Puglia in October 2025 - Andria

On Thursday morning the weather looks beautiful but we decide to continue our exploration of the area. I’m not so convinced about the traffic and parking but we drive to Andria and park ‘way out’ according to Andrea, or ‘5 minutes from the beginning of the ‘main street’ according to Tina, in Via Achille Grande. The main street in Andria – Corso Cavour - is nice with plenty of shops and is quite busy but we keep going straight towards the historical centre and in particular the Cathedral ‘Santa Maria Assunta’. 

It’s open, and a friendly man explains what to see and says we can also go down to look at the crypt, quite small, where there are a few faded frescoes. The cathedral is quite bare but with painted ceilings in places. From there we go to another church – San Francesco, where there is also a cloister, partly open to the public – you just push open the gate. 

Next stop, the Museo Diocesano. I’m pleased to find it open. It’s small but in a newly restored building and has some gems which are well worth the 5 euros entry fee: 

- a 13th century wooden panel showing Virgin and child, known as the ‘Icon of the Madonna of Andria’, an outstanding example of Byzantine art . 

- an ‘altarolo’ -something I’ve never seen elsewhere – a small portable altar used for celebrating Mass outside, 

- the throne of the monastic choir called ‘tronetto del Balzo’, 

- the two fascinating Relic  ‘teche’, and a few fine medieval paintings as well as other later ones.

The historical centre of Andria is nice for a stroll. 

We also look into the Confetti museum but without stopping for the guided tour and tastings because we want to get back to Trani for lunch.

The sky clouds over again in the afternoon but we are happy to wander around Trani. We walk as far as the Villa Comunale and then wait for the fishing boats to come in, accompanied by hordes of seagulls, always a spectacle, and buy some fish. There’s always something to see in Trani: a church which is unexpectedly open, or that we hadn’t noticed before, or some narrow streets glinting in the lamplight. We get two  excellent take-away pizzas for supper, but after, we go out again. Trani is one place where we always go for an after-dinner stroll….