The month of June ended with the landing at Molo San Cataldo of two large cruise shipsthe ‘Fascinosa’ of Costa Crociere (with a capacity of 3800 passengers) and the ‘Mein Schiff 5’ of TUI (with a capacity of 2790 passengers). A frenetic Sunday for the people of Taranto who were overwhelmed by tourists, including Germans, French and English, curious to explore the city of the Two Seas. Comparing ourselves with tourists we have collected some impressions on the organization of the itineraries, on the information and refreshment points that are found in the city. An analysis of the services and disservices made available to visitors.
Most passengers rely on the tour that is offered by the ships with tourist guides. The departure, at 8:00, includes a walking tour in the historic center of the Old Town, with an internal visit to the Aragonese Castle and the Cathedral of San Cataldo. Subsequently, visitors are “free” to wander around independently and This is where the feeling of disorientation begins. In fact, once you have passed the Swing Bridge there are no more information points, the only booth in Piazza Garibaldi is constantly unattended and closed, many approach it with the hope of getting some information, but in vain. To this absence are added other inconveniences such as the closure of some shops in Via D’Aquino, which do not encourage walking and the high temperatures that push tourists to return to the ship for lunch. Only a small percentage of visitors allow themselves a cool and tasty break in the ice cream shops or in the little restaurants located on the seafront, before returning to their excursions.
-
Aragonese castle
-
The port info point
-
MArTa empty
-
Tourists queuing at the Aragonese Castle
It’s no surprise that Among the places least visited by tourists is the National Archaeological Museum of Tarantoa fact confirmed by the statistics that we requested at the museum ticket office. For each landing that there was, on average, about 25 cruise passengers decided to discover the history and treasures of Taranto. Negative results also due to the lack of information that is given to tourists. The ships remain in the port of Taranto until 6 pm. In the afternoon, tourists have the opportunity to visit Otranto, Manduria and Alberobello, thanks to the shuttles made available by Main Shiff. In addition, the same company has provided passengers, sports lovers, the possibility of visiting the village by bicycle allowing faster and more dynamic movements. In this case, there were difficulties in following the cycle paths, due to interruptions in some places.
Tourists who decide to visit the village independently, however, rely on the ‘map’ of Taranto which is delivered at the information points located at the Port and the Aragonese Castle. The most important places of the old city are marked here, such as the San Domenico Church, the Galeota Palace, the Temple of Poseidon and some useful information in case of emergency. The missing detail, which is fundamental for visitors, are the routes and directions of the city bus lines and the locations of the stops. This poor service favors the slowdown in knowledge of the area and the discontent of guests.
The tranquility and lightheartedness that fills the streets of the village alternate with the frenetic moments of Molo San Cataldo. If on one side the tourists who had just landed found themselves with maps covering their faces, sun creams and straw hats to protect themselves from the sun’s rays, on the other you can observe a lot of people with suitcases and backpacks on their shoulders, waiting to board, ready to enjoy the week-long itinerary headed to the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos (Greece), to Valletta (Malta) and to Catania. A very chaotic and unsafe place because in addition to the lack of sidewalks for pedestrians, the circulation of vehicles continues without any control, as well as the departure of city buses that seem to hiccup every time they see a tourist appear. Certainly, having hosted two cruise ships is a great achievement for the city, but this result is not synonymous with quality and efficiency.
*All photos by Federica Pompamea, except the last three by Francesco Paolo Occhinegro
