57 Best Sights in Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria, Italy

In Tropea's beguiling warren of lanes, seek out the old Norman cathedral, whose main altar contains the locally revered icon of the Madonna di Romania, protectress of the city. Also of interest are the imposing 14th-century "Black Crucifix," in one of the side chapels, and the adjoining Museo Diocesano, which contains an archaeological section and a collection of sacred art, including a life-size statue of Santa Domenica in solid silver, dating from 1738. November through March, the cathedral is open for church services only, but if you're quiet and respectful, you can probably sneak a peek.

Originally dedicated to Santa Maria Maddalena before San Cataldo (St. Cathal of Munster) got the Papal nod, Puglia's oldest Duomo has 5th-century origins and been rebuilt several times—its present shape layered on top of an 11th-century Byzantine layout. Striking features include the ornate Baroque facade (1713) by the Leccese Mauro Manieri, geometric motifs in the nave and transept, 16 ancient marble columns with ornate capitals, and a recently rebuilt campanile and 1657 cupola. 

Cosenza's original Duomo, probably built in the middle of the 11th century, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1184. A new cathedral was consecrated in the presence of Emperor Frederick II in 1222. After many Baroque additions, later alterations have restored some of the Provençal Gothic style. Inside, on the left of the main altar, you'll see the lovely monument to Isabella of Aragon, who died after falling from her horse en route to France in 1271.

In the center of the borgo antico, Gallipoli's Duomo is a notable Baroque cathedral from the late 17th century, dedicated to Sant'Agata, patron saint of the city. Built in local limestone, the ornate facade is matched by an equally elaborate interior with columns and altars in fine polychrome marble and paintings by leading local Gallipoli and Neapolitan maestros of the time. Particularly interesting are the stone carvings that depict episodes from the city's history.

Contemporary and modern art enthusiasts should seek out this 2018-established collection lovingly amassed since the late '60s by a wealthy Pugliese couple. Among the 200-plus works, striking geometric and abstract paintings and sculpture from 1950–80 predominate. The permanent exhibits are a wonderful introduction to masters of modernismo italiano and less well-known Pugliese artists from Burri to Zorio.

In the middle of the Gargano Promontory is the majestic Foresta Umbra (Shady Forest), a dense growth of beech, maple, pine, and oak generally found in more northerly climates, thriving here because of the altitude, which reaches 3,200 feet above sea level. Between the trees in this national park are occasional dramatic vistas opening out over the Golfo di Manfredonia. There are nature trails and picnic areas easily reached from Vieste, Peschici, and Mattinata. A seasonal lakeside visitor center (bike hire and guide hikes available) and Museo Naturalistico della Foresta Umbra, offers information, a small natural history exhibition and family-friendly deer-feeding area.  

In spring and summer, and on special dates, this narrow-gauge steam railway takes visitors through stunning countryside from Moccone and Camigliatello Silano to San Nicola-Silvana Mansio. The journey takes 40–50 minutes; in 2024 major works were carried out, including Sculca station, enabling it to stage cultural events, historical reenactments and culinary tastings. Check the website for the latest schedules, events, etc.

A fine example of Gallipoli Baroque, the 17th-century Church of Santa Maria della Purità stands at the end of the borgo antico overlooking famed Purità Beach. It contains an eye-popping wealth of art and decoration, including the painting at the high altar by Luca Giordano (1634-1705), intricately carved wooden choir stalls, and a 19th-century majolica pavement.

Reggio's panoramic palm tree--lined promenade, with views across the Straits of Messina toward Sicily and Etna (on nice days), is named after the former mayor who helped the city's 1990s "Reggio Spring" rebirth. Join the joggers, teens, and families along the 1.6-km (1-mile) route taking in the sea air, handsome Stile Liberty architecture, and Arena dello Stretto, an open-air Greek-style theater, which hosts summer events, performances, and concerts.

Constructed to house the treasures found at the Sanctuary of Hera Lacinia, as well as many antiquities recovered from the surrounding seabed, the museum is situated in the heart of the old city of Crotone, close to the seafront castle. The most precious part of the collection is the so-called Treasure of Hera, with the goddess's finely wrought gold diadem and belt pendant. You can also see the rare 5th-century-BC bronze askos (container for oil) in the form of a mermaid, illegally exported to the United States and subsequently recovered by the Italian government from the Getty Museum in California.

Opened in 2019 and housed in the Beata Vergine degli Angeli convent, next to the church of SS. Sacramento, there's a small municipal museum with Greco-Roman artifacts excavated in the area here, plus temporary art shows (Warhol and Banksy in recent years). Multimedia displays bring to life handsome amphorae, Roman bathhouse bronze statuary, and finds from the necropolis at nearby Villa di Santa Maria di Merino.

Situated between the archbishop's palace and the Duomo, the museum contains paintings, silverware, vestments, and other precious objects collected by the archbishops of Cosenza over centuries. Look for the filigreed silver cup known as "the Pope," the 15th-century "Torquemada" chalice, and paintings by Luca Giordano, Andrea Vaccaro, and Giuseppe Pascaletti. The heart of the museum contains La Stauroteca, emblem of Cosenza and the city's greatest treasure: a unique reliquary cross dating back to the 13th century.

Named after local 19th-century medical doctor Domenico Ridola, who investigated archaeological sites in the surrounding area, this seat of the MNM highlights his excavations of the remains of Paleolithic and Neolithic settlements, as well as a richly endowed 4th-century-BC tomb. Ridola's finds are on view in the museum, which is housed in the former monastery of Santa Chiara. The collection includes an extensive selection of prehistoric and classical artifacts, notably Bronze Age implements and beautifully decorated red-figure pottery from Magna Graecia.

Housed within the handsome 17th-century Palazzo Lanfranchi, this part of the MNM is divided into three contrasting thematic sections: Sacred Art, Collectibles, and Contemporary Art. You may want to skim through the many restored artifacts from Basilicata's churches and the 300-plus works of the Neapolitan school: the main attraction are the 70-plus paintings of Carlo Levi and his must-stop-to-absorb humanist masterpiece Lucania '61. MNM also manages the Former Hospital of San Rocco (founded in 1348 and rebuilt in 1610), at Via San Biagio 31. It's worth visiting if you buy the cumulative ticket (€3 otherwise) for its fascinating history, architecture, and changing exhibitions.  

Known as the Città Bianca for its dazzling white buildings and cobbled streets, Ostuni commands stupendous views out over the coast and the surrounding plain. Its unpolluted sea and clean beaches have earned it international Blue Flag recognition since 1994. The surrounding countryside contains a number of interesting 17th- and 18th-century masserie, many of which have been converted into agriturismi.

The house where Carlo Levi, the author of Christ Stopped at Eboli, lived in Aliano now contains two museums: the Museo Carlo Levi, which includes some of the paintings Levi did during his 1930s exile, and the Museo della Civiltà Contadina (Museum of Peasant Traditions), which documents peasant life of the past. Guided tours (call ahead for seasonal times and to reserve a place) include visits to both museums and discuss Levi's life under Fascism as well as the old farm implements.

If you have the time, visit the Aliano Cemetery to see Levi's tomb and/or hike the Calanchi Mountains along one of five trails.

Italy's largest national park straddles Calabria and Basilicata, rises to over 7,000 feet at Serra Dolcedorme, and offers many opportunities for outdoors enthusiasts. Its ancient wooded valleys are home to Europe's oldest tree, a 1,230-year-old Heldreich’s pine. There are five summits all over 6,562 feet, the highest point being Serra Dolcedorme at 7,438 feet above sea level, the highest point of the Southern Apennines. It's the only peak from where it's possible to see three seas: the Ionian, the Tyrrhenian, and the Adriatic. Hiking trails dot the landscape with excursions for most abilities—and there are popular picnicking viewpoints, often near rifugi (rustic hostels that tend to offer food).

The city's main square divides the new town to the west and the old town to the east. The triangular piazza contains the town symbol: the towering Guglia di Sant'Oronzo (Spire of St. Oronzo), named after the patron of Ostuni, in whose honor an elaborate festival is held every year in late August.

This is the buzzing hub of Lecce's social life in the heart of the maze of pedestrianized alleyways lined with cafés, little restaurants, and crafts shops. Named after Oronzo, the city's patron saint, who crowns a Roman column that once marked the end of the Via Appia Antica, the piazza is also occupied by Roman amphitheater (I--II century AD) and the 16th-century Renaissance-Gothic style Palazzo del Seggio or "Il Sedile."

Cosenza's noblest square, Piazza XV Marzo (commonly called Piazza della Prefettura), houses government buildings as well as the elegant Teatro Rendano. From the square, the Villa Comunale (public garden) provides plenty of shaded benches for a rest.

Four floors of the handsome 18th-century Palazzo Lodispoto, near the Duomo, contain two very different collections: the Museo Diocesano showcases Trani's wealth of religious artifacts, while the Museo della Macchina per Scrivere follows the evolution of the typewriter. Among the highlights in the former are fragments from the 6th-century basilica, medieval and Baroque architectural elements, and funereal treasures commissioned by Charles I of Anjou on the death of his son Philip. The latter collection has 400 examples of typewriters from around the world, including some iconic Olivetti models as well as those used to type Braille, Arabic, and Japanese. Nearby at Via La Giudea, the Sinagoga Museo Sant'Anna has exihbits detailing the history of Trani's Jewish community.  

Taranto's most important monument is the ancient church and monastery of San Domenico in the heart of the centro storico. Situated on the narrow strip of land that divides Taranto's two bays, Mare Piccolo and Mare Grande, the present, rather neglected church rises over the ancient Greek acropolis of Taranto where the city is considered to have originated. The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, much venerated by the local people, stands in the last chapel on the left. Pop into the beautiful 13th-century cloister for a moment's respite from sightseeing.

Considered a jewel of medieval architecture, the 13th-century Romanesque church of San Giovanni Battista was restored to its pre-Baroque simplicity in 1926. The elaborately carved portal is a riot of entwining stone vines, flowers, leaves, human figures, and allegorical creatures. Inside, the three naves are flanked by columns crowned with capitals, each one decorated with symbolic animal forms and other images—no two are alike.

Although Lecce was founded before the time of the ancient Greeks, it's often associated with the term Barocco leccese, the result of a citywide impulse in the 17th century to redo the town in an exuberant fashion. But this was Baroque with a difference: generally, such architecture is heavy and monumental, but here it took on a lighter, more fanciful air, and the church of Santa Croce is a fine example, along with the adjoining Palazzo della Prefettura. The facade is a riot of sculptures of saints, angels, leaves, vines, and columns—all in glowing local honey-color stone, creating an overall lighthearted effect.

Pilgrims have flocked to the mountain community of Monte Sant'Angelo for nearly 1,500 years—among them St. Francis of Assisi and crusaders setting off for the Holy Land from the then-flourishing port of Manfredonia. Monte Sant'Angelo is centered on the Santuario di San Michele, built over the grotto where the archangel Michael is believed to have appeared before shepherds in the year 490. Walk down a long series of steps to get to the grotto itself; on its walls you can see the hand tracings left by pilgrims. The Sanctuary was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011. To learn more about the history and myth surrounding the site visit the adjoining Musei TECUM.

Although this 18th-century house, Alberobello's largest trullo, originally belonged to a wealthy family, it has been furnished in a traditional style, providing insight into what everyday life was like in these unique beehive constructions. Check out the classic film Casanova '70, starring Marcello Mastroianni and Moira Orfei, which was partly filmed in and around the trullo.