Sammichele of Bari

Sammichele of Bari is a town in the province of Bari (Puglia), and it is among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. Sammichele di Bari has a characteristic ancient town which it appreciates by making it a reservoir of cultural, musical, gastronomic events. Famous for its stoves (fornelli) where high-quality meat is cooked on the grill, in particular for the typical and famous zampina and gh’m’ridd, for the vegetable appetizers baked in oven, as well as other local delicacies from the garden. Sammichele di Bari makes delicious focaccia libro that is stuffed with tasty local products. It is also know as the town of music, dance, culture, history, business and tourist promotion, and hospitality.

In the summer there is no lack of concert and literary activity. In winter, the Carnival stands out with l’homme curt, a typical local mask also present at the Venice Carnival, and the parties that welcome hundreds of people from January to March, for three days a week in halls where people dance and party. Since 2023, it has been home to InTango Festivalito, an event held in July with evening Milongas, lessons, cultural meetings, folklore.

Sammichele of Bari is well connected to the neighboring towns and cities that can also be reached by train. For lovers of travel and discovery of the territory, there is nothing better than experiencing the routes that connect the places visited.

HOTEL ESPERIA

Hotel Esperia is located in Sammichele di Bari, a few steps from the train station. It can accommodate large groups for an overnight stay suitable for any season. TV and bathroom with shower in every room, air conditioning, wifi.

A large air-conditioned room that will welcome us for the Argentine Tango lessons.

Bari

Bari is the capital of Puglia. A seaside city with a mercantile tradition, it hosts the relics of Saint Nicholas in the crypt of the Pontifical Basilica of Saint Nicholas, built between the 11th and 12th centuries, with Romanesque architecture. You will not miss the walk along the Bari seafront (Lungomare Bari) with its artistic and cultural sites where part of the youth nightlife takes place in the evening. In the morning the fishermen gather on the pier near the Kursal Theater. And then there is the San Nicola neighborhood, called Bari Vecchia. We are in the historic center of the city which has now become a tourist and gastronomic attraction with its famous Apulian orecchiette. You will see women on the doorsteps of their homes intent on dragging pieces of pasta on the pastry board to create small ears. In the historic center Bari Vecchia we will visit one of the most beautiful churches in Southern Italy, the Cathedral of San Sabino, with an extraordinary floor mosaic inside. And the Norman-Swabian Castle (Castello Normanno) plus the famous Petruzzelli Theater.

Grotte di Castellana e Gravina in Puglia

Castellana Grotte (Le Grotte di Castellana) are among the most beautiful caves in Italy. They are 3348 meters long and reach a maximum depth of 122 meters below the surface. The temperature inside is around 16.5° C. The scenario that we encounter is amazing between caverns, canyons, abysses, fossils, stalactites, incredible forms and extraordinary colours. A must-see when you come to Puglia.

Gravina in Puglia, Land of Calcarenite, is a few kilometers from Matera (Basilicata Region). Archaeological area dating back to Botromagno. The first settlements date back to the Iron Age. First subjected to Byzantine invasions during which it flourished on a cultural and artistic level, then to the Angevin domination, becoming the site of important fairs. We will then descend into the underground. We will see environments dug into the rock, walkways, hypogeal places, underground passages (the famous underground Gravina, Gravina sotterranea).

Alberobello

Alberobello with its Trulli World Heritage Site (UNESCO) Trulli Patrimonio dell’Umanità (UNESCO).

TRULLI are dry limestone dwellings, with white walls and conical roofs, decorated with symbolic motifs, such as the moon, the sun, the heart. Of prehistoric origin, their maximum expansion was recorded in the 15th century for reasons that were unfortunately not very virtuous. In that historical period, the Kingdom of Naples imposed the Pragmatica De Baronibus, an edict that obliged landowners to pay a high tribute for each newly built town. So the counts of Conversano, the D’Acquaviva D’Aragona, who owned the territory of Alberobello, forced farmers to build dry houses, that is, without glue between stones, so as to be considered temporary homes and not pay taxes. They were certainly not noble at heart but they were ingenious and today Alberobello is visited by people all over the world.

Polignano a mare

Polignano a mare with its ancient village overlooking the sea is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world. A welcoming place that over the years has appreciated the most beautiful features of its territory, as well as welcomed tourists from all over the world. Browsing the web you can find all useful information. On the way back we will stop in Mola di Bari and have lunch at an Osteria that will delight us with its seafood dishes.