Apulia and its traditions

Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion is known as Salento peninsula. The region extends as far north as Monte Gargano, and was the scene of the last stages in the Second Punic War.Situated at the south-eastern tip of the Italian peninsula, the central area of the region is occupied by the Murge, a vast, semi-arid karst plateau. The only mountainous areas are the Gargano promontory and the Monti Dauni. Apulia is a very dry region. Its few rivers are torrential and are to be found on the Tavoliere delle Puglie, a tableland at the foot of the Gargano promontory that is one of the largest and agriculturally most productive plains in Italy.

Apulia is one of the richest regions in Italy in terms of archaeological findings. Apulia was an important area for the ancient Romans, who conquered it during the course of wars against the Samnites and against Pyrrhus. During the Imperial age Apulia was a flourishing area for production of grain and oil, becoming the most important exporter to the Eastern provinces. After the fall of Rome, Apulia was held successively by the Goths, the Lombards and the Byzantines. Bari became the capital and was ruled by a catepano (governor), hence the name of Capitanata of the Barese neighbourhood.

The characteristic Apulian architecture of the 11th–13th centuries reflects Greek, Byzantine, Norman, and Pisan influences.

The region's contribution to Italy's gross product. The economy of Apulia is characterised by a greater emphasis on agriculture and services and a smaller part played by industry. The share of gross value added generated by the agricultural and service sectors in the total gross value. In certain sectors – especially textiles, clothing, footwear, vehicles and food products – the region has attained a significant degree of competitiveness with foreign producers. The region has a good network of roads. Apulia's 800 kilometers of coastline is studded with ports, which make this region an important terminal for transport and tourism towards Greece and eastern Mediterranean.

Foggia

The city’s name derives from Fovea, a food container, such as corn.

The heyday of the city came about with Federico II of Svevia.

He built the impressive imperial palace .

The dauno Subappennino is an area in the province of Foggia.The name derives from the people who inhabited this area, Daunian.

This area is composed of many small towns such as: Pietra Montecorvino, Casalvecchio di Puglia, Alberona, Volturino, Volturara, San Marco La Catola, Carlantino.

GARGANO

GARGANO is a historical and geographical italian sub-region situated in APULIA, consisting of a wilde isolated mountain massif made of high land and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano promontory, projecting into the Adriatic Sea. The gargano peninsula is partly covered by the remains of an ancient forest, Foresta Umbra.

The coast of Gargano is rich in beakes and tourist facilities. Vieste, Peschici and Rodi Garganico are word-wide-famous seaside resort locations. The formation of the Gargano promontory dates back to the jurrasic period , when they filed the oldest rocks, now visible in outcrop.

A tract of forest Umbra

Vieste is the most important town in the Gargano wet from the sea, located right in the middle of a beautiful coastal area.  Famous is, the legend of Pizzomunno. Now Vieste is one of the favorite destinations of tourism in the Gargano, to the beautiful  natural landscapes, but also for the  historical remains. Wonderful is medieval village, stands on a rocky promontory, and on top of it, not far from the Castle (which was built by Frederick II in 1240), the Basilica , one of the oldest examples of Apulian architecture.

The white monolith Pizzomunno

Vieste, medieval village

 

The economy is based mainly on agriculture and tourism. The two sectors are expanding mutually mingling farm products and traditional food, in the area. As for the primary sector is also present in the fishery, although addressed to the local market.

Rodi Garganico  is an Italian town of 3,673 inhabitants in the province of Foggia, Apulia. It is part of the Gargano National Park and the Mountain Community of Gargano. It is a known center for the production of citrus since middle ages.

MICHELANGELO MANICONE

"  If a poet could see the gardens of Rhodes, he could not refrain from talking in verse.”

Gargano is not just seaside, the vegetation is very rich and it makes the national park of Gargano. The National Park of Gargano is a  protected area. It is located in Apulia, and specifically in the extreme northeastern part, often called "Spur of Italy’’.

Welcome to the South of Puglia!

Our journay is beginning from Bari’s land…

Land of Bari The land of Bari (Italian for “Terra di Bari")

in antiquity ”Peucetia” and in the Middle Ages “Ager Barianus” (Latin for "field of Bari"), is the region around Bari in Apulia.

It became a province in the Two Sicilies. Today it is a part of the Province of Bari in Italy. Since 2005 it refers to the metropolitan area of the city and is trademarked for touristic purposes.

The north of the Terra is called the ’’Capitanata’’ and the south ’’Terra d'Otranto’’.

It’s celebrated for the Saint Nicola’s Church which was built in romanic style, between 1089 and 1197.

Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia (or, in Italian, Puglia) region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city.The city was probably founded by the Peucetii.

Table of Apulias…

The Tavoliere delle Puglie is a plain in northern Apulia.The name Tavoliere derives from the Latin term Tabulae censuariae, tables on which the Romans classified the areas devoted to sheep farming or agriculture.In winter the plain is sometimes subject to floods by the Ofanto and the Fortore, while in summer drought is frequent.The main centres, from north to south, are San Severo, Lucera, Foggia and Cerignola.

…and its most important attractions

Alberobello:

It is a small town and comune in the province of Bari, in Puglia, Italy. It has about 11,000 inhabitants and is famous for its unique trulli constructions. The Trulli of Alberobello are part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites list since 1996.

Castel del Monte:

It is a 13th century castle situated in Andria in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. It was built by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II some time between 1240 and 1250; it has been despoiled of its interior marbles and furnishings in subsequent centuries.

Grotte di Castellana are subterranean karst cavities located within the homonymous

town near the city center, in the province of Bari. Their particular origins are subject of

studies and caving tour itinerary greatly appreciated.

Il Salento: LU SULE, LU MARE, LU JENTU

( sun, sea,wind)

Salento  (Salentu in local dialect) is the south-eastern extremity of the Apulia region of Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the main Italian Peninsula, sometimes described as the "heel" of the Italian "boot". It encompasses the entire administrative area of the province of Lecce, a large part of the administrative area of Brindisi and part of that of Taranto. The peninsula is also known as Terra d'Otranto.

The wonderlands of Salento Gallipoli:

Is one of the tourists’ favorite place where you can see beautiful landscapes and have a bath in a crystalline sea.

Lecce:

Is a cultural and seaside resort. Here you can visit the Cathedral square, the Amphitheater and more and more monuments.

Taranto:

It is an important commercial and military port. It has well-developed steel and iron foundries, oil refineries, chemical works, some shipyards for building warships, and food-processing factories.

Porto Cesareo:

It is a town where there are particular Sea Towers built to defend the land from invaders and pirates.

We hope to show you the best, and you’ll love our lands.

Created by:Sara, Martina, Elena, Mariateresa, Ilaria, Deborah, Serena and Maria.