Barletta-Andria-Trani

Barletta-Andria-Trani is a province in Apulia in Italy that was split off from the provinces of Bari and Foggia in 2009.

Cities

• 1 Andria — famous for its wines, almonds and olives, and its Castel del Monte
• 2 Barletta — its Colossus is a statue of a Byzantine Emperor
• 3 Bisceglie — has a pleasant old centre, a charming little port, and several historic sights
• 4 Canosa di Puglia — has about 20 important archaeological sites relating to many eras
• 5 Margherita di Savoia — known for the salt pans of the same name, the largest in Europe and the second in the world, and the accompanying modern thermal spa
• 6 Minervino Murge — a good base for visiting the Alta Murgia National Park
• 7 San Ferdinando di Puglia — hosts National Fair of the Mediterranean artichoke
• 8 Spinazzola — numerous springs gush out on the slopes of the escarpments which make Spinazzola a town rich in water in a dry region
• 9 Trani — a seaside town with several historical buildings
• 10 Trinitapoli — a modern and competitive agricultural centre with a predominance of fruit and vegetables and viticulture

Understand

Climate

The climate is typically Mediterranean: summers are hot and dry, winters are mainly rainy with snow on the hills and occasionally also on the coasts. The rainfall is higher on the Murgia hills.

Get in

There are two main railways in the province:

• the Foggia-Lecce line, part of the Adriatic Railway and operated by RFI.
• the Barletta-Bari line, belonging to the Ferrovie del Nord Barese.

The main station in the province is that of Barletta, the main hub of the RFI railways, the Ferrovie Nord Barese and the Barletta-Spinazzola railway. The Barletta-Spinazzola railway departs from Barletta station, linking the municipalities of Canosa and Minervino Murge and the ancient station of Canne della Battaglia with Barletta and Spinazzola.

The Port of Barletta hosts ferry traffic for passenger service.

See

This part of Puglia is usually referred to as the "Imperial Puglia" because of the traces left by Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, especially his castles. 

Barletta preserves the Colossus, a large statue dating back to the 5th century which probably depicts the Roman emperor Theodosius II. Together with the nearby Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore, the city castle that houses the civic museum constitutes a historical-architectural centre of considerable importance. The archaeological site of Canne della Battaglia, where the Romans were defeated by the Carthaginian general Hannibal, as well as the ruins of the medieval town, also houses the museum.

The Cathedral of Andria, built in Romanesque style from the 1200s, and several other buildings in the city's historic centre are interesting A famous monument in the Alta Murgia National Park in the territory of Andria, Castel del Monte, has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is depicted on the 1 euro cent coin.

The city of Trani, "pearl of the Adriatic", has an ancient village and monuments such as the Romanesque cathedral and the Swabian castle. The ancient city is full of churches, monasteries, and historic buildings. 

Bisceglie is a pleasant seaside resort known for its dolmens. Also worth visiting is the co-cathedral of San Pietro Apostolo.

Canosa di Puglia, an ancient Daunian and then Roman centre, where there are about 20 important archaeological sites relating to many eras, such as the bridge over the Ofanto, the basilica of San Leucio, the baptistery of San Giovanni, the thermal baths of ancient Canosa, the acropolis and the various hypogea from the pagan era. 

The city of Margherita di Savoia has the famous thermal baths and the largest salt pans in Europe.

In the territory of San Ferdinando di Puglia it is worth visiting the Civic Museum, which houses a permanent exhibition of San Ferdinando customs and culture. Worth seeing is the ancient post office of San Cassano, which is the oldest building in San Ferdinando together with the small church of Santi Medici.

In Trinitapoli, the only centre in the province with Daunian cultural roots, it is possible to visit the site of the Hypogea (Parco Archeologico degli Ipogei) and the Civic Museum of Trinitapoli which preserves some finds from the area dating back to the 2nd millennium BC (Bronze Age). Also worth seeing are the historic centre of Casalino, the Cathedral of Santo Stefano protomartire, the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto, the church of Cristo Lavoratore, the church of the Santissima Trinità, the church of San Giuseppe, the parish of the Immaculate Conception (where you can climb the bell tower and admire Trinitapoli from above). Take a bike ride on the Trinitapoli Mare cycle path which runs alongside the salt pans of Margherita di Savoia and immerse yourself in nature in the Natural Park of the Wetland.