If you walk along the perimeter of the town, following the line of the old city walls, you will see that a few of the defensive towers built into those walls are still standing.  An example of this is the Torre delle Seti, or the Tower of Silk, which dates from the fourteenth century.  The…

Exploring the historical center, of whichever town we happen to be in, is something I love doing.  To simply let your heart and feet guide you is the best way to see a new place. In Piazza del Plebiscito, you will find the Torre dell’Orologio, and the adjoining Palazzo dell’Università.  The Torre dell’Orologio dates from…

On two sides, surrounding the apartment we had rented (in fact, all the windows in the apartment overlooked it), there was Villa Comunale Giuseppe Garibaldi.  This small public park area was charming during daylight hours, and it was a nice place to relax.  In the evening hours, especially on the weekends, the bar/pizzeria/restaurant in the…

Our next destination was only a twenty-two-minute drive away, the charming city of Martina Franca!  After the small town of Crispiano, we were both ready for a little more of a city atmosphere, and Martina Franca did not disappoint.  I immediately fell in love with the charming city and its people!  Once again, we rented…

The small, lovely Church of San Francesco d’Assisi sits at the edge of a charming piazza. The octagonal-shaped church is a peaceful place to sit for a while, admiring the artwork that adorns its walls. Set in the outskirts of the city, but still an easy walk from the main piazza, the Torre Cacace dates…

One of our days, in the town of Crispiano, was a complete washout!  It not only rained, but it poured all day long.  Luckily, there was a small supermarket not too far from the apartment, and so we purchased some groceries, which we cooked, enjoying the coziness of the apartment, and a day of basically…

Like its neighbors to the north, Laterza and Matera, Crispiano has its share of caves.  Most of these are housed in the Parco del Vallone, a small section of which was visible from the main road.  During the Christmas season, the caves here are used for a living Nativity scene, which is quite popular. The…

Our next stop was the city of Crispiano, a small place in Puglia, approximately forty-five minutes away from Laterza, by car.  We chose this city for no real reason, other than the fact that it seemed as if it would be a nice place to spend a few days, relaxing and soaking up some of…

One of the main things I wanted to accomplish, on our last day in Laterza, was to visit the Santuario Maria Santissima Mater Domini, or as it is better known, simply Mater Domini.  This church can be found at Via Aborigeni, 101.  The church dates from 1736, and was built next to an ancient cave…

The Chiesa di Sant’Antonio is located on the main piazza of Laterza, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. In the middle of the piazza, in the small park, you will find the Fontana della Madonnina, so called because of the statue of the Madonna that sits on top of the lovely, decorated column. On nearby Piazza Plebiscito, you…

A plaque pays tribute to Nicola Perrone, who fought in the war for independence, and the unification of Italy.  He died in poverty, in 1875. As I was exploring, I came upon a small park area, which had this delightful statue in it. Like any other city, Laterza has its commercial streets, such as Via…

The art of ceramic producing, in particular the making of the type of ceramic known as majolica, has been practiced in Laterza since the ancient times.  Samples found in the area have been dated as far back as the 3rd millennium BC.   The 16th and 17th centuries brought a new elevation to the art, when…