Discover Apulia Puglia

Guide to vacation Apulia Puglia

The influx of tourists in Apulia Puglia is linked to the numbers of beach resorts along the Adriatic and Ionican coasts. Most of the beaches are wide and sandy, giving way to attractive rocky coves, some with magnificent sea caves, in a few parts of Gargano and the Salentino peninsula. Taking the Gargano promontory as a starting point, the most important centres are Rodi Garganico, Peschici, Vieste, the elegant Pugnochiuso and Baia delle Zagare, where numerous sea crags give added beauty to the scenery.
Farther south lie Bisceglie, Polignano a Mare, Torre Canne, Marina di Ostuni, Roca Vecchia, Castro Marina and Leuca, at the tip of Salento. Along the Ionican coastline, Gallipoli is followed by S. Mari al Bagno, Porto Cesareo, Marina di Pulsano, Riva dei Tessali and Marina di Ginosa. Unforgettable is the rocky little Tremiti archipelago, off the Gargano coast, where the beauties of Nature still lie intact.
Extending for more than 150 kilometres between the two seas which have modelled its morphology and history, the Salento has an enchanting and evocative coastline.

The East Cost
Anyone who would like to do a round tour of the two seas, a little more than 200 kilometres, should leave from Casalabate, a beach not far from the Santa Maria di Cerrate Abbey in Squinzano, and follow the low and sandy coast south, through Torre Rinalda, Torre Chianca and Frigole, shaded by pinewoods, as far as San Cataldo, with the remains of the Messapian town «Lupiae» and of Adrian’s Roman port, and then continue along the panoramic state road 611 as far as the «Cesine», one of the most interesting and evocative marsh lands in Europe, protected by an international convention. A visit to the area, part of the Vernole district, is enriched by marshes, and bogs, and a volunteer guide is available from the WWF offering you the possibility to admire the various natural habitats, from dunes to salt marshes, from reeds to oak and pine woods, to woodland with myrtle, masitic tree and broom, a refuge for numerous animal and vegetable species and transit crossroads for some migratory birds.

The West Coast
After Punta Ristola the scenery changes perceptibly. Low cliffs and stretches of sand interrupt the high precipices of before, red earth and vineyards come into view interspersed with sixteenth century towers and umbrella laden beaches, with hotels and hostels and tourist villages. Stories of Barbarian incursions give each place its name: Torre dell’Omo Morto (dead man’s tower) and Torre Marchiello (Castrignano del Capo), Torre Vado (Morciano di Leuca), Torre Pali (Salve), Torre Mozza and Torre San Giovanni (Ugento), Torre Suda (Racale), beach resorts and also centres of winter tourism, that have succeeded in linking their natural beauty with historical finds and local culture, making this part of the peninsular a formidable touristic enterprise that can supply interest and information in the area throughout the year.
Of particular interest for naturalists in this part of the coast are the Ugento inlets, these constitute another amazing nature reserve, a damp zone characterised by its marshland of rushes and reeds (which are used in one of Salento’s most typical handicrafts) and which is also a migratory passage for beautiful birds such as royal swans.

Many of the inland villages possess something of artistic or scenic interest, often with important historical remains. The visitor would do well to see the villages of Monte S. Angelo, standing in a panoramic position on the Gargano hills, Lucera in Capitanata, with the remains of a Roman amphitheatre, Troia, which has a Romanesque-Pugliese cathedral (11th-13th century), with a magnificent rose window.

In the Murges area, lie Canosa, with a 11th century cathedral and the beautiful isolated octagonal Castel del Monte, built by Frederick II, on a splendid panoramic site, Ruvo di Puglia, with one of the most important Romanesque-Pugliese cathedrals (13th century); Alberobello, with its extraordinary trulli; Gioia del Colle, which has a great castle (11th-13th century); Altamura, with a Romanesque-Gothic cathedral (13th-15th century), Grottaglie, a pottery craft centre; Manduria (megalithic walls and necropolis).

Some of the coastal towns also attract large numbers of tourists. Barletta, famous for the Disfida in 1503, with a giant bronze statue of the Colosso (4th century); Trani, with a fine Romanesque cathedral (12th century); Monopoli, dominated by its 16th century castle, with nearby ruins of the pre-Roman city of Egnazia; Otranto, with its characteristic historical centre and beautiful cathedral (11th-12th century). In the immediate Bari hinterland lies Bitonto, whose 13th century cathedral is probably the finest example of Romanesque-Pugliese architecture.