A Visit to Locorotondo - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com

Seeing as how I live in Southern Italy, my personal mission for past several years has been to discover everything good about the Puglia region: where to go and what to see when I get there in addition to great places to eat and sleep (not necessarily in that order). To that end, the hilltop village of Locorotondo tops list the list for cool places to spend a day or two, especially if you wrap your trip around one of the other nearby villages. Located only about an hour's drive inland from the port city of Bari and conveniently situated between Martina Franca and Alberobello in the Valle d'Itria, Locorotondo lives up to its reputation as one of the most beautiful villages in all of Italy. Thanks to its prime location in the heart of the region's grape vineyards where more often than not the vineyards are blanketing the rolling hills and flatlands, as well as the unique Trulli homes, Locorotondo is nothing if not quaint.

Being There

Half the fun of visiting Locorotondo is getting there! Locorotondo is nestled in the Valle d'Itria, otherwise known as "the land of the Trulli." Trulli houses have been a mainstay of the Puglia region for hundreds of years - a mix of a Hobbit and Keebler Elf home - the best of the bunch are still standing and being lived in.

Take S.S. 172 en route to Locorotondo and you'll see the town off in the distance sitting atop a small hill. If you travel to Locorotondo looking for water-parks and high-end shopping you'll walk away disappointed. But if you focus on the fact that Locorotondo is its own attraction you will be more than satisfied. The "Centro Storico" or historic/old town is a whitewashed maze of cobblestone streets, grand baroque archways and architecture that has been lost to the ages.

Locorotondo offers visitors several churches of note: the most stunning being the Chiesa della Madonna della Greca which dates to the twelfth or thirteenth century. Your best bet for going inside this and any other church is to go in the morning. And certainly if you visit on a Sunday you can't go wrong because you can catch mass at the same time. You can check out all of the churches of Locorotondo here.

Please note, that amid all this euphoria, parking is generally a big problem! Tourists come from all over to visit Locorotondo and the streets fill up pretty quick. I have had the most luck parking on the outskirts of town and walking. Also keep in mind that most parking is metered. Otherwise, you may want to consider taking the train: Locorotondo's train station sits on the outside the main part of town and is only a short walk to the Centro Storico. Follow Via Martiri della Liberta from the train station to Via Madonna della Catena and take that road to Piazza Aldo Moroco, which is pretty much the center of town. From there all locations of interest are well-marked.
Just follow the signs/arrows that lead to the Centro Storico.

Locorotondo is best known for its wine but that shouldn't be the only reason for visiting. The wine-of-choice is a "frizzante bianco" or sparkling white wine, and the chief wine producer is the Cantina Sociale del Locorotondo. The main office is right near the train station and sells directly to the public. But you don't need to go to the cantina, you can purchase Locorotondo wine anywhere in town.

Eat, Drink and be Merry

All that walking is going to make you hungry and that means you'll want to get a bite to eat. If you want to enjoy the local cuisine without feeling like you made a down-payment on your car, may I suggest the Trattoria Centro Storico Di Loparco Giovanni(Via Eroi di Dogali, 6 tel: 080 4315473)‎. The TCS only sits about 60 patrons and the kitchen is right in the thick of things. But you'll eat well (average meal has been about 17 euro each time I've been there), and you'll feel right at home.

Another good eatery is the Trattoria Al Vecchio Arco (Via Bruno 5, Tel: 080 4317014) The TAV is right in the middle of the Centro Storico. Maybe a little on the steep side price-wise (22 euro average) but it's another great place to find all the typical specialties of the local area.

Like most of the historic towns in Puglia, the best course of action for exploring Locorotondo is to just grab your camera and GO. Get out of the car, pick a direction and enjoy everything that the town has to offer!