Traveling the Murge
Southern Italy's Most Historic Area is Waiting for You!
The Murge sits like a page torn from a history book. A narrow strip of land that is best subdivided into specific areas in order to appreciate it the most: the major regions of Gargano (check out the Rocca del Garagnone near Spinazzola), Salento and the aforementioned Murge, are composed of a craggy expanse of limestone rock that dates back to at least the Mesozoic Age. Two of the "lesser" regions of Puglia and Campania slop are basically flatlands that slope outward towards the Adriatic Sea. The locals know the region as Murgia Alta and Basso. (high and low).
Within the stretch of the Murge sit a number of small towns that serve only to underscore Italy's past: Matera with its anicent grotto homes...Altamura which showcases some of the best-preserved examples of dinosaur tracks...as well as the medieval towns of Locorotondo and Mottola. Furthermore, the municipalities of Spinazzola, Minervino, Corato and Andria are part of the Alta Murgia National Park, the first-ever "rural" national park in Italy where primitive landscapes combine with other flora and fauna to create a primordial vista if ever there was one.
In its simplist form, the Murge presets an incredible array of landscapes and primitive architecture: from simple caves to ancient churches, from early rock settlements to modern big cities.
"Travelling the Murge" - as the locals say - is the best approach for appreciating its splendor. In fact, the site PugliaImperiale does a great job of breaking down the Murge into bite-sized excursions that can be accomplished by bike, car and in some cases by foot.
Just pick a direction and you'll find that over the course of an afternoon you can literally be all things: standing in the tracks of dinosaurs or resting within the walls of an ancient culture.
The Murge has been singled out as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and that alone makes the area worth visiting.
Published by Gary Picariello
I've traveled the world as a Broadcast Journalist working for the American Forces Radio & Television Service in the United States Air Force. Now happily retired after 23 years of service, and currently livin... View profile
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- The Murge is like history's version of "one-stop shopping."
- The Murge is full of locations that make great day-trips or over-night stays.
- The Murge is perhaps the oldest area in the Puglia Reigon.
3 Comments
Post a CommentWhoops, a duplicate post. Oh well. We (our place, Fort Algonquin) would be on the Basso part, in between the two highest peaks. Sort of ties over to your point of the Murge Alto and Basso. ;-)
I really enjoyed this piece, Gary. Wasn't until late in my 2nd tour that I ran across the Murge term, although I had visited the key points you mention over the years. I guess what I like is that you are standing back more from a geological ? perspective here, and ties together these different areas like the Gargano Peninsula. Near where I live is a similar type deal, and while people often visit several peaks within, one must stand back and see they are all part of the same geological ridge of land.
I really enjoyed this piece, Gary. Wasn't until late in my 2nd tour that I ran across the Murge term, although I had visited the key points you mention over the years. I guess what I like is that you are standing back more from a geological ? perspective here, and ties together these different areas like the Gargano Peninsula. Near where I live is a similar type deal, and while people often visit several peaks within, one must stand back and see they are all part of the same geological ridge of land.