Taranto

Hugging its own natural harbour like the gatekeeper of the Apulian panhandle, Taranto now stands as a lesson in Italian history from its earliest years. First here were the Greeks (Spartan refuges to be precise) and then the Romans with their taxes and triumvirates. Later, the Arabs dominated the town, using it to sack Campania and southern Italy, before retiring it to the French and the kings of Aragon. Finally, the financial mismanagement of the modern age took hold, leaving Taranto noticeably bare of concurrent developments save for that sprawling industrial plant on the horizon to the south.

Most of the interesting sights line the city’s Mare Piccolo (Little Sea), traversed by the oddly wonderful Ponte Girevole that also divides the old and new parts of the town. The medieval area is centred on the Castello Aragonese, while nearby the Hypogeum and Cathedral are surrounded with redbrick palazzos and sunny piazzas where locals sip tipples in the ubiquitous trattorias and Puglian wine cellars.

Taranto tour guides also often recommend breaking away from the city to explore the fascinating UNESCO site of Alberobello with its striking trulli homes, many of which still indulge in the traditional production of wine and olive oil.