Puglia - Barletta

It's Saturday and we are in Barletta. Much to my relief parking is easy, there's a free area just after the castle in the direction of Trani, although I later see that the pay parking down on the lungomare is just 2 euros per half day. Saturday morning seems to be a good time to visit Barletta since most of the churches are open either because they are open or because there are weddings.First we visit the Basilica del Santo Sepolcro which is in the centre just behind the mysterious Colosso. The Basilica is in the style of many churches in Puglia, clean, pale stonework and vertical unadorned walls, an architecture which I like very much, uncluttered by Barocco decorations. The bronze Colosso is indeed huge, photos don't do it justice, it has a curious history since no-one is exactly sure who it is and how it got to Barletta. At one point the legs were melted to make the bells of the Siponto basilica. Fortunately later on it was decided to save the statue and new ones were made.

We then wander through the centre visiting the church of Sant'Andrea, the same style, up steep steps with an interesting carved wooden side altarpiece and old organ.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore opposite the castle is also beautiful, recalling San Nicola in Bari. 

It's also nice just wandering around the historical centre which is clean, quiet but at the same time inhabited, not a tourist attraction and not abandoned. Bars and restaurants are mixed with ordinary shops and many other churches.

For lunch we are extremely lucky because on the way to Sant'Andrea we noticed a friggitoria Tutti Pazzi per i Fritti. We have a delicious and enormous (considering it's supposed to be one portion) mixed fried fish and chips between the two of us with two beers. It's excellent, made to order, boiling hot and the owner,Pino, is also very friendly. Just ten euros between the two of us and we are full and contented!

We are a bit sleepy and go for a walk along the beach which is wide and sandy, all the Lidos are closed and boarded up but there's a fresh breeze and a few people around but no sign of anywhere for coffee. So we wander back to the centre and find a bar open between the castle and the basilica for cappuccinos and pasticciotto.

After, we transfer to a bench in the park outside the castle for a rest until we observe that quite a lot of people are going into the castle for the yoga festival. We follow suit and are able to visit the large courtyard, underground cellars where there are stalls and practitioners of yoga related things, the beautiful round Sala Rossa where there's a conference on pranotherapy which we listen to for a while and the battlements with a view of Barletta and the port. The castle has been restored and all the stonework is very clean and altogether the environment is impressive.

We stroll back to the car and drive all along the Barletta beach road, there's a speed limit of 30 kilometres until the Lidos run out, the bushes start and the beach starts to be the reign of the kite surfers. 

It's always fascinating to watch their antics. Seagulls on the sand and men flying. It's just a short drive back to Margherita di Savoia where we finish the octopus salad and then go to Pasticceria Fiamma just below the apartment. I have pistacchio cheesecake and Andrea an ice-cream half chocolate pear and ginger and half almond and rosemary. Mmmm a very nice day.