PLACES TO DISCOVER
Matera
Just 40km from Masseria Sacramento, you have the possibility to visit Matera, the European Capital of culture in 2019.
Matera is the capital of Basilicata and is full of history and traditions and is famous for his old town with his rocky churches, the “Sassi” and the famous “Parco della Murgia Materana”.
All of those has been included in the list of the UNESCO.
A tour through these places can make you discover the historical evolution of the city.
40km
Ostuni and the Itria Valley
Known as the White City because of its typical houses made of limestone which populate the roads
of the Old Town, marked by churches and alleys, Ostuni is the end of the Itria Valley.
Set on a high fertile plain in the centre of Puglia, the Itria Valley stretches from Putignano in the
north to Ostuni in the south, with wooded slopes, ‘trulli’, vineyards and olive groves from which
you can obtained one of the most prestigious Italian olive oils.
85km
Taranto
Taranto is an ancient colony of Magna Grecia and it is the second main town of Puglia region and it
is known as “Città dei due Mari” ( city of the two seas) because of its strategic position between
Mar Piccolo and Mar Grande ( small sea and large sea).
The city is the location of the Navy Arsenal and of the Archaeological Museum “MArTA”
recognised as one of the most important Italian museums.
Taranto offers one of the richest and spectacular architectural buildings of the entire peninsula: from
the curch of San Domenico Maggiore prior to the Romans, to buildings in the Renaissance styles as
Borgo umbertino; and from the Gothic church of San Francesco di Paola to the churches and the
stately homes prior to the Baroque and so on. All of those different style represent the heart of the Old Town.
Taranto is rich of history, culture and traditions and you will be involved in all of this just strolling
through the pathways of the Old and the “Modern” Town.
35km
Castellaneta
In the middle of Puglia region, you will find this lovely town, marked by history and culture, even
though its peculiarity is the Gravina, a natural canyon, typical of the area, with its own flora and fauna.
It is not without reason that Castellaneta is part of the “Comunità della Murgia Tarantina” and the
“Parco Naturale Terra delle Gravine” which includes also the neighbouring villages of Palagianello, Palagiano, Laterza e Ginosa.
Castellaneta is famous for being the homeland of Rodolfo Valentino, known as Rudolph Valentine,
a famous actor of silent movies and considered a sex symbol in America. In fact, he was known as “Latin Lover”.
In the Old Town you will find a museum dedicated to him and the benchmark of Castellaneta: The Cathedral.
And if you are adventurous, you will be able to do excursions in the typical and unique scenario of “Terra delle Gravine”.
Another peculiarity is Castellaneta Marina, with his white beaches, declared “Bandiera Blu” for two years, thanks to his pure water.
7km
Bari
Another important city of the Puglia region is Bari, with its Port and University, situated on the Adriatic Sea and boasting lovely churches, huge architectural pieces and a very
interesting Old Town called ‘Bari Vecchia’ which contains a castle.
In the Old Town you will find the famous St. Nicholas Cathedral (protector of the city), the tiny
roads and the alleys where you will see scene of day-to-day life as the preparation of a typical
homemade pasta called ‘orecchiette’.
Bari offers beautiful settings, romantic strolls along the seafront and is full of hidden treasures.
80km
Lecce
Known as the ‘Florence of Southern Italy’, this incredible and charming city is a ‘must see’ in
Puglia at least once in your life. This city offers a lot of architectural example and art work of the
Baroque period, in fact Lecce is defined as the ‘Baroque city’ par excellence.
With a gorgeous Old Town full of churches and squares: Santa Maria della Provvidenza, the tiny
square called ‘piazzetta dell’Addolorata’ and the Cathedral of Santa Croce. A characteristic feature
of Lecce is its typical stone, used to build most of le buildings of the Old Town. Lecce is also a
gourmet destination to taste the local cuisine, like the “rustico leccese” (bakery product).
Lecce is the nicest city of Salento thanks to its Old Town with the famous square of Sant’Oronzo
characterised by an amphitheatre that during the summer period becomes the perfect stage for a lot
of theatrical performances.
150km
Castel del Monte
Built by Frederick II, Duke of Swabia in the XII century and symbol of Andria city, the castle has
been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996.
The castle is located on the top of a hill and it offers an absolutely breath-taking view: on one side
you will see the Murgia valley and on the other the Adriatic Sea.
The mystery and the octagonal shape are its distinctive traits.
But the castle isn’t the only touristic attraction, because there is the Cathedral which with other
valued monuments and streets and tiny alleys, makes the Old Town of the city as pretty as you will expect to be.
122km
Monopoli
Monopoli is a lovely town and represents one of the most important and populous ports of the Puglia
region. Its Old Town origins date back to the Middle Ages and some rests of the V sec a.C. and faces
the sea, surrounded by high walls and includes medieval churches and alleys.
A few kilometers far from Monopoli there are the famous ‘Grotte di Castellana’, a complex of
underground cavities which formed 90 million ages ago and they represent a natural
and priceless heritage for Italy.
67km
Polignano a mare
Polignano a Mare is an Italian municipality of Bari with marine caves and its peculiar Old Town with
signs left from the Arabic, Byzantine, Spanish and Norman people and some rests of the Romans
such as ‘Via Traina’ running through Lama Monachile, the most famous beach of the city.
From 2008 Polignano a Mare has been receiving the ‘Bandiera Blu’ (Blue Flag), a certification from
the Fundation for Environmental Education to the European coastal cities which satisfy the criteria
of quality related to the guidelines of the bathing water and the services offered with regard to
parameters like the integrity of the beaches and the touristic establishments.
75km
Alberobello
Alberobello is an Italian municipality of Bari, which is part of the ‘Itria Valleya’ and the ‘Murgia’.
Known as “Città dei Trulli” (city of ‘Trulli’) because of its unique houses called ‘Trulli’ which from
1996 are protected by UNESCO as World Heritage, Alberobello is an exceptional example of
construction since the ‘Trullo’ it’s a tiny house built with limestone with a conical roof, made with
prehistoric techniques.
The largest number of ‘Trulli’ is in Alberobello, but you can find them all over the ‘Itria Valley’ and
in close villages like Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Cisternino and Fasano.
50km