Sitting 431 metres above sea level, the little Puglian town of Martina Franca gazes over the lovely Valle d'Itria, tree clad and peppered with the distinctive white trulli dwellings for which this part of Puglia (or Apulia) is famed. This is rich farmland, with the fields under 'masserie' farming estates. Another delightful peculiarity of the local landscape is the Karst, a landscape of limestone rock, pitted with caves. Legend has it that Martina Franca dates from the 10th century, when a group of refugees fled coastal Taranto, to escape a Saracen invasion, finding refuge here in the mountains. The 'franca' in the name is a dialect word for 'free'.
Head into Martina Franca itself and you find a delightful old town, a charming mix of the medieval and the Baroque, with examples of the latter including the University Palace, the Stabile Palace and the Palazzo Ducale - both the seat of local government and of the town museum. Dating from the late 17th century, this is a fine example of Puglian Baroque. Laid out around the central squares of Piazza XX Settembre, Piazza Roma and Piazza Plebiscito, the town has some fine old churches, little alleyways and brilliant-white houses.
You'll find a number of organised tours run out of the town tourist office, among them itineraries of the Baroque architecture, explorations of Puglia's many castles, expeditions into the Valle d'Itria and journeys of discovery of the Rupestrian Crypts.
To the left you'll find a selection of hotels, to get you in the mood
- see also our full listings of Martina Franca hotels.
