01 Ott The 10 Places in Apulia You Definitely Can’t Miss
Question: what are the 10 places in Apulia that must absolutely be seen?
The premise: this region is beautiful EVERYWHERE, you can find its peculiar charm in every bit of it, that’s why answering this question is not an easy task… it necessarily seems that something important has been excluded, so if you happen to have the opportunity of visiting some other places, don’t worry, Apulia is always an excellent choice!
The answer: however hard it might have been, we managed to select the cities or places we like the most and here they are, listed from north to south:
1. Tremiti Islands
This group of islands is situated in the Adriatic sea, on the north of the Gargano promontory and it is also part of the Gargano National Park. It’s one of the most important touristic destinations of the region, thanks to the beauty of its sea and the quality of the services, and has been awarded many times with the Blue Flag.
a stunning view of Tremiti islands (turismo.it)
2.Vieste
“The Pearl of the Gargano”, as it is called, is an interesting place both for its artistic and natural beauties: as the Tremiti, it is part of the Gargano National Park and has often been awarded with the Blue Flag for the quality of the sea. Its beach is also characterised by the presence of a great (25 metres high) white monolith called Pizzomunno, that is the symbol of the town and that is the origin of many ancient legends.
the typical town of Vieste (pugliaviaggi.com)
3. Trani
The long and rich history of this town is proved by the presence of many architectural and artistic gems, marvellous palaces and cathedrals, so it is no wonder that it is called “the Pearl of the Adriatic”. In particular, don’t miss the Swabian Castle, built during the reign of the emperor Frederick II, and the famous Romanesque Cathedral, that looks out directly onto the sea.
Trani by night (specialitapugliesidalorenzo.it)
4.Bari
The capital of the region, which owns an incredible cultural heritage, thanks to its ancient history, its mercantile traditions and the contacts with East Europe and the Middle East. The list of places to visit in Bari is very long, here we will only remind the very symbol of the cities, that is the medieval Church of Saint Nicholas, where the saint’s relics are kept and revered; the Norman-Swabian Castle, built in 1131, destroyed and rebuilt by order of the emperor Frederick II, characterised by square towers and a big, large moat; the Teatro Petruzzelli, the main theatre of the city and the biggest private theatre in Europe, which remained closed many years after being destroyed by a fire in 1991, but which has been restored in 2008 and is back to its ancient splendour now.
Bari and its waterfront (agrilevante.eu)
5. Polignano a Mare
The outline of the town, with its palaces perched on the rocks overhanging the sea, has become very famous in these last years, together with the picturesque alleys of the old town centre and the little, narrow beaches, called lame, that cut the high cliffs and that are such an irresistible attractions for a great number of tourists. Polignano is also the place of birth of one of the most beloved and known Italian singers, Domenico Modugno, “Mr Volare”.
The marvellous coast of Polignano a Mare (dinegirl.com)
6. Alberobello
Alberobello, situated in the centre of the Valle d’Itria, is definitely one of the symbols of the entire region, thanks to its peculiar houses called trulli, that made this town famous all over the world. The biggest of these buildings is the Trullo Sovrano, build in the 17th century, now a museum and seat for cultural event.
A typical Alberobello’s street among the trulli (dimensione-viaggi.com)
7. Locorotondo
The peculiarity of this town is already shown in its name: Locorotondo actually means “round place”, and it has exactly this shape! As a matter of fact, the houses of the old town centre, all painted in pure white, are placed in concentric circles on the top of a hill, producing a very picturesque effect.
Locorotondo and the gorgeous Valle d’Itria’s landscape (capolavoroitaliano.com)
8. Ostuni
It is an internationally important tourist centre, thanks to its wonderful sea, considered one of the most beautiful and clean in the whole country. But its peculiarity is also its fascinating old town centre, whose houses are traditionally painted in white: for this reason Ostuni is also called “la città bianca” (the white city).
Ostuni and its white stone wall (pasquainpuglia.com)
9.Lecce
One of the most beautiful cities in Apulia and in Italy! Its very ancient history has enriched this city with an amazing heritage of artistic gems: the Roman Theatre and the Amphitheatre, the Castle built by the Emperor Charles V, the imposing gates placed in different points of the town, the towers and the elegant squares, the noble palaces, the Cathedral and the other beautiful churches characterized by the typical, peculiar Baroque style of Salento, actually called Barocco leccese. No wonder, then, if Lecce is also called “The Florence of the South” or “The Florence of Baroque”. It really couldn’t be missing in our Top Ten!
Lecce, Church of the Holy Cross (donnafrancalecce.com)
10. Gallipoli
Gallipoli is characterized by an amazing sea, that makes this town a very important destination for tourists from all over the world. But also its artistic heritage is a great attraction: here you can find the Angevin castle, of the 13th century, and many palaces and churches in Barocco leccese.
The old town of Gallipoli (wikipedia.org)
So, tell me, aren’t all these places amazing? Don’t they deserve a visit? I bet they do!
Then share all these beauties with all your friends, they must see them too, don’t you think?
And contact us for info about Apulia here or have a look at our wedding and/or leisure packages, to find the best way for you of living a once-in-a-life experience in our beautiful region!
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Lots of (Apulian) love!
♥♥♥ Claudia
[your friendly neighborhood wedding planner]
Cover photo: Loveitaly.co.uk
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