In a few words, this is both a tourist trap and a demonstration of the unrestrained greed of the…read morecomune of Castellana Grotte. The tickets to the Grotte are offensively expensive, given what you get; the tour is long (in time and distance) but rushed; there are too many people by half in each group (and too many groups at once: you constantly run into groups going in the opposite direction, creating traffic jams in the narrow passageways; paradoxically, you're glad for the traffic jams because they're essentially the only opportunity you have to stop and look at what's around you); the lighting inside is tenebrous to put it mildly, which renders 80% of the formations impossible to see (in fact, there are lights everywhere; they're just not turned on, apparently because the approximately €3,000 they're raking in per hour aren't sufficient to illuminate the grotto); you're not allowed to take photos inside because the comune owns the rights to images of the grotto (search Google; you'll find hundreds for free); there is no unpaid street parking anywhere near the grotto; the website doesn't explain clearly that groups are admitted only on the hour, meaning that you may find yourself twiddling your thumbs in a cesspit of a town that has NOTHING going for it but a few overpriced restaurants and shops selling tawdry souvenirs; and, to add insult to all that injury, your 18€ ticket doesn't even entitle you to go to the bathroom for free. Puglia ought to be ashamed of itself for this kind of scabrous tourist con, or Castellana Grotte ought to be ashamed, or someone ought to be ashamed. But no one is and, at times, that's travel in Italy in a nutshell.

We stayed in the south for a few nights. Only 30' away was Gallipoli, so we thought we should check…read morethis old town out. And what a great visit it turned out to be. Parked our car not far from the old town and crossed the bridge leading to the Centro Storico. The impressive Castello welcomes you when you enter this amazing historic town. Take the Via Antoniette de Pace or the smaller Via XXIV Maggio and head to the impressive Duomo, the Basilica Concattedrale di Sant'Agata Vergine e Martire. The streets and lanes are quite narrow, so you have to step back a bit to appreciate the beauty of the Duomo. Countless shops and restaurants can be found. It's sure worth to get lost a bit in this maze - especially when you head a bit to the western part of the old town. That's where many locals have their homes. Less tourists, but just fun to wander the small streets. Also nice to walk around this peninsula. Amazing ocean views with the bluest and greenest water you could think of. Some good restaurants with ocean views (try the Trattoria Scoglio delle Sirene). Besides the big sights, the whole old town itself is a sight of its own. We loved it. Fantastic town, sure well worth a (longer) drive.

This was a great experience to see the Trulli, Alberobello person. The weather was great and able…read moreto walk around and savor the moment on this place. We started the walk with a tour guide that explained the history and relevance of the limestone roof houses for the farmers . It was well preserved and maintained well. The city itself was a good walking tour to see most of the historic site. The church , the plaza and then the main square were shops , restaurants and gelateria were there. I would suggest put in your walking shoes and try aka Lira's Focacceria after your site seeing . Ciao

Absolutely magical. So much history and truly unique architecture. This city dates back to the 14th…read morecentury and is known for its trulli -- traditional whitewashed stone huts with cone-like roofs. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-visit destination for those interested in history, architecture, and southern Italian charm. It's quite magical!

This is actually two things to do here. The museo (museum)…read moreand Archeologico Nazionale E. Parco. The ticket for either or both is in the ticket room with books and games to buy and the only Toilet. The Roman Ruins are a ten minute walk to the other entrance booth to check your ticket. we bought a 6 month ticket for one euro difference additional each so we might return once more over the next 3 days. The Roman and older ruins are open to visit from behind a chain. It took us about 45 minutes or more to do the loop. Then we did the Museum, which was superior, all in Italian descriptions except the orientation video. You can do a QR code each time but i hate those for the english translations. There is a big aquarium tank with a big jar to imitate the sea and anchors and many Amphore clay jars or vases. Lots of found pottery, statues and shards. All recovered from the Roman digs and the sea we had just come back from. The digs were unearthed/ opened in 1910 or so and again in 1960 or so but then left alone. Maybe money. After everything , we went to where the Romans or Greeks went to the Sea edge and dug rectangular and round fish traps in the coral. Tide comes in, fish as well , tide goes out fish are stuck behind. There are dozens, here you can just walk around. Still here in the sea working after 2000 years or more. incredible history.

Amazing visit. Fascinating ruins and great museum. Well worth the detour if you are a history lover.read more

It really wonderful- and free - cathedral to visit, where Saint Nicholas, yes the real one, lies…read moreburied. This is the original Saint Nick, the inspiration for Santa Claus. Cathedral itself is gorgeous inside, and the two lies in the basement. There are several icons and statues to Saint Nicholas both inside and outside the church. Walk around this area is gorgeous as well, I recommend it in the inner city.

On the eve of the feast day of Saint Nicholas 2025, I started this review. The basilica is a truly…read morewonderful shrine and holy site. Words cannot express what should be experienced in person. In the Middle Ages, commerce drove prosperity, and in the Christian era, the greater the prominence of your local shrine the more the town prospered. Add to this, the rise of Islam, and the systematic destruction of parts of what is now Turkey by militants, and you can see why the relics of St Nicolas were brought to Bari in 1087. The crypt where the Saint is buried is a holy place where even the air itself feels heavenly. Come prepared and respectful. Wear decent clothing. Pray, and be transformed. St Nicholas once ransomed three impoverished young girls from being sold into sex slavery by providing gold coins for their dowry (this is where the gifts and the stockings hung by chimneys came from)... a visit here has the potential to ransom you from this mad world into the person you were meant to be.

Great place to take a walk along the Adriatic Sea in downtown, Bari!…read more Nice clean and safe city downtown