Hotels in Taranto

Where to stay in Taranto

Budget hotels in Taranto are disappearing faster than I can write about them, but besides the Pisani below, another good bet that seems here to stay is the family-run Sorrentino, overlooking the water at the fish market end of the Old City island at Piazza Fontana 7 (tel. +39-099-470-7456). Clean, spartan doubles run 50,000L ($) without bathroom, 60,000L ($) with.

Albergo Pisani. Via Cavour 43, 74100 Taranto. tel. +39-099-453-4087. Fax 099-470-7593. 20 units, 17 with bathroom. 40,000L ($23.55) single; 75,000–80,000L ($44.10–$47.05) double. Breakfast 3,000L ($1.75). No credit cards. Parking 25,000–35,000L ($14.70–$20.60).
This hotel's just half a block off the modern city's central Piazza Garibaldi and Via Duca d'Alba, scene of a lively passeggiata. As for the hotel, it ain't bad for budget; the rooms are clean and well-lit, baths older but in good order, and most accommodations overlook a quiet interior courtyard. The wooden furnishings are actually quite nice for such an inexpensive joint, although many are marred by cigarette burns. If your modestly sized room starts feeling too cramped, you can join the laid-back management in the comfy downstairs TV lounge. Although Taranto does have some port city crime, the hotel is in a safe area of town, and the double gates are always locked.