The magic of a territory full of the narrow hills of olive groves and vineyards that surround it, where the ancient trulli create a unique setting all over the world: it is in this suggestive song of Puglia that the beautiful Cisternino unfolds.

Overlooking the Itria Valley, in the so-called Murgia dei Trulli, Cisternino is a pretty town not far from the Adriatic coast, counted among "The most beautiful villages in Italy", surrounded by white houses and narrow alleys where you can savor the typical aromas and flavors of the country and which over the years has collected a series of awards: the orange flag of the Touring Club, the green Agriculture flag and the "Slow City".

Its beautiful historic center, with masterpieces of the Apulian Baroque, is the result of what has been called "spontaneous architecture" characterized by the typical “chianche” that paves the entire pavement of the narrow streets, by the presence of houses piled one on top of the other and arches and underpasses, which create a play of light and shadow, especially on hot summer afternoons.

NOT TO BE MISSED
It is not easy to recommend a particular itinerary to follow because the beauty of living Cisternino is precisely to get lost in its labyrinth of narrow streets and then find yourself in one of the squares of the village with bright colors such as Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, where to sit for a coffee or an aperitif and observe the evening bustle, savoring the real life of the village or Piazza Garibaldi, where the Torre Grande still performs its function of historical protector as a natural sighting point.

To see the splendor of the panorama, however, you need to reach the belvedere which is located behind the municipal villa on the other side of the square.

The Porta Grande tower from the Norman-Swabian era is certainly worth a visit.  It constituted the access to the town and on top of which still stands the statue of San Nicola and the Mother Church of San Nicola di Patara, not far from Piazza Garibaldi. This square was erected on the place of worship of the Basilian monks, but  over the centuries has undergone modifications and reconstructions that have altered its primitive medieval appearance.You can admire the Renaissance masterpiece of the Madonna and Child carved in stone in 1517 by Stefano di Putignano, which is the most valuable art treasure of Cisternino.

White like the trulli, red like the earth and green like the olive trees, Cisternino is the ideal place to take care of your soul and spirit. In recent years, however, Cisternino has become a destination appreciated also for good food, especially by meat lovers for the butchers of the historic center, where you can choose your meat at the counter and consume it after a few minutes following the cooking in the characteristic "cooker". Savoring the chosen and freshly cooked meat on the grills outside the butchers, together with a good glass of wine and chatting with the locals has become a real ritual, a triumph of authenticity, tradition and taste. Among the specialties there are sausages, the famous bowls and “gnumeredd”, the skewers made with lamb entrails; all always accompanied by grilled vegetable dishes. In the shops you will find the friselle, the beans used for the puree and the orecchiette that are the protagonists of the festival that takes place in August.

THE BIG PARTIES
The ideal is to visit Cisternino during a holiday period, in order to fully experience the true spirit of the village. Certainly Easter Monday or early August are the ideal times.
On the first Sunday of August, however, the feast celebrating the patron saints Quirico and Giulitta falls and processions, concerts and fireworks are held, while the town is completely adorned with bright decorations. And it is in this atmosphere of celebration and devotion that in Cisternino with a few simple rules you can keep away the stress and chaos of big cities by healing your soul and spirit.
But in the end Cisternino is always beautiful, at any time of the year. It enters you as soon as you reach its land and its memory accompanies you for the rest of your life.