Holiday apartment in Ceglie Messapica: culture, nature and cycling tours

Ceglie Messapica combines historic cultural sites with underground nature and routes through the rural surroundings. Particularly characteristic is the historic centre: a labyrinth of narrow streets, often paved with Chianche, and typical spontaneous architecture shape its townscape.

Local history and art in the centre

The square tower of Castello Ducale was built in 1492 during the rule of the Sanseverino family. Visible traces of its military character have been preserved at Castello Ducale.

In the old town centre, the Pinacoteca Emilio Notte is housed in the painted halls of the 19th-century Palazzo Allegretti. It opened in 1977 and displays works by the painter Emilio Notte, who was a co-author of the 1912 Futurist Manifesto.

The Centro Documentazione Archeologica devotes one section to the defence system of Ceglie Messapica, with the rings of walls locally known as Paretoni and the Specchie. At the same time, it presents the history of Ceglie Messapica from prehistory to the Hellenistic period.

Cave, mountains and routes through the landscape

Grotta Montevicoli features a large cavern with numerous stalactites and stalagmites, including specimens of considerable size. During the Christmas season, a characteristic artistic nativity scene is set up at the rear of Grotta Montevicoli. Monte Trazzonara is located in the surroundings of Ceglie Messapica.

For active days, La via delle querce offers a cycling tour of approximately 23 kilometres with 200 metres of elevation gain. The route includes asphalt, paved-track and gravel sections and is suitable for mountain bikes or gravel bikes. Between Murgia and Salento, it follows tratturi and side roads lined by monumental oak trees. Ceglie del Gualdo, le arterie rurali begins in forests of holm oaks, downy oaks and cork oaks and follows the tratturi of the area.

La via delle Specchie is a themed route for rediscovering the area's Messapian roots. Alla ricerca dell’acqua is an excursion connected with Ceglie Messapica that visits fogge: large water-collection cisterns adapted to karst depressions.

Excursions in the surrounding region

The ancient site of Messapi lies in the immediate surroundings of Ceglie Messapica. The surrounding area also contains the Museo della Civiltà Contadina Masseria Lupoli, the Palazzo Siccoda and the Museo Civico Di Ostuni.

Further afield in the region surrounding Ceglie Messapica are the beaches Spiaggia di Monticelli, Spiaggia Rosa Marina and Spiaggia Lido Tiziana. The landscape highlights therefore extend from caves and forest paths to destinations by the sea.

Choose your holiday apartment in Ceglie Messapica thoughtfully

When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, you can use your preferred holiday focus as a guide: historic culture, archaeology, nature experiences, cycling tours or excursions into the wider surrounding region. Those travelling with children or combining different interests can use this approach to balance active discoveries with more relaxing days centred around the townscape and landscape. Which accommodation best suits your stay depends on the aspects of Ceglie Messapica that you would most like to experience intensively.

More places for your travel planning

Other places you can include in your travel planning are Rosa Marina, Mesagne, Fasano, Selva Di Fasano, Torchiarolo, Ostuni, San Pancrazio Salentino and San Michele Salentino.

To the higher-level travel overview: Brindisi.