From June 3 to October 7 2023, Costa Pacifica will call at Taranto every Saturday as part of a one-week direct itinerary to the Greek islands. The ship’s international guests will also have the opportunity to visit Taranto and its territory with a wide range of organised excursions.
In summer 2023, Taranto will become a new port of call for Costa Cruises. From June 3 until October 7, Costa Pacifica, one of the Italian-flagged ships of the Costa fleet, will be in Taranto every week as part of an itinerary to discover the Greek islands.
19 calls are scheduled for Costa Pacifica in Taranto, on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to Taranto, the ship will also visit Catania, Valletta (Malta), Mykonos (Greece), and Santorini (Greece), allowing guests to enjoy the best of the Greek islands, two wonderful destinations in Puglia and Sicily, two of Italy’s most popular regions for international tourism, as well as the island of Malta, all in a single holiday.
In this itinerary, Taranto will be both port of embarkation and disembarkation, which can also be reached with the flight+cruise package, and port of transit for guests embarking in other ports, particularly Catania. The thousands of Italian and foreign cruise guests arriving in Taranto will be able to visit the city and the area independently, as well as by choosing from the wide range of organised excursions the company is working on with the support of local institutions and operators. In particular, the tour project in Taranto is focusing on visiting the historic centre, the Cathedral, the Aragonese Castle and the MarTa archaeological museum, while visits to major provincial and regional destinations are planned in the area, as well as a catamaran tour of the Gulf of Taranto.
“Costa Cruises includes Taranto on the map of valuable cruise tourism. It is a novelty that will make a further contribution to the city’s tourism development process, allowing our guests to discover a destination that is new to many, but which really has a lot to offer. In order for Taranto to become a consolidated cruise tourism destination, collaboration with local institutions and operators, whom I thank for their willingness so far, is fundamental. We must work together to guarantee the services necessary to enhance the experience cruise guests will have in Taranto, such as reception services or organised excursions. I am certain that with everyone’s help we will achieve great results’ – said Mario Zanetti, President of Costa Cruises.
Costa Pacifica
Costa Pacifica, the ship that will visit Taranto in 2023, has a gross tonnage of 114,500 and can accommodate up to 3,780 guests, featuring 521 cabins with balconies, nine swimming pools and whirlpools, six restaurants and food outlets, and 11 bars & lounges.
The discovery of the itinerary’s destinations already begins on board, with unique and unforgettable experiences, such as the dishes created especially for Costa by three world-famous chefs: Bruno Barbieri, Hélène Darroze and Ángel León.
In the two main restaurants, each evening a ‘Destination Dish’ by one of the three chefs is served, interpreting the tradition and flavours of the place that will be visited the following day. The Archipelago restaurant offers a choice of three entire menus, one for each chef, consisting of five refined dishes, designed to explore through food that part of the sea that the ship is sailing. The design of the restaurant is also innovative. Archipelago is made up of “island” tables, bordered by a copper structure that embraces unique pieces of driftwood, wood returned from the sea and recovered thanks to the Guardians of the Coast, the environmental education programme for the protection of the Italian coastline promoted by the Costa Crociere Foundation. For every dinner at Archipelago, Costa Cruises will donate part of the proceeds to the foundation to support environmental and social projects.
Still talking about good food, not to be missed is the pizzeria Pummid oro, where real Italian pizza is served with sourdough and quality ingredients, and Sushino at Costa, a seaside sushi bistro. For a sunset aperitif there is the Aperol Spritz Bar, dedicated to the world’s most famous Italian cocktail.
Music is the fil rouge on board, giving its name to the decks and public areas, and is the star every night in the ship’s theatre, with spectacular shows: musicals, comedy shows, acrobats, games and much more.
Families with children are spoilt for choice, with the Squok club and Peppa Pig area and the teen club, offering many fun and stimulating activities. But also the toboggan, the multi-sports field, the arcade games room, the Amarillo gelateria, for an artisanal ice-cream by Agrimontana, and the Salty Beach, a space where many street food proposals can be tasted.
For lovers of sport and wellness, Costa Pacifica features a gym and the Solemio Spa, both overlooking the sea.