Castellana Grotte – 5 minutes by car
THE WONDER OF THE CAVES IN AN UNDERGROUND ROUTE OF 3 KILOMETERS
The town is mainly known for its caves, a speleological complex, located at the entrance to the city, discovered and explored for the first time in 1938 by Franco Anelli. The Castellana caves are a set of cavities and tunnels of karst origin, which branch off underground for 3 kilometers up to a depth of 70 meters, offering visitors unique scenarios, including canyons, fossils and forests of stalactites and stalagmites, such as the Sala delle Grandi Cortine, with red alabaster drapes, and the White Grotto, the brightest cavity in the world. New paths, discovered in 1982, are now destined solely for scientific research.
Alberobello – 10 minutes by car THE CAPITAL OF THE TRULLI, A WORLD HERITAGE SITE
In the heart of the Murgia dei Trulli, an expanse of pinnacles announces Alberobello, with its historic center, a World Heritage Site. The heart of the town is a succession of trulli, the original dry stone houses whitewashed with quicklime and the cone-shaped roof made of exposed stones. Crosses, pierced hearts and zodiac symbols decorate the roof of each trullo, which preserves its mystery intact. The Rione Monti, the oldest in the city, hosts more than 1000 trulli among its alleys, while in the Aia Piccola district, Casa Pezzolla, a complex of 15 communicating trulli now used as a museum and the sovereign trullo which hosts shows and concerts.
Polignano a Mare – 20 minutes by car THE CHARM OF THE CITY OVERLOOKING THE SEA
Its white historic center overlooking the sea, rich in Arab, Byzantine, Spanish and Norman traces, is one of the most fascinating on the coast. Its panoramic balconies are the privileged points from which to admire the blue of the Adriatic. You cannot miss a visit to the “Pino Pascali” Museum Foundation, set up in the former Municipal Slaughterhouse, dedicated to the work of the great Apulian sculptor and artist.
Monopoli – 20 minutes by car THE ENCHANTING SEASIDE VILLAGE, THE TOURIST PORT, THE BEACHES
The coast full of inlets, coves and coves, the long beach, the ancient walls, the old port, the medieval village full of narrow and winding streets, the dream terraces, the wrought iron balconies, the bell towers: Monopoli is a city all to be discovered. The symbolic monument of the city is the pentagonal Castle Carlo V, on the small promontory called Punta Penna. Today it is the seat of exhibitions and conferences.
Cisternino – 30 minutes by car THE STONE CHARM OF ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES IN ITALY
Located on the hills of the southern Murge of Puglia, it is part of “The most beautiful villages in Italy” and has obtained the “Orange Flag of the Touring Club”. The tower of Porta Grande or Norman-Swabian constitutes its main entrance. In the historic center it is possible to admire the historic houses, from the Governor’s palace, a beautiful example of the Baroque in Puglia, to the sixteenth-century bishop’s palace, from Palazzo Amati to Palazzo Lagravinese, to Palazzo Ricci – Capece with the Torre del Vento.
Locorotondo – 20 minutes by car THE CITY OF CUMMERSE OVERLOOKING THE VALLE D’ITRIA VINEYARD
Between “the most beautiful villages in Italy” and the “Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club”, Locorotondo is perched on a plateau. The name indicates the characteristic circular shape of the ancient center of the town, built around the year one thousand, consisting of a set of huts that farmers built on the top of the hill, including the typical “cummerse”, small houses with sloping roofs.
Martina Franca – 25 minutes by car THE WONDER OF THE BAROQUE OLD TOWN
Located on the eastern hills of the Murgia, Martina Franca is a melting pot of history and art. The characteristic white houses among the winding streets and the sumptuous baroque of Palazzo Ducale, Palazzo Martucci, Palazzo Universita, Palazzo Motolese, Palazzo Maggi, Palazzo Ancona and, still within the medieval walls, the precious Basilica of San Martino which houses the sculptures of Stefano da Putignano and Giuseppe Sammartino.
Ostuni – 35 minutes by car THE WHITE CITY ON THE PLAIN OF MILLENARY OLIVE TREES
The magic of Ostuni is linked to the characteristic coloring with lime paint of the ancient village, a practice still used today. At the center of the village stands the fifteenth-century Romanesque-Gothic cathedral on which stands a large rose window with 24 rays of rare beauty. Along via Cattedrale, which divides the medieval heart of the city in two, is the former Carmelite Monastery, seat of the Museum of Preclassical Civilizations of Southern Murgia where the cast of Delia, a pregnant woman who lived 25,000 years ago, is exhibited.
Matera – 45 minutes by car THE CHARM OF THE SASSI, A WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Matera is an extraordinary place, where the present dialogues with the past. World Heritage Site and European Capital 2019, Matera is a succession of alleys and stairs, arches and galleries, large terraces and bell towers of underground churches. The Sassi di Matera originated from small residential areas born around places of worship and developed beyond the walls that surrounded the Civita, the ancient institutional, religious and commercial center of the city. They are divided into two larger areas: the Caveoso, composed mainly of caves, and the Barisano, mostly made up of houses built according to more complex construction techniques.
Bari – 35 minutes by car SAN NICOLA, THE ANCIENT VILLAGE AND THE SHOPPING STREETS
Bari is the beating heart of Puglia and one of the most dynamic metropolitan cities in the South. Strong of its maritime, commercial and mercantile tradition, it is a treasure trove of traditions, cultures and religions. The first thing to do in Bari is to be overwhelmed by the vitality of the old city. The men who play cards, the women who make orecchiette, the grandmothers who chat sitting on the doorstep, the kids who play football in the courts, the shops with the products on display: Bari Vecchia is an explosion of sounds, scents and colors. The second thing to do is stroll through the Murattiano district, that of the beautiful nineteenth-century buildings, shopping, historic theaters such as the Petruzzelli, the Margherita and the Piccinni Theater.
Lecce – 70 minutes by car THE TRIUMPH OF THE SALENTO BAROQUE
Capital of Salento, just 12 km from the Adriatic Sea, Lecce welcomes visitors with the splendor of its baroque. Churches, alleys, balconies, columns, masks, rose windows: the city is a triumph of stone decorations, unique in Puglia and Italy. The visit of the city can begin by passing the arch of Porta Napoli and entering the historic center along via Palmieri, dotted with noble palaces. Access from Porta Rudiae, on the other hand, offers the possibility of slipping into the ancient and intricate lowlands of the Giravolte, a multi-ethnic neighborhood, a melting pot of ethnic groups and cultures.