Puglia is the heel of the Italian boot. It is located in the southeastern corner of Italy on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Apulia was frequently invaded by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Among the many rulers were the Byzantines, Goths, Lombards, Normans, Spaniards and Turks. His moment of greatest glory was in the Holy Roman Empire of the 13th Century, built as the majestic Romanesque cathedrals and palaces. This article presents the western and northern part of the rule of Puglia. A companionArticle presents the rest of the region.
Puglia is the administrative center of Bari, the largest city in southern Italy, with a population of over 325 thousand. It is an important port, which includes a modern center of the city, with Piazza della Libertà (Freedom Plaza) and Citta Vecchia (Old Town), which is worth seeing. Everywhere you turn, you can see the Adriatic Sea. The pedestrian precinct of Via Sparano Street is the place for evening strolls. The nearby San Bascilica Eleventh CenturyNicola is to contain the remains of St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, yes. According to legend, local sailors have his remains from Turkey. Funny, I always thought that Santa Claus ... In any case, the Bascilica is the only surviving building to the plundering of the city by the Normans in 1152 back. Be sure to see themselves, in order to the Cathedral (cathedral built) shortly thereafter. Near the Castello Svevo is located, is undergoing restoration.
Approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Bari is thesmall port of Trani, who was the biggest Adriatic port during the Crusades. Santa Maria di Scolanova and Santa Anna are two permanent medieval synagogues. The city has several historic churches, a Swabian castle and a Gothic palace of the Doge of Venice, turned into a seminary.
You of course know that Italy is shaped like a boot. Did you know that the track Gargano Promontory (Gargano Promontory), a very popular destination for Italian and foreign tourists summer.With a certain rough and ready landscape and winding mountain roads that you see your driver's license, even more so than in most of Italy.
The area is very important center near the tip of the projection is the whitewashed town of Vieste known for its castle. Take a ferry from the nearby Vieste Tremiti Island archipelago. A word of warning before you go, the name is connected with the word Tremiti tremor. There are earthquake. Some of the islands are uninhabited, and one of them has the interestingHabit, covered by waves. But the view is spectacular. Perhaps it was a consolation for the political prisoners of Benito Mussolini during his government in exile.
Do not miss) the Foresta Umbra (shady forest, over sixty thousand hectares, includes hundreds of species, and two thousand plant species, including beech, maple, oak and sycamore trees, which one would expect in northern climes. How do they do it? The forest is 3200 meters above sea level?
Monte Sant'Angelo hasbecame an important destination for pilgrims in the last fifteen hundred years. Among them St. Francis of Assisi and Crusaders were on their way to the Holy Land. You will want to see the Santuario di San Michele (Sanctuary of San Michele) and the Tomba di Rotari (grave Rotari), a medieval Baptistery. Other attractions include the ruins of a Norman castle and the Old City known as Rione Junno.
Maybe you want your tour in the West Puglia with a visit to the famous Castel del Monte, a finishmysterious octagonal castle built in the thirteenth century. Unlike most medieval castles, there is a lack of military structures. Perhaps it was a stopping place for pilgrims seeking the Holy Grail. Or maybe ...
And the food? Italy has a new classification process for food, for example similar to the classification of wines. Are classified under Food Apulia clementines, olives, cheese, two and four olive oil. There are so many specialties, must in these days we sit down andWrite one or more articles on the food of Puglia. In the meantime, we recommend a sample menu, one of many. Be sure to increase your dining pleasure, including local wines with the meal.
Start with e Ciceri Austria (chickpeas and Noodle Soup).
Then try Grata alla barese (fried bream with potatoes, garlic and pecorino cheese).
For dessert, you can be with Carteddate (Marsala, honey and cinnamon, baked cake).
Let us, by providing a brief look at finishWines from Puglia. Apulia 2nd one among the 20 Italian regions for both vineyard acreage and total wine production, about 7o% red or rosé (only a little rosé), and 30% for white. The region produces 25 DOC wines. DOC stands for Controlled Denomination of Origin, as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine can be translated. Less than 4% of Apulia wine carries the DOC designation. The most famous wine is Castel delMonte DOC, which is available abroad and is quite frankly, is not so great. If you are in the western Apulia, you may want to Cacc'e Mmitte di Lucera DOC because of the interesting names are trying to as "knock it back" can be translated. I was told that the name is quite appropriate. The word is that Moscato di Trani DOC is an excellent sweet wine, but you may need to go to Apulia, to get it. If you remember, that's just another reason to visit the sometimes overlookedRegion of Italy.
