MarTa Museum Taranto tour: Greek gold & Roman mosaics

The museum's Golds of Taranto room holds Greek-crafted gold objects that survive nowhere else.

A private guided tour of the National MarTa Archaeological Museum in Taranto, led by a licensed guide in English or Italian, takes you through two hours of marble sculptures, monumental tombs, necropolis pottery, and the museum's centerpiece: the Golds of Taranto, a collection of ancient Greek gold artifacts including the diadem and silver case of Princess Opaka Sabaleidas from Canosa. The tour includes museum entry and covers galleries spanning the Hellenistic and Roman periods, ending with mosaics and the numismatic collection.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore MarTa Archaeological Museum

• Enter National Archaeological Museum MarTa
• View marble sculptures from Hellenistic period
• See sculptures, mosaics, and inscriptions
• Admire Carparo stone heads of Roman era
• Explore necropolis pottery exhibit
• Visit Ori of Taranto gold artifacts room
• Conclude with Roman mosaics and numismatics

The experience

You arrive at the National MarTa Archaeological Museum in central Taranto and begin in the Hellenistic galleries, where marble sculptures set the scale of what Magna Graecia built. Your guide moves you through sections holding sculptures, mosaics, and inscriptions from public and private buildings: the physical record of how people lived and what they valued. The Carparo stone heads from the Roman era sit among them, carved from the soft local stone that shaped the region's art.

The pottery exhibit opens a different window: necropolis vases in pink clay, decorated with black figures that tell mythological and athletic stories. These pieces come from burial sites and show what families chose to send into the afterlife with their dead. Then the tour reaches the Ori of Taranto, the Golds of Taranto, a room of Greek-crafted gold objects that anchor the whole museum. The diadem and silver case of Princess Opaka Sabaleidas from Canosa sit here, objects that survived two thousand years because they were buried and forgotten. You finish with Roman mosaics, terracotta tools, and the numismatic collection, each one a fragment of daily life preserved in stone and metal.

What’s included

• Private walking tour with a licensed guide in English or Italian.
• entry to the MarTa Archaeological Museum.
• access to the marble sculptures and mosaics.
• the numismatic collection.
• and the Golds of Taranto room with the diadem and silver case of Princess Opaka Sabaleidas.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on site€ 10

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by ITALYGONIA TRAVEL

Is this one for you?The tour starts at the museum in central Taranto and requires no separate transport. If you're staying in the city or arriving by train, you can walk or take a local bus to the entrance. A guide in English or Italian means you don't need to navigate the galleries alone or rely on museum labels. The two-hour pace fits a free afternoon without consuming your whole day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What is the Golds of Taranto room, and what makes it the museum's highlight?

The Ori of Taranto is a dedicated gallery of Greek-crafted gold objects, the centerpiece of the MarTa Archaeological Museum. It holds the diadem and silver case of Princess Opaka Sabaleidas from Canosa, along with other precious Greek gold artifacts that survive nowhere else in such concentration.

How long does the tour take, and what galleries does it cover?

The tour runs two hours and moves through Hellenistic marble sculpture galleries, sections of sculptures and mosaics from public and private buildings, the pottery exhibit with necropolis pieces, the Golds of Taranto room, and concludes with Roman mosaics, terracotta tools, and the numismatic collection.

What are the Carparo stone heads, and where do they come from?

Carparo stone heads are Roman-era sculptures carved from soft local stone that was quarried in the Taranto region. The museum displays them as examples of Roman craftsmanship and the materials available to artisans in Puglia during antiquity.

Is the museum accessible if I use a wheelchair or need mobility support?

Yes. The MarTa Archaeological Museum is fully wheelchair accessible, with all areas and surfaces accessible to visitors with mobility needs. Public transportation options are available nearby, and transportation to the museum is wheelchair accessible.

Can I bring children, and are there facilities for them?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller throughout the museum. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, so families with children of different ages can join together.