Italy Advisor

The Greeks chose to live here it at the end of the VIII century B.C. and there still are beaches of fine and golden-coloured sand, which continue to be enchanting.

The coast of Basilicata faces the Ionian Sea and it is one of the favourite destinations for people wishing  to spend a summer holiday in the
Mediterranean.

It offers wide beaches, clean water and a shallow sea bottom making it ideal not only for families with children, but also for those who want to hear the splash of the waves and feel the heat of the sun, or even those who would like to challenge the wind and practice surfing.

The coast goes from Metaponto to the Marina of Pisticci, passing through Scanzano Ionico and then Policoro, up to Rotondella and Nova Siri.

Here visitors can find equipped beaches and long paths reaching to the sandy shore, great tourist resorts, hotels, beach houses, bed and breakfast and farmhouses.

But in this area there isn’t just the sea.

The ancient Greek colony Metaponto contains the famous Tavole Palatine, an extraurban temple dedicated to Hera the symbol of the city.

Inside the Archaeological Park, it is possible to admire the remains of a wall, a theatre built on artificial ground, the necropolis of Crucinia and four temples: a temple dedicated to Athena, which is the most ancient, the temple of Apollo, the remains of the temple of Hera in Doric style and a temple dedicated to Aphrodite.

The National Archaeological Museum should not be missed, where a fine collection of finds from around 2000 excavations make it is possible to retrace the life of ancient Metapontum, which existed from Prehistoric to late ancient times.

In Policoro, beyond the Museum of the Siritide and the Archaeological Park, it is possible to stop in at the Pantano Regional Forest Reserve – a WWF Oasis that is a corner of Eden next to the sea where it is possible to visit (CRAS) the Recovery Centre for Wild Animals and practice different activities organized by the Environmental Education Centre (CEA), such as walks in the forest, horseback riding on the beach, archery, water sports such as canoeing and sailing, and even .