Things to do in

Foggia

Your tour of Faeto will take place mainly in a tourist trekking route in the large natural forest of beech and oak trees. For the duration of your hike, you will be located just a few kilometers away from a small village of 700 inhabitants. You will begin from the Piano delle Noci, and through a ring route you will descend gradually towards the river visiting the various areas equipped for picnics and filled with fountains, before you return to the starting point of the tour. At the conclusion of your experience, you will partake in a tasting of typical Faeto black pork prosciutto, a native pig breed of Valmaggiore. You will then have the options to stay out in the area, with bed and breakfasts and restaurants available both in the woods of Faeto and in the nearby tourist village.

Starts the tour from Port'Alta gate, and admire the well-preserved fine ogival arch. Ascend a flight of stairs to the 12th-century church of Santa Maria Assunta. The external staircase, the loggia and the portal date all back to the 18th-century, while the lateral portal, with a triple ogival arch and bas-relief of the Agnus Dei, dates back to the original nucleus of the building. Marvel at the bell tower, of typical medieval structure, which is surmounted by a majolica dome in shades of green and yellow. Stroll through the typical lanes up to La Torre Normanna tower, which is about 25 m high and has a square plan that extends over 5 levels. Each floor has 2 windows, decorated with mullioned windows probably from the Angevin period. End the tour at Palazzo Ducale a 3-storey building with a southern entrance surmounted by a mask leading into the hall of representation. Discover how the presence of an Angevin coat-of-arms and the richly ornamented windows bear witness to the palace's 13th-century origins.

Start your tour of Melfi at the castle, one of the most important Italian medieval castles. See the 10 towers which surround the 11th-century castle and the 2nd-century sarcophagus made from Rapolla marble. Admire the deceased "sleeper" which is depicted on the lid. Continue to the national archaeological museum "Massimo Pallottino", to see the 6th and 7th-century funerary objects. Marvel at the ceramics with geometric decoration, bronze armors, precious ornaments in silver, gold, amber, and bronze vases of both Greek and Etruscan production. Next head into the village and see the 11th-century cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta. Step inside, and see the beautiful Baroque wooden furniture collection, the bishop's chair, the pulpit, the organ, the ceiling, and the facade all built by the bishop Spinelli in the 18th-century.

Take a tour through the historic center of Bovino and discover one of the most beautiful villages in Puglia. See the Church of San Pietro, believed to have been built on the ruins of a pagan temple dedicated to Hercules. Continue your tour toward the municipal gardens and the Civic Museum Carlo Gaetano Nicastro. Tour this important archaeological museum, inaugurated in 1925, which holds a series of archaeological artifacts from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages. Admire the various amphorae, bowls, axes to oil lamps, and more. Visit a 10th-century cathedral and marvel at its paleochristian Basilica with three naves, its Romanesque facade, and the Gothic elements on the portals. Go on to the church of San Marco di Eca before finishing off your informative tour at theCastle of the Dukes of Guevara, one of Bovino's most famous historical landmarks. Stroll through the rich history of Bovino on this amazing walking tour.

Your tour begins at the entrance of Lucera’s amphitheater. This stunning theater dates back to the Augustan era and is the largest and oldest of its kind in southern Italy. In its heyday it held over 16,000 spectators. Walk through the Ionic columns of its entrance into the arena which is bordered by a water collection channel. Explore the whole amphitheater complex which contains a gallery underneath the arena, a gym for the athletes, as well as an infirmary. Travel to the other side of town and see the Swabian-Angevin fortress. This impressive medieval fortress was built on the Albano hill in the 13th-century and an important Muslim settlement. It once housed 60,000 Muslims who had traveled from Sicily and were loyal to the Swabian family. See the remains of the Frederician Palatium, the massive 13-meter high wall which extended for 900 meters. Admire the Tower of the Lioness, the sturdy tower which looks over the fortress. Continue to Lucera’s historic center and visit the Cathedral Basillica of Santa Maria Assunta. This church was built by Charles II of the Angevin family in 1302, and is thought to have been built upon the remains of a Saracen mosque. Enter it’s side alter and see the wooden statue of Santa Maria. Gaze at the altar of the Presbytery where the remains of Castel Fiorentino, the canteen of Emperor Fredereick II of the Holy Roman Empire are stored.

After meeting with your qualified tour guide, you will begin from the ancient Siponto. Inhabited since the Neolithic Age, this area has become one of the most important ports of Magna Graecia. Here you will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, and the ancient cathedral of Siponto, a true jewel of Romanesque-Apulian art. Next to the basilica you can see the spectacular 3D reconstruction of the ancient early Christian basilica by Edoardo Tresoldi. 14 meters of braided metal and 7 tons of weight produce a 1/1-scale replica of the early Christian basilica that flanks the splendid medieval Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The project changes the landscape of the entire archaeological site and stems from the will of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities to provide coverage to the mosaic still present on the pre-existing basilica. Built between the 11th and 12th centuries, the ancient cathedral of Siponto is one of the most significant monuments of the Apulian Romanesque: with a square plan, it also has a beautiful crypt as wide as the church itself.