TOUR ITINERARIES
Valle d’Itria territory

One of the most touristic attractive areas of Puglia and one of the most beautiful landscape all over the region, is the wonderful Valle d’Itria, the heart of the Murgia
of trulli , whose territory includes the towns of: Martina Franca, Locorotondo, Alberobello, Ostuni, Cisternino and Ceglie Messapica.
 

MARTINA FRANCA

Our itinerary starts from the beautiful town of Martina Franca (431 mt high, 49000 inhabitants), that lies over one of the last southern hills in the south-east of the Murgia area and from its height it overlooks the charming Valle d’Itria, with its white trulli.

Besides a fascinating landscape, marked by the ancient “casedde”, the famous “trulli” and the typical local farms called “masserie”, Martina Franca is surrounded by a Karst territory, rich in suggestive caves.

After a walk along the white lanes in the old town centre, where the Baroque art reaches its best expression, after a visit to the stately Basilica of S.Martino and to the XVIII century rooms of the Ducal Palace (where every year the glamurous Valle d’Itria Festival takes place), you can take a seat in one of the many typical restaurants to taste the famous cooking of Martina. After a relaxing walk in the uncontaminated woods around the town (Parco delle Pianelle) you can also stay at one of the many smart and comfortable hotels in town.

LOCOROTONDO

Leaving Martina Franca, passing by the provincial roads, that go through some vineyards and through the lovely Valle d’Itria, you get to Locorotondo (6 km far away- 410 mt height, 13418 inhabitants)

Locorotondo lies over a little hill, in the south-east part of the beautiful upland of the Murgia area. Its peculiarity is its urban circular shape (from which the name got its origin) and its famous and excellent D.O.C. wine, that is usually served with typical dishes of the place.You should visit the main church, consecrated to S.Giorgio, and
the lovely little church of S.Maria della Greca.

ALBEROBELLO

Going on about 9 km along the highway, leaving back Locorotondo, you get to the beatiful chief town of trulli , Alberobello (9 km far away- 428 mt height, 11.000 in habitants).

This wonderful town is one of most peculiar towns in the world, and it is an Unesco heritage site, thanks to its picturesque trulli (they are more than 1000). A suggestive walk in its old town centre takes you to the marvelluos monumental areas of Rione Monti and Aia Piccola and to the characteristic Casa d’Amore and the admirable Trullo Sovrano, of rare and undoubted beaty.

OSTUNI

Going further from Alberobello, you can take the way to the suggestive “white town” of Ostuni (26 km far away-218 mt height, 33.551 inhabitants), that lies over the last part of the Murgia area.

A peculiar walk along its peculiar stairs and tangled lanes, on which the typical white houses overlook, obliges you to stop and visit the beautiful Cathedral, consecrated to the Assunta, and also to visit the stately Town Hall and the Museum of Preclassical culture of the meridional Murgia area. Another important place to visit, besides the peculiar restaurants, are “Ostuni Marine”, like Villanova, where you can visit the XVI cent. castle; then Marina of Ostuni and Monticelli, where there are the remains of an ancient village from the Bronze Age.

CISTERNINO

Once visited Ostuni, you can go on toward Cisternino (24 km far away- 393 mt height, 11951 inhabitants) that is on the south-east side of the Murgia area. This small and smart town lays down over a green hill, surrounded by a fertile soil and refined by the typical trulli.

There is a short walk along a suggestive labirinth of white lanes above which little arches stand. Here you can get a chance to see some of the different artistic beauties of the wonderful old town, starting from the old main church, consecrated to S.Nicola, and then looking for some valuable palaces (the Governator palace, the Baron palace). Going out of the centre, you should visit the dolmen of Masseria Ottava.

CEGLIE MESSAPICA

The last stop of our itinerary is Ceglie, one of the most ancient towns of Puglia. If you visit its old town centre you can see evidences of the messapic culture, like the Parthenon, a thick wall that surrounds the centre, or the a hundred steps stair that leads you to the acropolis.

From an historic point of view, the part of the town that was built in the Middle Age is very important and you can get to it through three different doors: Giuso, Monterrone and of the Arco. The castle is another important monument, and it has some towers of the XV cent. linked together through curtains. Then you can visit the peculiar country around the town, to see the beautiful masserie , the mysterious caves, the characteristic specchie and the rupestrian crypts: the S.Michele one and the Madonna delle Grotte one.

Texts: Italiainrete - Pictures: Database and web

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