Towns and Cities
CISTERNINO
The origins of this small charming town can be traced back to around the 12th century, when monks from the Basilian Order took refuge here from religious persecution. Initially they stayed in the sanctuary of Santa Maria d’Ibernia and later founded the hamlet of Cisternino. It was only during The Renaissance that it developed, and remains preserved today in the historic centre within its walls and towers.
Today Cisternino is a very lively town which has a population of 12,000, although this number more than doubles in the summer months. There are many bars and excellent restaurants as well as many cultural and traditional festivities; including open air concerts, Sagra (celebrations of local produce) and exhibitions by visiting artists. Cisternino is a place where the old and historical live very comfortably with the new and fashionable.
Monday is market day in Cisternino.
Relaxing in Cisternino after a hard day on the beach!
LOCOROTONDO
This attractive town (15 minute drive) is considered to be the balcony of the Itria Valley. It overlooks a landscape that is both genuine and peaceful with a charming tidiness. Its historic centre is harmonious, as are its characteristic ‘Contrade’ which are rich in trulli. Locorotondo is also famous for its grapes from which is made the Locorotondo DOC, a white wine with an unmistakable flavour.
ALBEROBELLO
The beautiful and famous ‘City of the Trulli’ (25 minutes) is a National Monument and International Heritage Site (UNESCO). Its uniqueness certainly make it an obligatory stop for visitors. The area to the south east is the oldest part with around 400 trulli forming the nucleus of the original historic centre, testimony to the skill of the stonemasons and bricklayers of that time and their difficult art of drystone construction.
MARTINA FRANCA
Martina Franca (20 minutes) is famous for its Baroque architecture, as can be seen in the beauty of the doorways, the balconies and the stonework. There are a large number of churches within the historic centre, with the Saint Martino’s Collegiata having the most impressive façade and dominating the small square opposite. The Ducal Palace is also very imposing and is rich in frescoes. The city is famous for its music festival in July and August.
OSTUNI
Known as the “White City”, Ostuni (20 minutes) stands 200 metres above sea-level on the lower hills of the Murge. The town is visible from a great distance; whitewashed and splendid. It has surrounding walls with majestic towers and, within the historic centre, the architecture is characterized by narrow and winding alleyways, leading to small lodges and villas which are supported by arches of various dimensions.
Other attractions
There are endless beaches to discover both sandy and rocky.
There are many other attractions to visit in the area. We will include more information about these after some time, but for now here is a list:
The Gargano, a protected wildlife reserve offering spectacular views, walking and more beaches!
Matera Sassi, the Palaeolithic town, famous for its cave-dwellings was graphically described by Carlo Levi in his book "Christ stopped at Eboli" and also provided the setting of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”.
The Castellana caves mark the course of an ancient underground stream. Discovered in January 1938 by Franco Anelli.
They show magnificent formations of stalactites and stalagmites in astonishingly huge caverns. Visitors can choose two guided walks: the short visit, 1 km (50 minutes) and the complete walk is about 3 kms (120 minutes).
Most towns have their own cantinas (wineries) where you can sample and purchase Bianco, Rosato and Rosso wines.
Since the time of the Greeks Puglia has been a highly respected wine producing region and is now the largest (and some say) the best wine producing region in Italy.
The typical grapes grown in the region producing reds are: Primitivo (Zinfandel), Negroamaro and Malvasia. Verdeca, Bianco d’Alessano produce white and the delicious dessert wines from Trani.
