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Virtually unknown outside Italy, (few English speaking visitors have set foot here) the area has become popular for weddings, and with the Italian elite, many of whom own villas here.
Maratea sits on the Tyrrhenian sea, the only coastal port in the otherwise landlocked region of Basilicata. In ancient times the Etruscans, called Tyrrhennians by the Greeks, settled on the western coast in the area known today as Tuscany.
Thus, the Mediterranean that washes Italy's western shores came to be known as the "Sea of the Estruscans," the Tyrrhennian Sea.
Maratea was first settled by another ancient people, the Oscans, who established a village here around 450 B.C. The modern country name, Italy is derived from an Oscan word, "Vitalieu," meaning "land of the life giving calf."
Above the town on a craggy mountain cliff known as Mount St. Blaise hovers Maratea's guardian angel, "Il Redentore" a 72 foot tall white marble statue of Christ, second only in size to "Cristo Redentor" the 98 foot statute standing guard over Rio de Janeiro.
Maratea's "Redeemer" was commissioned by Count Stefano Rivetti as a gift to his adopted hometown, and carved by Florentine sculptor Bruno Innocenti.
Count Rivetti also built Maratea's 5-star Santavenere Hotel on a picturesque promontory near the town, where, in the late 50s, it became a refuge for international stars like Frank Sinatra and Richard Burton.
This town of 5,000 boasts 44 churches, which amounts to one for every 114 inhabitants.
In Maratea's historic old town, some 2000 feet above the sea, steep cobblestone streets wind past cafes, restaurants and gelato shops. You'll find the town to be clean and safe and the locals genuinely friendly.
Also in the old town are numerous shops where locals sell their quality wares at attractive prices. Maratea's shops are famous for wine, sandals, ceramics, embroidery and leather work.
Feel free to negotiate with the shop owners as, unlike American and British shops, prices are rarely fixed.
Plan to do your shopping in the morning or evening as this town shuts down in the time-honored Italian tradition between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Afternoon is a great time to visit one of the hidden beaches which dot the coast between Sapri and Tortora. Swimming is permissible from May to November.
CONCLUSION:
To tourists lucky enough to stumble on this gem, Maratea is known to be friendly, unspoiled and inexpensive.
REFERENCES:
In the map at this site the region of Basilicata is outlined in red: http://www.maplandia.com/italy/basilicata/
Here's a site about seaside weddings in Italy with a section on Maratea that includes some great photos: http://www.slow-dreams.com/coast_of_maratea.htm
Check out the photo gallery of the town of Maratea: http://www.comune.maratea.pz.it/principale.htm
To access the photos, click on "La Citt?" in the navigation panel on the upper left hand side, then click on "fotogallery". (How about that, after all the words we borrowed from Latin and Italian, some words are now being borrowed from us!)
There is a great article on Maratea at Dream of Italy, The Insider's guide to Undiscovered Italy: http://www.dreamofitaly.com/public/114.cfm
Mr. Bush spent two years in Italy as a Mormon missionary in the 70s and continues to explore his love for that land by returning often, studying Italian to maintain fluency and by reading and writing about Lo Stivale (the boot).
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