Bisceglie is a town of remarkable historical past, rich of ancient palaces, churches and also prehistoric monuments. Originally a Norman stronghold surrounded by walls, it has spread in recent centuries outside the walls and is today a lively agricultural and trading center, with a hinterland cultivated with vineyards, almond and olive trees, and a remarkable coastline of bays, promontories and sea grottos.

Bisceglie is a city and municipality on the Adriatic Sea of 55,251 inhabitants in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, in the Apulia region (Italian: Puglia), in southern Italy. The city was awarded Blue Flag Beach certification in 2001 for high environmental and quality standards. Scallette and Salsello Beaches were also certified in 2003, 2005 and 2006.

It is the municipality with the fourth highest population in the province and fourteenth highest in the region.

It is an important agricultural hub, with manufacturers mainly in the textile industry.

HIGLIGHTS

Hinge between the two provinces (Bari and Barletta-Andria-Trani), Bisceglie looks like a city for all tastes and for all seasons. It is an ancient village full of narrow streets, churches and palaces, with its historical centre among the greatest of Puglia! Bisceglie also offers eight kilometers of swimming coastline and a beautiful countryside where dolmens, houses, towers, ancient farms rise up.

Among the places to visit stand out: the Cathedral dedicated to St. Peter and the relics of the three saints Martyrs Patrons of the City, Bishop Mauro, Sergio and Pantaleone (the latter two, knights, were converted to Christianity by the Bishop Mauro). The year of the Cathedral’s construction is 1073.

Another place worth to be mentioned is the funerary monument, dating from the Middle Bronze Age (1600-1300 BC), the best preserved in Europe: the Chianca Dolmen located in the heart of Bisceglie’s countryside.

Wonderful, both in summer and in winter, it’s the Bisceglie’s sea that caresses the characteristic rounded and very white pebbles,  typical of the coast from the naturalistic town of Pantano-Ripalta (eastern seafront) to the Mediterranean Theater (western seafront).

Main sights

• Cathedral (13th century)
• Church of Santa Margherita, in Romanesque-Apulian style (12th century), with fine canopied tombs of the Falcone family^[23]
• Hohestaufe-Angevin castle and Norman tower
• Abbey of S. Adoeno (11th century)
• grottoes of Santa Croce
• 4 dolmens

Also notable is the naturalistic area of Pantano-Ripalta.