Description of the attraction
Metaponto was once a wealthy and prosperous settlement of Magna Graecia on the Ionian coast of Italy. The colony was founded in the 7th century BC. - it was here, by the way, that the great Pythagoras was born. From that era to the present day, numerous archaeological artifacts have survived, which are now on display for tourists, for example, "Tavola Palatine" - columns that belonged to the ancient Greek temple of the goddess Hera of the 6th century BC. Or the huge Doric columns of the Temple of Apollo, standing in the center of the ancient city. The ruins of an amphitheater from the same period have also survived. The best place to get acquainted with the ancient history of Metaponto is the National Archaeological Museum, which contains about 2 thousand exhibits from the Bronze Age - the time of the founding of the colony - to the period of the Roman Empire.
3 km from the Metoponto railway station, there is a beautiful golden sandy beach with a length of about 3 km. In summer, the air temperature here warms up to + 30 ° C, which attracts sun lovers here. This place is also suitable for families with children, since the bottom of the sea begins to drop only 30-35 meters from the coast. Another popular beach located near the neighboring town of Policoro is a well-maintained sand and pebble beach, along which you can find bars and cafes for every taste. A little further, there are several smaller and therefore more comfortable beaches. In general, the Ionian coast of Basilicata has long become one of the favorite vacation spots for tourists. It is distinguished by wide beaches, clear sea and shallow water depth. Beaches, tourist campsites, guesthouses and hotels are located all along the coast - from Metaponto to Pisticci. Metoponto itself also boasts an 18-hole golf course. And next to Policoro is the Bosco Pantano Natural Park with a center for the protection of wild animals. In the park, you can order a horseback ride along the seashore or go on a short hike, do archery or canoeing, or just watch birds, of which there are over 170 species!
In the vicinity of the coastal Metaponto there are several interesting old towns: Tursi with the Arab-Norman quarter of Rabatan, abandoned by Kraco, in which films were filmed more than once, Valsinni, Aliano, Pisticci with its snow-white buildings, Bernalda and, of course, the world famous Matera.
