Blog

Bari is the regional country seat of the Apulia region, located on the Adriatic Coast. Its labyrinthine historic centre, named Barivecchia, occupies a promontory between two harbours. Surrounded by typical narrow streets, the basilica of St Nicholas, dating back to the 11th century, is a favourite destination for pilgrims who come here to pay homage to the saint’s remains. In the southern part of the city, the Murat district is characterised by majestic 19th-century buildings, a long promenade and a pedestrian area full of shops.
However, an exhaustive description of all the beauties and characteristics of this magnificent city would be impossible, so all you have to do is visit it during your next stay at our establishment.

The oldest part of the town stands on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Adriatic Sea, 33 kilometres south of Puglia’s capital, Bari.
One of Puglia’s best-known seaside resorts, Polignano a Mare is the birthplace of Domenico Modugno, who wrote the famous song ‘Nel blu dipinto di blu’ (also known as ‘Volare’) while gazing at its rocky promontory overlooking the sea.

The trulli, typical limestone dwellings of Alberobello, are extraordinary examples of dry-stone slab constructions, a technique dating back to prehistoric times and still used in this region. Although rural trulli are scattered throughout the Itria Valley, the highest concentration of the best-preserved examples of this architectural form can be found in the town of Alberobello, with more than 1,500 structures. In 1996 they were included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Located at the gateway to Valle d’Itria, just a few kilometres away from enchanting small towns such as Alberobello, Borgo Egnazia, Polignano a Mare and Castellana Grotte, the Catellana Caves are one of the most beautiful and spectacular underground cavity complexes in Italy, of karstic origin formed in the Cretaceous period (about ninety to one hundred million years ago).
They extend over a length of 3348 metres and reach a maximum depth of 122 metres.

Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, formed by buildings and rock architecture carved into the rock of the Matera Murgia and inhabited since prehistoric times, together with the Civita district (built on the spur separating the two Sassi), make up the historical centre of the city of Matera. The Sassi are indeed a unique place because they have been inhabited since ancestral times, but also because they represent a symbol of territorial socio-economic redemption: indeed, in 1952 the district was completely displaced because of the precarious sanitary conditions in which its population lived, to say the least. Today, 70 years after these sad circumstances, the Sassi have been not only completely recovered but also considered a driving force for the local economy as they have been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, have been the focus of events organised in 2019 as part of the European Capital of Culture, and have been chosen for years as locations for film sets, even the Hollywood ones.

The Mercadante forest covers 1,300 hectares, most of which is located in the territory of Cassano delle Murge, while the remainder is in the territory of Altamura. It was created to defend Bari from the recurring flood disasters caused by the mouth of the Picone torrent, which today no longer exists because it has been diverted and the pre-existing marshy area replaced with the creation of the forest. The varieties of plants planted range from alpensis pines, maritime pines, common cypresses, holm oaks, etc. The oldest are 40 to 60 years old. However, we can state, with complete serenity, that the ‘Mercadante’ forest road is the road to well-being for all those who joyfully tread it in order to be able to breathe a little pure air in a serene and pleasant environment, which is indispensable for restoring strength worn out by daily stress.

Although the city of San Giovanni Rotondo and its Sanctuary have very deep ancient roots, they are inevitably linked to the presence and works of Saint Pius of Pietralcina, known to most as Padre Pio. The huge new shrine was inaugurated before more than thirty thousand people on 1 July 2004. The new shrine, designed in a contemporary style by the renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, is one of the largest churches in Italy in terms of size with its 6000 m² (capable of holding 7000 people with a large safety margin). It is decorated with beautiful mosaics and it also houses a huge organ with 5,814 pipes.

The Sanctuary of St Michael Archangel is located in Monte Sant’Angelo on the Gargano. The Sanctuary is also known as the Celestial Basilica, since, according to tradition, it was directly consecrated by the Archangel Michael. The site where today’s sanctuary stands is very ancient and rich in anecdotes: from the pagan cult of the gods Calacant and Apollo, to the apparitions of St Michael between the late 5th and early 6th century.

The archaeological site is located near Fasano, set in a pleasant naturalistic-environmental context of masserias and centuries-old olive trees overlooking the stretch of Adriatic Sea that has been awarded the Blue Flag several times. Witnessing the history of Egnatia, the archaeological site is one of the most interesting and extensive in Puglia. Mentioned by authors such as Pliny, Strabo and Horace, the city was an active trading centre of the ancient world, whose first settlement dates back to the 15th century B.C. (Bronze Age). Inhabited by the Messapi from the 8th century B.C. onwards, the city became part of first the Republic and then the Roman Empire until its decline in the Middle Ages. A rare pearl waiting to be discovered.

Situated on the southern coast of the Gargano promontory, it overlooks the Gulf of Manfredonia and is a seaside resort that has repeatedly been awarded the Blue Flag by the Foundation for Environmental Education and the ‘sails’ of the Legambiente Blue Guide.

Vieste is located at the eastern end of the Gargano Promontory, in the province of Foggia. It is a place rich in history and traditions, overlooking the sea on a fantastic stretch of coastline.

Visiting the ‘pearl of the Gargano’ is recommended for countless reasons. For example, for its historical centre, dating back to the Middle Ages, which captivates with its small white houses, narrow streets and small squares that open out onto the sea, where even the smells contribute to giving the environment that typically Mediterranean feeling.

Lake Lèsina and Lake Varano are the two largest lakes in southern Italy and are located in the northern part of the Gargano. Their peculiarity is the fact that they are literally suspended between the land and the sea, hosting a lagoon landscape.

The Foresta Umbra nature reserve is a protected natural area and owes its name to the dense vegetation that makes it very shady for many stretches. The forest represents the residual strain of the ancient ‘Nemus Garganicum’ that covered the entire promontory and is one of the most extensive broadleaf formations in Italy and Europe. Since 2017, the ancient beech forests of the Foresta Umbra have become a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.

With an area of about 10,500 hectares, it occupies the innermost part of the north-eastern Gargano National Park at about 800 metres above sea level.

The Tremiti Islands are the only Italian archipelago in the Adriatic Sea and lie about 12 miles off the Gargano in northern Apulia.

The Tremiti Islands are among the best marine sites in Italy and in the world, so a little effort for a sunrise wake-up call may indeed reveal an exclusive gem you won’t regret.

– First ferry from Termoli at 8:40 and last from the Tremiti at 17:40 (1hour sailing)

15 April -15 October (4 daily ferries 15 June – 15 September and on 25 April, 1 May and 2 June / 1 daily ferry 15 April – 15 June and 15 September – 15 October)

– Ferries from Vieste; Peschici and Rhodes (from 50 min to 2 hours ferry crossings not daily and the period goes from June to September. Please check dates and period for more details).