Alta Murgia more than an usual park

The Puglia Region is characterized by many forests and naturalistic sites. The National Park of Alta Murgia is an amazing example of those.

The Alta Murgia is a breathtaking hilly area located in the middle of the Land of Bari indeed. It is a limestone block that emerged 70 million years ago and its hills even get about 600 meters altitude.

The position and the peculiarities of the National Park give to travelers the chance to admire incredible landscapes at sunrise or sunset.

Many photographers come to the Alta Murgia for this purpose. If you take your time you’ll shoot great pics. Landscapes, vegetation, and animals are often the perfect subjects, not just for landscape photos, but also for macro and details.

Hiking and trekking across the Alta Murgia hills

These hills offer a lot to travelers and they are also a very interesting location for trekking and hiking lovers.

The National Park of Alta Murgia expands for a big area and it is sprinkled by a lot of Masserie, Jazzi, and Poste.

Indeed, walking or cycling through the land is an awesome and authentic experience. You’ll probably meet a Masseria: an old farm where, in the old days, farmers lived and worked. Or maybe you’ll find out kind of stone fences where the sheeps grazed, in Puglia known as Jazzi and Poste.

Nowadays, these structures are almost all abandoned, but they’re still part of the Apulian culture and patrimony.

Normally, people who like to practice trekking or cycling love to experience Alta Murgia Park. This kind of slow travel is perfect to enjoy its natural beauties.

Local food and culture made in Puglia

While exploring the park is easy to catch the bond with the Apulian culture. Furthermore, the National Park of Alta Murgia has also an important connection with food tradition.

It’s a naturalistic site, full of vegetation, mushrooms, and animals species, but it also touches many towns and villages. In Puglia people are very traditional, especially talking about local food. Even the smaller villages are full of bakeries and farms, where to buy genuine local and very organic food.

The Alta Murgia area is quite famous for some of its typical food products. Samples of those, are many types of cheese among which the “big ball” (Pallone) made in Gravina in Puglia stands out.

Moreover, the delicious bread made in Altamura has the protected designation of origin, which gives to this incredible product quality certification.

Don’t miss to visit the points of interest nearby

Well, we advise, as original Apulians, to spend some days of your holidays in Puglia exploring and traveling across the National Park of Alta Murgia.

After having a charming naturalistic tour, just get a break in one of the Alta Murgia towns. Going to a typical bakery or restaurant, you can certainly take a delicious local lunch, afterward, you run to visit the points of interest scattered around the Park!

Yes, because the park embraces also two of the most important cultural sites of the Land of Bari.

We’re talking about the magnificent Castel del Monte and the Archaeological site of Rocca del Garagnone. Two considerable buildings founded by Frederick II which loved Puglia and its culture.

Some of the pictures you can watch on this page have been shot during a few hiking tours we had during the last year.

Some of them are taken in the Mercadante Forest and The Monte Cucco Woods, but also simply only hanging around and enjoying the whole Park.

Then, we love food! After our tours, we obviously had a little stop in a typical bakery, to taste a piece of focaccia and bring at home an Altamura loaf of bread.

But, we always advise you to make your own itinerary thinking about your needs and what you really love.

Explore the National Park on four seasons

The Alta Murgia area can give a lot, especially during spring, summer, and fall time. Differently, winter is the season of “hibernation” when animals and vegetation fall asleep. During summertime, the wheat has picked up by the farmers, and the countrysides are full of hay bales everywhere.

A breathtaking show with no comparison.

Instead, whether in spring the hills are colorfully and flowery, then in the fall season the grape harvest awaits you for amazing experiences!

Further information

Anyway, before planning a tour at the National Park of Alta Murgia, take a look at the weather and please contact the Managing Authority by the contact area below!

For more information about the Park visit the website ⇒ www.parcoaltamurgia.gov.it