Holiday apartment in Locorotondo: churches, trulli and vineyards

Holiday apartment in Locorotondo among churches and palazzi

Locorotondo showcases its distinctive features through sacred architecture, historic buildings, gardens, paths and wine landscapes. The Chiesa Madre has a neoclassical-inspired façade with Saints Peter and Paul at the corners, as well as a 35-metre-high dome with an adjoining bell tower. It was built between 1790 and 1825 among the ruins of an earlier 16th-century church and the original hamlet of San Giorgio. The Chiesa Madonna della Greca is the oldest church in Locorotondo; it was first built between the 7th and 8th centuries before being rebuilt in the 15th century.

The Chiesa Madonna della Greca has a three-nave basilica layout with four bays in the central nave and ribbed pointed-arch cross vaults. Palazzo Morelli provides a different architectural accent: its main façade features an richly decorated portal with the family coat of arms and a good-luck mask. It also has wrought-iron balconies with characteristic goose-breast railings, typical of many Baroque buildings in southern Italy. Palazzo Morelli was built in 1819 and is an outstanding example of civil architecture. The Chiesa di San Rocco also houses a wooden statue of Saint Roch carved in Naples in 1792.

Historic centre and regional history

In the historic centre of Locorotondo, the Palazzo Comunale and the Torre Civica are examples of medieval and Renaissance civil architecture. The Palazzo Comunale houses the Centro di documentazione Archeologica and the Archivio Storico di Locorotondo. The Museo del Territorio “U. Granafei” conveys the history of the Valle d’Itria and its population through an extensive collection of objects and testimonies from prehistory to the present day.

Gardens, hills and views of the Valle d’Itria

The Masseria Ferragnano combines historical depth with a carefully designed garden complex: its origins date back to the 16th century. The historic garden is a monumental Italian garden with eight symmetrical flowerbeds and a central fountain. It includes a belvedere pavilion built in 1833, from which the surrounding landscape and the bell tower of San Giorgio can be viewed. The Villa Comunale offers another landscape view: this park on Monte Grappa hill provides views over the Valle d’Itria.

Paths, cycle route and crafts

The Scalinata dei Templari begins at Via Nardelli, passes through vineyards and runs along the embankments around Locorotondo. The Ciclovia Costa Merlata–Locorotondo is approximately 27 kilometres long and passes through the municipalities of Locorotondo, Cisternino and Ostuni. The Ecomuseo di Valle d’Itria organises nature walks to discover lame and stone gardens.

Craft traditions are also part of the region’s profile. The Associazione Ecomuseale di Valle d’Itria, the Ecomuseo di Valle d’Itria, documents, preserves, communicates and promotes craft practices involving the working of stone, iron, wood, ceramics and terracotta. This makes it possible to experience the landscape and culture not only through buildings, but also through traditional materials and working methods.

Trullo and wine experience

Trullo Marziolla is the oldest documented trullo in the Valle d’Itria and dates from 1559. Cardone offers a guided wine experience with a cellar tour, a walk through the vineyards and a wine tasting.

Further places for planning your trip

If you would like to extend your search beyond Locorotondo, also discover Ceglie Del Campo, Macchia Di Monte, Modugno, Spinazzola, La Pergola, Corato, Gravina In Puglia and Antonelli.

For the overarching travel overview: Bari.