Exploring the Religious History of Puglia

As anyone who has been to that region of Italy will tell you, there are any number of reasons why Puglia hotels are in such high demand every year. The fact that the area is considered the ‘green lung’ of the country may have a lot to do with it, as may its quaint and largely unspoilt towns.

However, a no less important aspect of the region’s tourist appeal – and one which often goes overlooked – is its wealth of historic monuments and sites. Any history aficionado taking a tour of the region will, however, discover plenty to keep entertained once the other charms have been enjoyed. Most of these monuments are easily accessible from urban centres, giving visitors even less of an excuse not to visit them.

Religious history, in particular, is well represented in this region of Italy. Tourists staying in one of the many Puglia hotels will easily be able to visit any number of religious monuments from many different periods in Italy’s history. Detailed below are only a few of the area's main attractions in this regard.

Basilica Country

Perhaps the main attractions of the local religious-monument landscape are its basilicas, of which there are many to admire. A good example is the Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria, where tourists can admire colourful frescoes as well as the imposing architecture of the nave. Travellers have compared this monument to the Basilica d’Assisi, which is high praise indeed if you are familiar with Italy’s religious monuments!

Other basilicas well worth a visit by tourists staying in Puglia hotels include the Basilica di Santa Croce, in Lecce, the Basilica Cattedrale Maria Santissima della Madia, in Monopoli, and the Basilica di San Nicola, in Bari – all excellent examples of Baroque architecture.

Smaller But Still Beautiful

On a smaller scale than the basilicas, but no less worth a visit, are a number of cathedrals and churches found in the region's main urban centres. The Trani Cathedral, the Lecce Dome, the Otranto Cathedral and the Sanctuary of St Michael Archangel, in Monte Sant’Angelo, are all examples of religious monuments easily accessible from the main Puglia hotels, and are sure to delight tourists visiting the region. All have been ranked within the top 10 attractions of the area on prestigious travel-rankings portal TripAdvisor, and are considered must-sees.

It is clear, then, that no fan of religious history will be disappointed when visiting this delightful region, as this part of Italy offers plentiful examples of monuments worth visiting.

Helen Forbes is from Essential Italy, a company specialising in Italian holiday villas, apartments and hotels. If you’re looking for the perfect Puglia hotels we can help. Our handpicked accommodation offers distinctive Italian qualities, great comfort and convenience.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.