Bitonto - Altamura - Gravina - Cave Church of Saint Michael - Matera

Route: Bari - Bitonto - Altamura - Gravina - Cave Church of Saint Michael - Matera - Bari
Duration: 9 h
Our first stop we will make at the city Bitonto which is an elegant old town , that preserves a magnificent Angevin circular tower of the 14th century (Torrione Angioino) and beautiful renaissance buildings of the 15th-16th century,  one of these, the Palazzo Sylos Calo. The highlight of the visit of Bitonto is the Cathedral, an absolute masterpiece of the Apulian Romanesque and one of the most beautiful churches in Puglia. Inside the church, priceless works of art are conserved, like the finely decorated ambon and the impressive Early Christian mosaics. Bitonto is also known as the “City of the Olives,” due to the numerous olive groves surrounding the city. Next we will visit to Altamura  which was refounded by the Emperor Frederick II in the XIII century. The city is well known for its majestic Romanesque cathedral, which is ascribed to the Emperor itself. Called “the Lioness of Puglia” for the epic resistance to the papal troops in the late 18th century, Altamura is also famous for its several important archaeological findings, like the so-called “Man of Altamura” one of the Neanderthals, who lived in the area between 128.000 and 187.000 years ago. Altamura is also a food travel destination because of the world famous bread “Pane di Altamura”, among the best in Italy, which has gained the DOP quality label in 2003. Next we will visit to an ancient crypt of San Michele delle Grotte is Gravina’s most important church. Carved out of a boulder and inhabited since the 7th century AD, the crypt of San Michele alle Grotte has been Gravina’s ancient cathedral, and today is considered the city’s most important cave church. Nestled on the slopes of the ravine, along which unfolds the characteristic Fondovico District. The interior is divided into five naves, punctuated by 14 pillars supporting the ceiling, which consists of a single large stone block, showing fleeting traces of frescoes depicting the crucifixion and the figure of Christ and the saints Paul and Michael. The crypt leads into the cave, renowned for the episode of the massacre of the Gravina people  at the hand of the Saracens, in 999. The bone remains of the victims were long preserved in the church, which was also used for a while as a graveyard. Next we will visit to the European Capital of Culture, the UNESCO-listed Sassi di Matera are one of Basilicata’s most fascinating destinations. The cave dwellings and caverns carved into the hillside of Matera date from prehistoric times and were inhabited until the 1950s. Today, they host unique hotels, restaurants, churches, and museums. To fully appreciate the history of the labyrinth of troglodyte dwellings that make up the Sassi di Matera, it’s best to visit as part of a walking tour. Explore on foot with a guide, weaving your way through the narrow alleyways, and checking out highlights like the frescoed cave churches; the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario, an 18th-century house museum; and the MUSMA art museum, situated in an atmospheric cave and more. After free time we return to Bari.
Price: per person