Maratea is the only town of the region of Basilicata on the Tyrrhenian coast. The beautiful scenery and rocky coastline has led Maratea to be called "the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian". Owing to the considerable number of churches and chapels it has also been described as "the town with 44 churches".

Both the old historic center, perched on the hill, and small port of Maratea are ideal locations to search out a bars and restaurants. Boat trips are available daily in the summer months and are a great way to explore the clear waters, inaccessible beaches and caves.

Maratea has approximately 32 km of coastline, with more than twenty beaches to be discovered. There is a wide variety of landscapes, varying from breath-taking sea views to wooded hillsides and majestic mountains sweeping down to the sea and steep cliffs. The principal vegetation comprises of oaks, pines, rosemary and holm oaks and many good quality hotels can be found hidden amongst this green landscape.

Places to visit include the 'Grotta di Maratea', or the Cave of Wonders, discovered in 1929, and the marble statue of the Christ that dominates the view of Maratea, built in 1965 by Bruno Innocenti, a sculptor from Florence.

The Basilica of Saint Blaise is the main church in the town, found on the top of mount San Biagio. Built in the 6th-7th century, it houses the remains of the saint, in honor of which, every year (on the second Sunday of May), a procession takes place in which the silver statue of the saint is transported from the basilica to the main church of the Old Town. Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, built in 1505, is the principal church of the Old Town (Centro Storico).

Based on archeological findings, the first settlements in the Maratea region date back to the Paleolithic era. In the 15th-14th century BC a village grew up on top of the little headland called La Timpa. This was a small trading center, and its existence is documented until 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Lucania.

During the Roman era, the region continued to be a trade center: on the seabed near Santo Janni island dozens of ancient anchors have been found, and these are now on display in the local museum.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, southern Italy became part of the Byzantine Empire, starting from the Gothic Wars (6th century). From the 7th century, the Tyrrhenian Sea came under the control of the Saracens, (Sicily became a Muslim emirate in the 9th century), who sacked numerous towns. So, for safety reasons, the local inhabitants moved to the high ground of Mount San Biagio, where they built the so called Castello, a little fortified urban centre.

Visit www.discoverbasilicata.com and www.aptbasilicata.it for more details.