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The city of Policoro is located in Basilicata, in the province of Matera.

Understand

Policoro is a beach resort on the Ionian coast and it has been awarded the Blue Flag for 7 consecutive years. The weather is mild, reaching +40 °C (104 °F) in July and August and ±0 °C (32 °F) in January and February. Then, summer is the best period to come here: you will have the chance to take a swim in the Ionian sea and to live the Italian summer life.

History

Policoro was founded by the Greeks in the highest part of the actual city under the name of Siris. In 433 BC, it was replaced by Herakleia, a city founded by the habitants of Taranto in honor of Hercules. In fact, the main square of Policoro is called Piazza Eraclea and there is a statue of Hercules fighting against the lion at its centre. In 280 BC, during the Battle of Tarentum (during the Second Punic War), before beating the Roman tropps, the Greek king Pyrrhus, with his elephants, took shelter in the near territory of Anglona. In spite of this, the territory was conquered by the Romans and went through a period of economic decline. Another period of social and economic decline occured during the feudalism: the territory was surrounded by a marshy area and, because of malaria, the remaining population had taken refuge on a hillock named Policoro (from the Greek 'Poliucoros', meaning 'spacious', most likely referring to the characteristics of the primitive village). Then, under the command of the Baron Berlingieri, the village was turned into a baronial feud and the town expanded around the baronial castle. The land reform of 1950 represented a turning point for Policoro, both economically and demographically: the marshy area was reclaimed, while the baron-owned houses and lands were assigned to families from neighbouring towns. Initially developed as a hamlet of the municipality of Montalbano Jonico, Policoro became an autonomous municipality in 1959.

Get in

By plane

Policoro is connected to the Bari Airport through a local shuttle bus service and different bus rides by Flixbus and Itabus .

By car

The city of Policoro is served by the following roads

• Strada Statale 106 Jonica
• Strada Statale 598 di Fondo Valle d'Agri
• Strada Statale 407 Basentana
• Strada Statale 653 Sinnica

By camper

The Camper Area near the sea offers all services and comforts to those who wish to reach Policoro with their camper van.

By bus

Policoro is connected to other towns in Basilicata, but also to Italian and foreign cities.

• Grassani e Garofalo, Liscio, Sita Sud, Grassani, F.lli Renna, Chiruzzi, Nolé, De Angelis Bus connect Policoro to other towns in Basilicata, such as Potenza, Matera, Metaponto, Nova Siri, Valsinni, Tursi, Colobraro.
• Moretti, Flixbus, Intersaj, Marinobus, Itabus connect Policoro to other Italian cities such as Bologna, Milan, Turin, Rimini, Bari, Taranto, Genoa, Rome, Pisa, Naples, Florence, Pisa, Catania.
• Flixbus and Marinobus connect Policoro to foreign cities, such as Zurich, Munich, Stoccarda, Francoforte sul Meno.

By train

The train station Policoro-Tursi is part of a that connects Taranto to Reggio Calabria following the coast of the Ionian sea.

By sea

Marinagri is the little harbour of Policoro, located within the Marinagri Residential Tourist Complex. It offers 322 berths for boats up to 40 metres long with a draugh up to 3.5 metres. You can get in touch with the harbour through the 74 VHF channel.

Get around

You can visit the city centre on foot.

By public transport

Line 5 of the city bus connects the city centre to the beach. The bus ride starts from the Terminal Bus and ends in Piazza Polieion (near the beach restort "Il Sirena") every hour.

Buy

• 1 Centro Commerciale Heraclea, Strada Statale Ionica km 422, ☏ +39 0835 901397. Mon-Sun 09:00-20:30. Shopping centre, with many clothing and shoe stores, a supermarket, a smoke shop, a bar and a restaurant. An ATM is available inside. (updated Apr 2024)