The Vittorio Emanuele III Seafront in Taranto: the Liberty-style promenade on the Mar Grande, with elegant palazzi, palm trees and sunsets. What to see and when to go.
History
The Vittorio Emanuele III Seafront is Taranto's open-air drawing room: the scenic promenade running along the Mar Grande, on the waterfront of the Borgo Umbertino. It was laid out between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, in the same years the city was expanding beyond the canal with the arrival of the Naval Arsenal.
Born as the elegant promenade of Umbertine Taranto, it is still the place of the evening struscio — the traditional stroll — and of sunsets, one of the spots best loved by locals and visitors alike.
What to see
A balcony over the sea. The seafront stretches for over a kilometre facing the gulf, with its broad avenue lined with palms, wrought-iron railings in Liberty style and grand historic lampposts. From here the view sweeps across the Mar Grande to the Cheradi Islands and Punta Rondinella.
The palazzi. On the inner side stand the elegant Liberty and Umbertine palazzi that tell of the city's Belle Époque, with their decorated façades, balconies and floral-style portals. It is an open-air lesson in architecture.
Life on the seafront. Dotted with cafés, gelaterias and restaurants, the promenade is lively at every hour: morning for a walk in the sun, late afternoon for an aperitif, evening for the stroll and the sunsets that set the gulf ablaze. In the warm season it hosts events, concerts and markets of the Taranto Summer.
Nearby stands the scenic Rotonda, a terrace over the sea and one of the city's most photographed spots, and a short distance away Gio Ponti's Gran Madre di Dio Co-Cathedral.
Did you know…
- The seafront was laid out at the turn of the twentieth century, in Umbertine Taranto.
- The wrought-iron railings and lampposts are in Liberty style.
- It is the place of the 'struscio', the traditional evening stroll of the Tarantines.
- It offers some of the city's most spectacular sunsets, over the Mar Grande.
Practical information
| Hours | Always open, at any hour of the day or evening. |
|---|---|
| Ticket | Free. |
| Accessibility | Wide, level and well paved: one of the most accessible walks in the city. |
| Getting there | In the Borgo Umbertino, on the waterfront, a short distance from the Swing Bridge and the MArTA. |
Tips for your visit
- Come at sunset: the light over the Mar Grande is spectacular.
- Pair it with an aperitif in one of the bars facing the sea.
- Look up at the Liberty palazzi on the inner side: the details are splendid.
- In summer, check the programme of Taranto Summer events.