Favourite holiday destination for tourists, Puglia is experiencing a boom of bookings and travelers in recent years. Far away from the highly popular beaches of Salento and the bays of the Gargano, there is a central area in Puglia, called Terra di Bari, equally charming and rich in history, art and nature.
Capital of the region is the city of Bari, which has a strategic location dominating the Adriatic Sea so that it became reference point with the Mediterranean countries, as well as crossroad of trades and cultures. Characteristic is its historic centre, also known as Bari Vecchia, in which to enjoy a particular atmosphere, among arches, courtyards, votive shrines, noble palaces, among the smell of panzerotti, Bari focaccia, meat sauce, meat balls and sgagliozze, the typical fried Bari-style polenta. Its monuments speak to the visitors: every stone of the Cathedral, of the Saint Nicholas Basilica, of the Norman-Swabian Castle, of squares, alleys and palaces could talk about centuries and centuries of dominations, oppression, artistic ferment, urban development.
In the South of Bari, Polignano a Mare became famous to the international Jet-Set as filming location of the american soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. It has an enchanting scenery overlooking the sea and the old town, perched on a cliff, offers romantic panoramas and sea caves bathed by trasparent waters, including the renowned Grotta Palazzese.
A few kilometers away is Monopoli, tourist city well-known for the long coastline with wonderful coves and nightlife. The district of the Capitolo is surely the best loved area for the sandy beaches and many lidos. The old town in Monopoli is a must-see: it preserves the typical structure of a medieval village with narrow streets, low-rise houses, one attached to the other, and features monuments and churches of remarkable importance.
Worth visiting is the Maria SS della Madia Cathedral, dating back to the Baroque period and decorated with polychrome marbles; the Castle of Charles 5th, only a short distance from the harbour, built from the Spanish in the 1552 together to the city walls, the Church of Santa Maria degli Amalfitani, in a Romanesque style, wanted by some sailors of Amalfi, which were saved from a shipwreck in the 12th century.
Monopoli, even named the city of 100 quarters, is characterized by a large countryside, full of ancient masserias, several converted into luxury hotels and agriturismo, rupestrian churches, Mediterranean maquis with stunning centuries-old olive trees.
Leaving the Adriatic coast and heading to the hinterland you can reach Castellana, famous throughout Italy for its grottoes. The underground caves are karst results of the slow water infiltrations into the ground, that the karst soil is not able to keep on the surface in these areas.
Castellana caves, founded in the 1938 from the prof. Anelli, are long about 3 kilometers and deep about 70 metres.
And then you can’t miss a visit of Alberobello, the town of trulli, declared Unesco World Heritage Site. These world-wide popular buildings are completely made of limestones and recognized as an extraordinary example of dry construction. Walking along the monumental districts allows to step back in time, in an absolutely fairytale landscape.
This part of the South-East of Bari has nothing to envy to the most famed places, here you can discover a land of sun, sea, picturesque views, traditional flavours and antique culture.
viaggieitinerari... in Puglia by Valeria Dicarlo 