Cassano Delle Murge: Nature, Trails and History

In Cassano Delle Murge, a historic town center meets a karst landscape. The town center is still surrounded by defensive walls today, while Cassano delle Murge is located next to the Foresta di Mercadante. If you would like to combine culture, nature and trails, you will find several starting points here for planning your trip.

Karst Landscape and Forest

The Foresta di Mercadante covers 1,300 hectares, most of which lie within the municipal boundaries of Cassano delle Murge. Cassano delle Murge is located at the entrance to the Parco Nazionale dell'Alta Murgia and is one of the thirteen municipalities whose territories lie within the national park. Due to the karst soils, caves, Lame and gorges are common in the area of Cassano delle Murge. The Grotta di Cristo features numerous alabaster-like sinter formations and columns. The landscape therefore ranges from an extensive forest area to underground formations and open karst features.

Routes for Walking and Cycling

The Cammino Federiciano is a cultural hiking route that can be traveled on foot or by bicycle. Eighty percent of the route runs along low-traffic roads, roads closed to traffic or country roads. The different types of roads provide an objective basis for planning your daily stages according to the type of route surface you prefer.

The Circuito delle Querce is an environmentally focused cycling tourism network consisting of cycle routes of varying difficulty levels. The cycle routes start in the built-up area of Cassano delle Murge and branch out into the countryside. The La Foresta route of the Circuito delle Querce is 25 km long and passes through the Foresta di Mercadante. The Foresta di Mercadante has facilities and services for the many visitors who cross it on foot or by bicycle.

Culture Between the Town Center and the Murgia

The MUTEC presents the historical development of the area over a period of more than 35 centuries in four chronological and thematic sections—from prehistory to modern times. The religious tradition Madonn' d' Basce is celebrated every year on the third Sunday in May.

The former Convento di Santa Maria degli Angeli is located near the built-up area of Cassano delle Murge. The convent is associated with a fresco of the Madonna degli Angeli, which is painted on a wall of the natural grotto on the Murgia of Cassano. The site thus brings together historic walls in the center, a religious tradition and a landscape in which natural grottos are part of the area's history.

A Route in Seven Stages

A 170 km route passes in seven stages, among other places, through Cassano delle Murge and the medieval towns of Bitetto, Santeramo in Colle and Altamura. The 25 km La Foresta route is thus contrasted with a 170 km route in seven stages.

Further destinations for orientation: La Pergola, Bitetto, Lamie di Olimpia, Santa Lucia, Capurso, Bisceglie, Castellana Grotte, Modugno.

For the overarching travel overview: Bari.