.m. The restaurants are open 12: 30-3 p.m. and from 7:30 p.m.-midnight.
Planning
Accommodation and restaurants are mainly found in Fiumicello. The city has varied options for accommodation, from elegant and luxurious hotels and inns to simple and quiet places to spend the night. The Tourist Office is located in Piazza Gesü 32 in Fiumicello.
Inside Information
In the city, you can always see different activities such as film festivals, music, art, and even food. Some events are religious or historical. It is also important to be well located, therefore you can find maps of the city. In addition, tourist area guides and photo guides in some shops and travel agencies.
History
The city dates back to XV-XIV a.C. At that time it was just a small commercial place. However, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city fell into the hands of the Saracens, who plundered several cities. Due to this, the inhabitants decided to move to the lands of Monte San Biagio, after a time the population grew and they had to found a town in the city. Today that town is the main urban center of the city. Over the years, the city has been filled with villages and hotels, becoming the main tourist spot of Basilicata.
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Other Nearby Attractions
In the south of Italy, between the regions of Calabria and Basilicata is the Pollino National Park. This place is full of imposing mountains of more than 2 thousand meters high, abysses of 600 meters. In addition, it has the highest peak, which gives the name to the park, the Pollino peak. It is the largest national park in Italy. It has incredible fauna and flora. One of the most outstanding things are the silhouettes of the loricate pine, in addition to a large number of mammals such as deer, the Italian wolf, mouflon, the golden eagle, and peregrine falcon. It is a unique place that will leave you unique memories.
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