www.Puglia-Traveller.com - Itineraries

Puglia's Ionic coast

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The view of Taranto as you approach the Puglian Ionic coast is spectacular. The capital of the region, this historic city is the third largest in Italy. Much of Taranto's history, economy and way of life are linked to the sea, and have been ever since the city was colonized by the Ancient Greeks. Traces of this period are still visible both in the old town and on the immediate periphery, as a trip around the MarTa, Taranto's recently renovated National Archaeological Museum, swiftly demonstrates. Here visitors can observe the columns and the base of a Doric temple dating back to the first half of the 6th century B.C. The city's Aragonese castle, built in the 15th century on the site of a previously existing fort, is well worth a visit, as are other impressive works of architecture located in the old town, such as the 18th century Palazzo d'Ayala, the Seminario Arcivescovile (1568) and 17th century Palazzo Carducci-Artemisio.

Traveling south along Puglia's Ionian coast, a brief...

The Puglia of Frederick II

Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 +0200

If the history of Italian cities tends to be linked with that of their principal houses of worship, this certainly applies to Foggia and its Cathedral Santa Maria de Fovea. Foggia, capital of the Tavoliere, a large expanse of flat land in northern Puglia, developed around the Romanesque Cathedral, built in the late 11th century. The cathedral was seriously damaged by the 1731 earthquake and was subsequently rebuilt in Baroque style. The bell tower, with pillars supporting ornate Corinthian capitals, is a late 18th century addition. The historic center is adorned with numerous works of Baroque architecture, the most important being the Church of S.Domenico, the Church dell'Addolorata and the Church of San Giovanni Battista and Palazzo Cimaglia. In the Passo di Corvo district, circa 10kms from Foggia, there is an enclosure dating back to the neolithic age, in which remains dating back to the 5th and the 6th Millennium B.C. have been found.

Journeying south of Foggia, beyond the salt...

Journey through the Salento

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Salento, in the past known as the Land of Otranto, is a large expanse of predominantly hill-less terrain, home to a string of typically Mediterranean towns, the narrow lanes, shady porticoes, and little white houses of which, all built so as to resist the high summer temperatures and scorching southern Italian sun.

Lecce is the capital of Puglian Baroque. The main piazza, dedicated to the city's patron Saint, Oronzo, contains a magnificent copperplate statue of the saint perched on the column which rises up directly opposite the Palazzetto del Sedile, the old town hall where the Mayor used to receive the citizens of Lecce. The piazza was altered on various occasions in the early 20th century, when, by sheer chance, the remains of a Roman amphitheatre, dating back to the era of Augustus, were discovered beneath the square during the building of a new Banca d'Italia. Today, the piazza provides a spectacular venue for concerts and theatrical performances. In 1929 another important...

Romanesque Art of Puglia

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0200

For lovers of art and culture, Puglia is a dream destination. Of all the great works of art to have survived until the present day, those of the Romanesque period, which flourished from the early 10th century until the mid 12th century, are the most dominant; visible from North to South of the region, from Capitanata to the Terra di Bari and the Salento.

Traces of this particular historical period can be seen throughout the region, in the form of superb architectural works; result of Norman, Greek and Byzantine traditions; diverse cultural stimuli which all profoundly influenced the development of medieval Puglia.
The Capitanata, in the province of Foggia, and the Terra di Bari are, without doubt, the areas with the greatest number of Romanesque masterpieces.

A journey back in time, through a region of Italy which, historically and artistically, has been greatly influenced by the Orient; a land where to admire churches, basilicas, and superb works of sculpture; some...

Cities by the sea and sacred mountains

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0200

The coasts along the region fondly known as "the heel of Italy's boot", offer stunning views and enchanting, ever changing landscapes, from the Gargano promontory in the North, home to many of the region's most celebrated holiday destinations, to the Salento in the South, recently rediscovered by both Italian and international tourists in search of an authentic slice of Southern Italy. Margherita di Savoia deserves a special mention; the renowned spa town located 56 kilometers from Foggia and 70 kilometers from Bari, seat of the most important salt marsh in Europe.

Not to be forgotten, in the province of Brindisi, the splendid Ostuni; with its little white houses clinging to the rocks and its beaches of fine white sand.Whatever the choice of destination, seaside holidays in Puglia have something for everyone; starting with the Gargano with its proliferation of sandy, pebbly, and rocky beaches, stylish bathing resorts, and secluded bays. Such is the cleanliness of the water...