Italy
On the Adriatic coast of Puglia, where the heel of the Italian boot begins its descent towards the Strait of Otranto, Barletta has witnessed some of the most consequential events in southern Italian history while remaining almost entirely unknown to international tourism. This compact, handsome city — blessed with a cathedral of luminous pale stone, a massive Hohenstaufen castle, and the largest surviving bronze statue from the Roman Empire — offers a window into a Puglia that has not yet learned to perform for visitors.
The Colossus of Barletta is the city's most extraordinary possession. Standing over five metres tall in the piazza beside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, this monumental bronze figure — probably representing the Emperor Valentinian I, dating from the fifth century — arrived in Barletta under mysterious circumstances, likely salvaged from a shipwreck by Venetian crusaders returning from Constantinople. The statue survived medieval proposals to melt it down for church bells, and today stands with an authority that two thousand years of history have done nothing to diminish.
The castle of Barletta, begun by the Normans and expanded by Frederick II — the extraordinary Hohenstaufen emperor who transformed southern Italy into the most cosmopolitan court in medieval Europe — dominates the waterfront. Its trapezoid plan and massive corner bastions now house the civic museum and picture gallery, whose collection includes works by Giuseppe De Nittis, the Impressionist painter born in Barletta in 1846. The cathedral, meanwhile, blends Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance elements in a harmony that reflects the city's layered history.
Barletta's culinary identity is pure Puglia — arguably Italy's most exciting regional cuisine. Orecchiette pasta, shaped by hand in a technique unchanged for centuries, is served with cime di rapa (broccoli rabe) in a preparation of disarming simplicity. The burrata from neighbouring Andria — cream-filled mozzarella of almost obscene richness — is served at every trattoria, accompanied by the region's magnificent olive oil. The local Nero di Troia wine, from vineyards that surround the city, produces reds of dark fruit intensity and gentle tannins.
Barletta sits on the main rail line between Bari and Foggia, making it easily accessible from both cities. The seafront promenade — stretching several kilometres along sandy beaches — offers a passeggiata experience of authentic Italian charm. The best time to visit is April through June and September through October, when temperatures are pleasant and the city has not yet surrendered to the torpor of the Puglian summer. The Disfida di Barletta — a historical re-enactment of a famous 1503 jousting challenge between Italian and French knights — is celebrated annually in February.