the name
seLETHRA
Selethra, the light of the clear sky, is linked to the origins of Taranto. It is a name that evokes the connection between history, myth and Mediterranean identity, from the city’s founding to the myth of Orpheus and the Sirens.
Mythological figures that capture the essence of the place
Selethra Suites: The Essence of Mediterranean Hospitality
Every room has a name. Behind every name lies a myth and a forgotten story. Discover who Taras, Skuma, Ethra, Satyria and Orpheus were – the sea of Taranto still remembers them.
In the waters of the Gulf of Taranto, capital of Magna Graecia, myths and legends intertwine with the most ancient history. It was here that Falanto and Ethra came ashore, beneath a clear sky from which tears ‘rained down’. Here, the Sirens dwell in the sea, luring sailors to their deaths with their song. Orpheus represents the victory of intellect and art over the brute force of nature; with his lyre and his voice, he overcomes the song of the Sirens, who, throwing themselves into the sea, are transformed into rocks. All this symbolises the ability of Greek culture to ‘tame’ the wild forces of the Ionian Sea.
