The Jonian coast, 35 km long stretching from Metaponto to Nova Siri is completely different to the Tyrrhenian. The last offshoot of the plane which extends from the low hills of Matera towards the Jonian sea, visitors are offered a vast coastline of very fine, golden sand and large beaches of sand and pebbles on the stretch of coast further to the south which faces the Pollino National Park. Here in the VIII B.C. the cities of the ‘Megale Hellas' (Magna Graecia) were founded and comprised Metaponto, Heraclea (today Policoro), Siris and Pandosia which hosted personalities like Pythagoras and were the scenes of terrible battles such as the one fought by Pyrrhus against the Romans. Signs of this historic past can be found at the archaeological digs in Metaponto and Policoro and in their very important museums, which have so many exhibits that, despite the vast show area available, not everything can be displayed.