Cisternino is among the villages overlooking the Valle d'Itria, crouched on a limestone step in the south-eastern Murgia. The dry stone walls - a Unesco heritage art and also a symbol of the harmonious relationship between man and nature - the trulli, the fields of olive trees and the land of an intense red color, are the elements that most characterize the Apulian village.
The historic center of Cisternino
Cisternino is located about 62 km from the city of Brindisi, while only about ten kilometers separate it from Locorotondo, in the province of Bari. It is a village that has gone through history: its origins are Messapic but over the centuries it has undergone different dominations, from the Romans to the Norman-Swabians and the Bourbons. And like Locorotondo, Cisternino is also recognized as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
The charm of Cisternino recalls the East and the merit is of its spontaneous, unplanned architecture that characterizes the historic center. In its oldest part, the houses are leaning against each other, sometimes joined by small arches or interspersed with stairways that overlook hidden courtyards, while balconies and masks carved in stone overlook the alleys.
Before reaching the historic center, it is worth stopping at the Villa Comunale di Cisternino: it is a large green area with a regular geometric shape that overlooks the splendid panorama of the Valle d'Itria from the balcony on the south side. In the immediate vicinity, in Piazza Garibaldi, there is the most beautiful church in Cisternino, the Mother Church of San Nicola di Patara. The church was built on the place of worship of the Basilian monks, but over the centuries it has lost its medieval appearance and today it has a neoclassical facade. Inside there is a prestigious sculpture of the Apulian Renaissance, the Madonna with Child and Offerers (1517), better known as the "Madonna del Cardellino". In front of the church is the Norman Swabian Civic Tower, the so-called Torre Grande, an architecture born as a lookout or signaling point.
From this point of the city, you can arrive in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II located in the heart of the ancient village. The square is located in the center of the four historic districts of Cisternino - Bère Vècchie, Scheledd, u Pantène and l'Isule - and here stands the Clock Tower, a symbol of the city, elegant in the color of the local stone.
Cisternino is a village that deserves to be discovered slowly, without having the fear of getting lost in the alleys, and if you want to discover the best gastronomic tradition, it is worth stopping to taste the grilled meat, cooked on the spot by the butchers of the place.
