5 Places where to spend August 15th in Apulia

 

August 15th is a day that Italians traditionally spend on a day trip. Here 5 suggestions to take a day trip in Apulia on "Ferragosto".

What are you going to do on August 15^th?

Maybe you don’t know why I’m asking you this question, but in Italy this is a particular day. It’s a feast day and this question become a mantra a bit for everyone. We think about what to do, where to go, how to spend this day. Traditionally Italians spend it having a day trip.

For this blogpost, I thought about some places where to spend August 15^th near my home place, Massafra, near Taranto, in Apulia. I took the map and analysed the neighbourhood and that’s the result. The chosen places are maximum an hour far from Massafra by car, so, if you are here or you live here, you can give them a chance. Or better, let me know if you already know them and have already been there!

Leggi in italiano

Here 5 places, all in Apulia, where to go on a trip to spend August 15^th.

1. San Pietro in Bevagna

Well-known for its crystal clear sea and white sand. It feels like being in the Caribbean. San Pietro in Bevagna is not far from Manduria, in Salento. If you like to spend the day on the beach, this is the place for you! I also suggest to take a dip in the freezing Chidro River, which  flows into the Jonian Sea right in this area. It’s a revitalising experience!

The only flaw is that, being this beach so known and loved, it’s also very crowded, in particular on August 15^th.

Not far from the beach, you can admire the Salina dei Monaci and its ecosystem. In this blogpost I told you about this protected area and its story.

2. The Island of San Pietro

It’s the biggest of the Cheradi Islands, in the gulf of Taranto, and it’s right opposite the town of two seas. As many other places in Taranto, this island is managed by the Navy and in the past just service people and their families could access this beach. Now, fortunately, civilians can enjoy this wonderful place, too.

It’s a real heaven that makes you feel in another dimension of tranquillity. Here there are a pine forest equipped with a picnic area, where you can have lunch and shelter from the sun during the hottest hours, and all the services of an equipped beach.

You can reach it by ferry boat, but you need to take your ticket in advance because places are limited.

What? You’d rather avoid the beach on August 15^th? It’s understandable. For example, I prefer to spend the day in nature, in a forest preferably, where the temperature is a bit lower and I can go for walks and hike along natural paths. That’s why my third suggestion is:

3. The reserve of Bosco delle Pianelle

It’s part of the district of Martina Franca and one of the places where locals love the most to spend some time outdoors. It’s definitely a family friendly place: children can have fun playing between trees while they’re learning something more about nature around them and how to respect it.

When I was a child, I was one of those little girls who ran everywhere without ever getting tired. So, I speak from experience when I say that here children have fun. It’s one of the places of the heart!

The big kids, instead, can enjoy the paths in the wood: there are many of them, to be chosen according to the length and the degree of difficulty.   

In this blogpost I tell you something about what you can find in this wood.

4. The Caves of Castellana

A geological wonder that everyone should see at least once in the lifetime. After having been there the first time, I came back there to see the spectacular Hell in the Cave and Christmas Light: same place, different clothes, new emotions!

Why the Caves on August 15^th? From the answer I’m giving you, it may seem that I’m suggesting how to avoid Apulian hot weather rather than where to spend August 15^th, but, you know, it’s just fine down there! 

I suffer when temperatures are too hot, so if someone suggested me to visit a wonder of nature, where not only I could see something extraordinary but also reborn in the coolness, I wouldn’t think about it twice! It’s a win-win situation.

5. The Castle of Gioia del Colle – Museum

What if there’s bad weather? Incredible but true, it happened more than once to spend August 15^th with the rain. So, what do we do? I suggest to take the opportunity to visit an indoor place like a museum. As we are talking about places not far from Massafra, I suggest the Norman-Swabian castle of Gioia del Colle that hosts the National Archaeological Museum.

With a unique ticket you can visit the museum, the kitchen and the dungeons on the ground floor and the rooms of the castle on the upper floor. It’s an alternative way to spend August 15^th , discovering something more about the origins of this region and of the people who lived here, taking a peek in Frederick II’s life and listening to the legends that surround this historical figure.

If you want to know more, you can read the blogpost dedicated to my visit in this castle.

We are at the end of our short but varied list of possibilities to take a day trip on August 15^th in Apulia. As you can see, I tried to collect different options that could meet different tastes. 

Which one of the five does inspire you the most?