Holidays in Maratea - our tips for summer 2011

The "leit motiv" of the vacations 2011 will surely be saving and looking for a stay that would fit perfectly with our budget. Fortunately, there are many low cost destinations for a holiday in Italy. We currently have one of the most beautiful Italian seaside resorts, Maratea, a delightful town in the province of Potenza in Basilicata overlooking the Gulf of Policastro.
Maratea is the only municipality in Basilicata overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea; the town is located on one of the most beautiful stretches of coast in Italy, it is characterized by large creeks forming a jagged series of bays and coves. Another distinctive feature of this coast are the caves, more than 131. These caves have great archaeological value, and in fact many artifacts and fossils were found here.

The entire coastline is dotted in a suggestive way by a large number of ancient watchtowers; it is a defensive structure built in the late sixteenth century. Their function was to spot from a great distance the Saracen pirates' ships.
One of the symbols of the city is a large statue of the Redeemer of Maratea, more than 21 meters high, is the highest effigy of Christ in Europe. The statue is made of high quality white Carrara marble and placed on the summit of Monte San Biagio, visible even from several kilometers away. The statue of the Redeemer is located near the Castle of Maratea, the ancient fortified seat of the city. The site is particularly interesting, you can see the remains of several watchtowers and some sections of ancient walls restored in recent times.