Alberobello

Alberobello is the capital of the trulli. Trulli are characteristic stone houses with cone-shaped roofs made up of "chiancarelle", thin layers of calcareous stone in the form of slabs, ending in stone pinnacle.

The history of this unusual town dates back to the second half of the 16th century when it was a little feud under the control of the Acquaviva family, Counts of Conversano, and it began to be inhabited by farmers who made this land fruitful. Under the protection of the counts, the farmers were granted a right to build dry stone dwellings which could be easily pulled down in case of royal inspections. This is because the foundations of new urban conglomerations required the payment of a tax. In 1797 a group of brave farmers went to the court of the King Ferdinando IV di Borbone and the town obtained his freedom by royal decree.

Although trulli are spread all over that part of Apulia included among the provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto, Alberobello is the only town whose historical center consists almost entirely of trulli that still preserve its ancient fairytale. The grandest of all is the Trullo Sovrano, the only one on two levels, situated behind the mother church of Saints Cosma and Damiano.

In 1996 the two districts: Rione Monti and Aia Piccola were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Bari

Bari is an enchanting town in the Mediterranean. The wide and bright Corso Vittorio Emanuele separates the city into two distinct parts: the old and the new. The former — the seafaring medieval old town — has maintained the characteristic appearance of its medieval plan almost intact over the centuries and it boasts the most important artistic sights of the city.

The new city, started in 1813 with a decree by J. Murat, has a lively and modern appeal with its long straight avenues overlooked by the great buildings erected during the extraordinary urban transformation experienced by the city during the last two centuries.

Walking along the lungomare Imperatore Augusto you reach the Basilica of San Nicola, which dominates the old city. This is one of the most remarkable examples of Apulian Romanesque style. Started by the Benedectine abbot Elia in 1107 to house Saint Nicholas' mortal remains, it was finished in 1197.

A few yards further on we find the Swabian Castle, constructed by Frederick II on the pre-existent Norman foundation. The castle was a sumputuos residence in the early 16th century, while now it houses several interesting works of art.

Coming across a medieval alley we reach the Cattedrale, a wonderful prototype of Apulian-Romanesque style. Named after Saint Sabino, the cathedral was built in the last ten years of the 11th century. Its façade is decorated with small arches and a rose-window.

A wider sightseeing tour can also include a visit to the Sacrario dei caduti d'oltremare, which houses the remains of 43,000 soldiers who died during World War II.

From Corso Vittorio Emanuele we can turn into Via Sparano, the long fashionable shopping street.

Finally have a walk along the seaside promenade Nazario Sauro and we can find the pier of Saint Nicholas from which on 8th May its statue is carried by a fishing boat and masses of faithfuls venerate it.

Worthy of note is also the Fiera del Levante, an important trade fair for Bari, Apulia and the whole southern Italy. Held for the first time in 1930 to celebrate the long-standing tradition of commerce between Apulia and the Mediterranean and Balkan areas, the Fiera del Levante takes place every year in September and it has rapidly become one of the most important international trade exhibition in Europe.

Locorotondo via Verdi

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Locorotondo from a vineyard

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Locorotondo

Locorotondo is the city of the white wine. Locorotondo is one of five towns (the others: Alberobello, Cisternino, Martina Franca and Ostuni) that belongs to the Itria Valley, a zone in the midst of Apulia of rolling hills covered with vineyards, age-old olive trees and marked by the "trulli", stone houses with its characteristic cone-shaped roofs scattered all over the countryside.

Locorotondo as its name suggests "loco" means place and "rotondo" means circular has an enchanting circular old town situated 410 mt on the sea level. Walking through its tiny roads, held with extreme care by its inhabitants, this old town attracts the visitors for the charm and intimacy of its alleys and for the white-washed walls stand out against the blue sky.

Don't miss to enjoy the view from Via Martina and from Largo Bellavista and make sure you pay a visit to the Cantina Sociale where you can taste for free the "Bianco Locorotondo", an excellent and renowned white wine produced in Locorotondo and rewarded with the D.O.C. mark.

Castel del Monte

Castel del Monte is the enigmatic castle. Standing on a hilltop, 510 mt high above the sea level, rises Castel del Monte, the most imposing and perfect construction built at the time of the Swabian Frederick II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Sicily. The castle dates back to the first half of the 13 century and blends in an unique mix of perfect harmony all the motifs of style and culture that can be found in his court of Palermo, where Roman, Arabian, Norman and Italic cultures and styles converged.

It seems that Frederick has never lived in the castle but his presence can be felt here stronger than elsewhere.

The castle is fascinating and mysterious. Every single architectural motif responds to precise algebrical and mathematical rules, that have undoubtedly added mystery to its legend. There are several interpretations of the original function of the building, but none of them seems to be the definitive one.

The plan of the castle is octagonal with eight octagonal base towers at the corners. Beyond the portal one enters the first of eight downstairs rooms. All the sixteen rooms of the castle are trapezoidal in shape with cross vaults. The downstairs rooms are not all intercommunicating. After the first and the second, one has to go out in the central courtyard in order to reach the third. Of the eight rooms, only three lead directly in the octagonal courtyard through inner sculptured doors. The upstairs rooms on the first floor can be reached by going up winding staircases. Once in the upstairs rooms, all identical to each other, pay attention to the polychrome marble of the columns, the two fireplaces and the anthropomorphic keystones.

In 1996 Castel del Monte was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

From Castel del Monte you can reach Trani, a popular seaside resort.

Its most famous monument, the Cathedral dedicated to San Nicola Pellegrino, is one of the most suggestive examples of apulian Romanesque style and is undoubtedly one of the most charming in Italy. The cathedral, built to house the sacred remains of the town's patron saint, was begun in 1096 and completed in the 13th century. The interior has three aisles and a crypt with 28 marble pillars. Its tall spires, the cusp bell tower and the magnificent bronze doors of Byzantine style with Romanesque and Saracen influences make it very impressive.

Castellana's Caves

Discovered towards the end of the 18th century by a group of local youths Castellana's caves were explored for the first time by Franco Anelli in 1938. Further expeditions allowed to complete the exploration of the complex which nowadays extends for almost 2 Km in length underground. The complex consists of five magnificent caves: the Black Cave, the Cave of the Monuments, the Little Owl Cave, the Crib and finally the White Cave, the most shining one in the world. Created by the course of an ancient underground river nowadays completely dried out, the caves are typical phenomenon of carsick areas where, lacking rivers and lakes, the rainwater is absorbed by the natural fractures of the ground. Penetrating deep in the underground water unceasingly wears away the calcareous stones thus forming caves and chasm of remarkable depth. Moreover the slow dripping of water, dissolving the carbonate rocks, creates a fantastic landscape of stalactites, stalagmites and suggestive sculptures of rock.

Castellana's speleological complex is famous all over the Country not only for its notable extension but also for the extreme richness and beauty of its multicoloured crystalline concretions.

The Carnival of Putignano

The Carnival of Putignano is one of the oldest in Italy and the longest one. It begins on December 26 and ends on Shrove Tuesday. It seems that this feast originated from the transition of Santo Stefano's mortal remains from Monopoli to Putignano on December 24, 1934. The farmers of Putignano joined the solemn processions singing and dancing and on Santo Stefano's day you can still witness groups of people dressed up like farmers walking in procession through the streets of the town opening the Carnival period. The local carnival celebrations consist of spectacular parades of huge papier-maché allegorical floats which roll down Corso Umberto I every Thursday and Sunday till the end of Carnival season. The enormous papier-maché floats are the result of several months' work of hundreds of skilful craftsmen. Lively masked groups, satirical masks, people playing and dancing also take part to the carnival parade. The symbolic mask of Putignano is Farinella, created in 1953 as a jester wearing a multicoloured suit with a three-pointed hat, the mask and shoes with bells on the tips. On the last Monday of the Carnival season the personified dying Carnival receives its extreme unction and on Shrove Tuesday the carnival's funeral takes place through the streets. The coffin bearing carnival remains is accompanied by a funeral parade till late in the evening when it is burnt. Three hundred and sixty-five strokes of a bell just before midnight officially mark the end of Carnival and the beginning of Lent.

Zoosafari — Fasanolandia

This is the greatest animal park in Italy with 120 hectares including both the animal and the amusement park. 1000 animals belonging to over 40 species can be observed while feely moving across an absolutely protected area. In the past few years, exciting new attractions for all ages have been added to amusement park. The Teatro degli Animali offers a spectacular show with dolphins and sea lions. The Teatro Fantasy stages magic shows and performances with international circus artists. Further highlights are the Great Lake of Mammals, the Monkey Village, the Tropical Hall, merry-go-rounds, games and a fitness path, as well as the classic restaurant "Il Coccodrillo", a fast food bar, the self-service "Safari" and a souvenir market.