Foggia

Foggia is located at the top of the Puglia region, in the middle of the Apulia Tableland. The origin of its name may come from the word “Fossa” due to the place where the grain reserves were kept. This may be plausible given the great abundance of their agricultural sector. Thanks to this, Foggia has earned the name of Granary of Italy.

The Airport Gino Lisa is about 3 kilometers far from the city, but unfortunately, it’s been disabled since 2011. You can reach Foggia by landing at the International Karol Wojtyła Airport in Bari. Buses and trains are leaving the airport every day, getting to Northern Puglia in approximately one hour and a half.

You can also arrive there by train, with Ferrovie dello Stato or Ferrovie del Gargano. All the solutions will lead you right to the middle of the city.

The city is also known as the Capitanata. That name is explained by its past: during the Byzantine Empire, the city was the home of the Catapano, a lieutenant of the emperor, which local language has changed in Capitano (Captain). That will make you understand how tight the bond between Foggia and its historical heritage is, which emerges strong and clear from its historic center.

The first thing we suggest to visit is the Church of the Monte Calvario. This place can be considered unique in its kind: also named Church of the Crosses, its structure is not like the other traditional churches: at the entrance, you will find a Baroque style arch, then a path with five external chapels that will lead you to the main Church.

Foggia hides some treasures from the past underground even: check out the urban hypogea, a maze of underground streets of medieval origin.

After eating a large plate of pasta, we can suggest a relaxing moment in the big public garden, in the eastern part of Foggia’s city center, named Parco Karol Wojtyła.

Foggia is also a great point to start a trip to the Daunia Mountains or the Gargano area, where you can still find pristine nature and beaches that will leave you breathless.

From this city, you can expand your journey exploring parks such as the protected area of  Gargano (approximately 40 minutes’ drive to the north of Foggia) and the gorgeous Tremiti Islands. You can reach this small archipelago via ferry from Termoli or Rodi. During the summer season, the weather is perfect here: you will enjoy its beautiful clear water and get a deep dive into the blue life of the islands.

Foggia’s traditional food bases its roots in the old farmers’ habits. So don’t be surprised if some of the main dishes from Foggia are very simple to make. It’s actually the quality of their ingredients that make them so delicious. For example, the Acquaesale (literally water and salt) is just made of bread soaked with water and seasoned with tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, and onion. But Foggia’s kitchen gives you many other surprises to discover!

Foggia is one of the symbolic cities of Puglia, and visiting it will be easy and fun with our suggestions!