W e l c o m e t o P u g l i a !

1. W e l c o m e t o P u g l i a !

2. Geography Puglia is a region in Southern Italy. Its population amounts to 4.000.000 million people, and Bari is the main city. Other important cities are Foggia, Taranto, Brindisi and Lecce. Apulia is the most oriental region of Italy and it is 80 km far from Albania. More than a half of its territory is almost level and its coasts are bathed by the Adriatic and Jonian Sea. Our Region and our country

3. The History The Region took a very important role over the centuries for its strategic position, in the middle of Mediterranean traffics. It has been considered as a very good landing place so that many populations lived in Puglia: Greeks, Romans, Bizantini, Arabs. In fact, Apulian territory is full of castles and military fortresses. The most famous and mysterious one is Castel del Monte, wich has been built during Federico II’s reign. Dolmen Trulli Castel del Mmonte

4. The typical products of our economy OliveOilGrapes Salad Artichoke TomatoFennel

5. Climate and Tourism Tourism is largely developed due to the charming beachs of Gargano, Tremiti Islands and Salento, but also thanks to the numerous archeological and artistic sites presents on territory. The climate is Mediterranean in the level territory and on the coasts; it is continental in the inside zones of the region. Basilica di Santa Croce in Lecce and beach on the Ionic coast

6. Province of Foggia Foggia is the second province of Italy for its extention. Its territory includes the mounts of Daunia and the mountainous natural reserve of Gargano. Foggia is also famous for San Giovanni Rotondo sanctuary, destination of pilgrims from all over the world, where San Pio from Pietrelcina lived and actually is buried. Sanctuary of S. Pio from Pietrelcina

7. Gargano Peschici Vieste

8. Province of Bari The population amounts to 1,5 million inhabitants. This province is famous for the reefs of Polignano and the magnificient complex of Castellana caves. In this area there are also Federico II’s hunting castle, the Cathedral of Trani, and the typical historical centre of Bari with Saint Nicolas’ Basilica. Another famous town of this province is Alberobello, unique in the world for its characteristic buildings called "trulli“ (from Greek “tholos”, cupola), country houses whose roofs are turned down cone-shaped. Promenade of Bari Petruzzelli Theatre in Bari

9. Trani The Cathedral

10. Bari Saint Nicolas’ Basilica Historical centre

11. Alberobello Trulli: Christian and magic symbols

12. Carnival of Putignano The Carnival of Putignano is the longest and oldest carnival in the world as it begins on December 26th and it ends on Shrove Tuesday. It is also the richest in events: besides December celebrations, there are parades almost every Sunday in February and a summer edition in July, too.

13. Province of Taranto Taranto is usually identified like chief town, well - known as "city of two seas“. Its province is famous for the Archeological Museum, wich preserves Greek, Messapic and Roman works of art, the Castle of Oria, and the country churches of Massafra. In the area there are other two important cities: Martina Franca, the capital of ceramic, and Castellaneta, homeland of Rodolfo Valentino, characterised by wide sandy beachs and a secular pine-wood. Aragonese Castle in Taranto Revolving Bridge in Taranto

14. Martina Franca Arch of San Antonio

15. Province of Brindisi The province of Brindisi (400.000 inhabitants) is associated to the vivacity of its touristic port, that links Apulia to Greece and Turky. Other important cities of the province are also Fasano, favourite destination of many families for Safari zoo, and Ostuni, well-known as the “white town”. The Roman column in Brindisi The port of Brindisi

16. Ostuni The “White City”

17. Province of Lecce Lecce (100.000 inhabitants) is the capital of Salento. The city preserves traces of its Messapic and Roman origins (III century a.C.), and it is well-known for its baroque architecture. Thanks to local limestone, a lot of buildings have been richly decorated during XVII and XVIII century. Anfitheatre in Lecce Sanctuary in Santa Maria di Leuca

18. Lecce Duomo Square Santa Croce Basilica

19. Salento Gallipoli and San Foca on the Ionic coast - A building in Arabic style in Santa Cesarea

20. The myth of the Taranta: the popular culture of Lecce The pizzica is a therapy dance used during the antiquity against the taranta bite, a mythologic animal. Women bitten by the taranta were accompanied in their houses where some musicians, with tamburelli, violins and other instruments gave life to a phrenetic rhythm in order to make them dance, sing and perspire until their faint. While the victims had been dancing for days, also the spider suffered. The exorcism culminated with the death of the taranta. The taranta dance was usually divided in three parts: first the woman dragged herself on the ground flapping hands and feet to the rhythm of pizzica, than she standed up, and while dancing, she drew wide figures with a big and coloured handkerchief; at the end she fell exhausted to the ground. The exorcism could even happen in the square where other men and women joined the “pizzicata” girl in her dance. They said that the tarantata girl was pardoned by Saint Paul.

21. Thank you for your attention!