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Maratea

Has anyone been to Maratea?

Fellow traveler friends of ours spending a couple months in Italy right now found this little gem, the only town in the province of Basilicata that sits on the Tyrrhenian Sea, just less than 2 hours by train south of Salerno. Mountains to the east, water to the west. And the pictures they're sending me are absolutely fabulous.

Seems that Maratea dates back to the 14th century BC as a trade center, with a similar history to Sicily, being taken over at various points by everybody.

Just thought I'd mention this as there doesn't seem to be much information in the threads on this stretch of Italian coastline between Paestum and Reggio di Calabria before going over to Sicily.

Posted by
3961 posts

Yes!! So glad you asked!! We were there several years ago on an amazing culinary tour that began in Rome and ended in Sicily. We spent 3 glorious nights in this impressively situated village, high above the sea on the southern Tyrrhenian coast. A photographer's delight! We stayed in a lovely Monastery that had a pool and mesmerizing views of this incredible area. In our free time we enjoyed visiting picturesque churches, walked the scenic beaches, took an afternoon cruise and swam in the warm blue waters of the Mediterranean and ascended the hill crowned by "Rendentore" a giant statue of Christ for a lovely view.

Truly a place to soak up the ambiance in an outdoor cafe and practice the art of "dolce far niente." This is an area we would not hesitate to revisit. It's magical!

A great link on Maratea! "Italy Heaven" www.italyheaven.co.uk

Posted by
2147 posts

We stayed in Maratea about 10 years ago. I remember it being very beautiful. At that time, Lonely Planet described it as being as beautiful as the Amalfi Coast, without the crowds.

Posted by
16700 posts

And the pictures they're sending me are absolutely fabulous.

Hadn't heard of it so scampered off to google some up! Looks like a little slice 'o heaven. Sigh.

Posted by
2124 posts

Yeah, Kath, looks like Maratea is a midway point between Naples and the ferry to Sicily, and on the train line to boot.

Road trip! :)