The Pearl of the Tyrrhenian — Italy's only Basilicata coastline, 32 beaches and a hilltop Christ
Maratea is a coastal town in Basilicata on Italy's Tyrrhenian coast — the only stretch of sea coast the landlocked region of Basilicata possesses (just 32km of it) — and it remains one of the least discovered coastal destinations in southern Italy. The town divides into multiple distinct parts: the historic hilltop borgo above the coast, the port village of Marina di Maratea, and 32 separate beaches of varying character along the indented limestone coastline. A 22-metre white marble statue of Christ the Redeemer (slightly larger than Rio's) stands on the summit of Monte San Biagio above the t…
Maratea was founded by Greek colonists, was a significant Roman municipium (Blanda Julia), and survived Byzantine and Lombard rule before being rebuilt on its current hilltop after Saracen raids. The statue of Christ the Redeemer on Monte San Biagio (1965, by sculptor Bruno Innocenti) was commissioned by the local industrialist Stefano Rivetti and donated to the town — the same mountain holds the ruins of the ancient Greek/Roman Blanda Julia and a basilica dedicated to San Biagio (patron saint of Maratea, 5th–6th century).