HISTORY OF APULIA:
The first people who settled in Apulia, around the 1st millenium BC, were the Iapygians, divided in three populations - the Daunians, the Peucetians and the Messapians. Read More [...]
In the 3rd century BC, the area was annexed by the Roman Republic and, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, around the 5th century AD, Apulia was invaded by the Herules and the Ostrogoths.
Later, the region became the dominion of the Byzantine Empire, and it remained under its rule until the middle of the 11th century. In 1043, the Normans founded the Duchy of Apulia and Calabria and, starting with 1130, the region became part of the Kingdom of Sicily.
Between 1282 and 1442, Apulia was under the domination of the Angevins, within the Kingdom of Naples, and later under the domination of the Aragonese.
In 1734, the area, along with the rest of the Kingdom of Sicily, passed from the Habsburgs to the Bourbons. In 1861, Apulia became part of the Kingdom of Italy, with the capital in Turin.
GEOGRAPHY OF APULIA:
Apulia is a region located in the southeastern part of Italy, bordered by Molise to the northwest, by Campania to the west, and by Basilicata to the southwest. Read More [...]
Apulia is the mainland Italian region with the longest coastline, of about 800 kilometers. The coast is a mixture of white sandy beaches and rocky coves. The highest peak in the region is Mount Cornacchia, part of the Daunian Mountains. Apulia is also home to two national parks - the Alta Murgia National Park and Gargano National Park.
The capital city of Apulia is Bari, and other important cities are Lecce, Foggia, Taranto and Brindisi. In Apulia, we can also find the beautiful towns of Ostuni, Monopoli, Polignano a Mare, Giovinazzo and Trani.
TRANSPORT TO/IN APULIA:
Apulia has two international airports, the Karol Wojtyla Airport, located near Bari, and the Antonio Papola Airport, near Brindisi. The two airports are well connected by bus or train with the surrounding cities. Read More [...]
Many of the coastal towns of the region are connected by train, but the railway network is less developed in the southern Italy. By train, a trip from Bari to Brindisi takes about one hour, and the cheapest ticket costs 9.60€. From Brindisi to Lecce, a trip takes about 30 minutes and the cheapest ticket costs 3.20€.
The region is served by two main highways - A14, connecting Bologna to Taranto, through Foggia, Trani, Molfetta and Bari, and A16, linking Naples to Canosa, where it merges with A14. The region has a good network of roads and, if you want to explore it in detail, you can, of course, rent a car.