Distance 90 km - Located 17 km from the town of Andria, of which is the symbol, Castel del Monte is a fortress dating from the thirteenth century, ordered by Frederick II of Swabia, listed among the most famous tourist destinations in Apulia. An imposing and extremely suggestive complex, Castel del Monte has an original octagonal shape that recurs in the plan of the building as well as in the courtyard and in various architectural elements, such as the eight towers. Its shape, its position, studied in function of the direction of the shadows in the days of solstice and equinox, the evocative power of some decorative elements, such as the two lions crouched at the sides of the entrance door, are soaked in a symbology that combines elements of classical antiquity, Nordic culture and Islamic suggestions. Characteristics for which, since 1996, is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, precisely because of the symbolic significance given by the location, mathematical and astronomical precision of the regular form, as it is stated in UNESCO's explanatory statement: "A unique piece of military and medieval architecture, Castel Monte is a successful blend of elements from classical antiquity, the Islamic East, northern Europe and the Gothic Cistercian".
Distance 60 Km - The contrast between modernity and tradition, a distinctive feature of the regions of Southern Italy, is an essential component of the charm of Apulia, where the new blends in contexts where time seems to have stood still. Thus Alberobello, in the province of Bari, an agglomeration unique in the world, with its 1500 Trulli located in Monti and Aja Piccola districts, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The old town consists exclusively of these conical limestone buildings of Murge plateau, dry assembled .Trulli, mainly present in the Itria Valley, between the provinces of Bari and Brindisi, have a prehistoric origin, on the model of the late Bronze Age thòlos tomb. This model of construction can be found in many parts of Mediterranean Europe and the Near East. However, the Trulli of Apulia - still inhabited today - are characterized by other examples of dome construction for continuity of use, so as to constitute a perhaps unique example of prehistoric construction still in use. Despite the structural stability and longevity demonstrated by these architectures (the oldest in Alberobello date back to the mid-seventeenth century), the Trulli were born as temporary shelters for farmers, built with the rocks collected on site. Dry construction, without mortar, spread following an imposition by the Counts of Conversano who, to escape an edict of the Kingdom of Naples that imposed taxes on each new urban settlement, around the fifteenth century, imposed on farmers to build only precarious buildings, easy to demolish in order to avoid taxation. The characteristic Trulli of Alberobello have different shapes and sizes, as they are built according to different housing needs. Traditionally made up of a single compartment, they sometimes have the juxtaposition of other communicating modular compartments, called Multiple Trulli. Seldom they reach the two floors. They have a circular structure, with a conical roof set with stones. The walls are built directly on the foundations of limestone and made using the technique of dry masonry. The roofs consist of a conical inner lining, culminating with the keystone, and an outer lining formed by so-called chianche, slabs of limestone. Externally, the roofs have rough decorations in white ash with mythological, religious or simply identifying sign of the trullista (or trullaro). They end, then, with a decorative pinnacle shaped like a sphere or a half sphere, which, in ancient times, had the scope of chasing away the malignant influences.
Distance 50 km - The contrast between ancient and modern, between tradition and innovation are embodied in the incomparable landscape of the city of Matera. Protected since 1993 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, thanks to its characteristics, UNESCO has introduced for the first time the concept of Cultural Landscape. Known as the City of Stones or Underground City, Matera is not only the oldest settlement in Basilicata and Southern Italy, but is among the ten oldest inhabited cities in the world, with settlements dating back to about 10,000 years ago. The cave houses dug in the mountain have been inhabited continuously since the Bronze Age until 1952, when a national law established the forced eviction of about 15,000 inhabitants of the Sassi. The unique architecture of Matera has developed from the natural caves of Gravina di Matera, a gorge that divides the territory into two: the Sasso Barisano, facing north-west and the Sasso Caveoso, facing south. The original residential nucleus was then made more articulated and complex over the centuries by man's intervention, with the construction of roads, cisterns and canalizations for the collection of water, palaces, vegetable gardens, churches, caves and tunnels. The uniqueness of the rocky landscape, combined with the sensitivity to recover the cultural identity of the place, have given a strong boost to the promotion and enhancement of the Sassi, which today, besides hosting museums, are the enchanting setting for prestigious cultural events of national and international interest, which has led to the designation of Matera as European Capital of Culture for 2019.
Ostuni, the White City in the province of Brindisi, like a nativity scene perpetually set up, emerges with a glow of white walls from a panorama of land burnt by the sun, olive trees and dry stone walls. On the skyline, the blue line of one of the cleanest seas in Italy, gives a glimpse of a more authentic Mediterranean landscape. Situated between the Itria Valley and Upper Salento, Ostuni is one of the most renowned tourist sites in Apulia, not only for the cleanliness of its coastline and the quality of its services, for which it boasts the Blue Flag and the five sails of Legambiente, but also for the numerous historical and cultural treasures it houses.
Martina Franca, located on the eastern hills of Murgia, in the heart of the Itria Valley, equidistant from the Ionian and Adriatic, is one of the most populous towns in the province of Taranto. Surrounded by a natural landscape of great interest, where the Regional Natural Reserve Oriented "Pianelle Wood" is located, it is known for its biodiversity and nature trails. The ancient village is a fascinating combination of Baroque buildings and characteristic white houses that develop vertically, winding alleys and impressive churches that house masterpieces of painting and sculpture.
Locorotondo: a small village of white houses placed side by side to form a circle in the heart of the Valle d'Itria, so appeared the town when it was founded, around the year one thousand, so is still the characteristic conformation of the old town of Locorotondo. To enrich the architecture of the place, consisting of white houses painted lime, stand numerous church towers, to witness the deep religiosity that is steeped in the culture and history of Locorotondo.
Itria Valley: a landscape of Itria Valley is dominated by vineyards and olive groves, dry stone walls and red earth, dotted with the white of Trulli that from time to time rise in the countryside. The landscape is interrupted by the appearance of some of the most beautiful villages in Italy, such as Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or the picturesque Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Cisternino or the beautiful Ostuni. Apulia offers unique settings, with its hills covered with olive trees that slope down to the blue of the Adriatic Sea, with its villages rich in history and tradition, imbued with narrow alleys surrounded by white houses, small shaded squares where there are ancient craft shops and restaurants that perpetuate the flavors and aromas of Apulia.
Distance 100 km - In the heart of the Salento peninsula, Lecce is characterized by the splendor of the Baroque style of churches, palaces and architectural details, hence the nickname "Southern Florence". The wide diffusion and the richness of the local Baroque have been facilitated by the peculiar friability of the stone, particularly suitable for the realization of refined decorations, such as those that embellish the facade of the Basilica di Santa Croce and the Seminary Palace, or the extraordinary Piazza del Duomo, which houses the Cathedral of Maria Santissima Assunta.
Salento is a land of unbelievable beauty, washed to the east by the Adriatic Sea, which offers a rocky and indented coast, and to the west by the Ionian Sea, which draws a sweet and sandy coast, the Salento peninsula sees the union of the two seas in its last offshoot, Santa Maria di Leuca. The beauty of the sea, the wide choice of coastal scenery, from the most well-kept to the wildest, are just one aspect of the richness of southern Apulia, a place that as few others have been able to respect and pass on, enhance and revive their history and their cultural identity. The charm of the rural and coastal landscapes, the art, the traditional cuisine with the prevalent use of local products, and the hospitality characterize the territory that goes from the marinas of Melendugno and Santa Cesarea Terme to Otranto, from Porto Cesareo and Porto Selvaggio up to Gallipoli. The countryside drawn by dry stone walls and full of olive trees conceal ancient dolmens and menhirs, where old renovated farms offer hospitality to tourists. The urban landscape is dominated by whitewashed houses in the countryside and on the coast, while the historic centers are characterized by Lecce's Baroque, the recognizable pinkish yellow color of the buildings. Many events celebrate the musical tradition of Salento, in particular the Night of the Taranta, where the ancient rhythms of the Pizzica Salentina, emptied of their traditional anthropological connotations, welcome contamination and modern charm, so as to have generated in recent years a musical phenomenon with its own characteristics, while remaining firmly anchored to the territory of Salento.
