Polignano a Mare

Polignano a Mare: discover a charming town of cliffs, beaches, blue waters and the legacy of an Italian summer anthem!

This enchanting seaside town of Polignano a Mare is a jewel on the Puglian coast that borders the Adriatic Sea. It is famous for its cliffs that provide some great diving opportunities. In fact, in recent years, this town has hosted the Red Bull annual diving competition! When this isn’t taking up the spaces, young people enjoy throwing themselves off these heights into the clear blue waters. There are, however, also some beaches for those who wish to simply relax and sunbathe.

The first traceable settlers of this area seem to have lived around the 4th Century BC, when greek settlers founded a city called Neapolis in this area. Since then the town has has many different rulers and played many different roles. In fact, its historical center still shows traces of Byzantine, Spanish and Norman rule. For example, you can still visit the four watchtowers that spread out across Polignano a Mare’s shoreline, and once guarded the old city. Within the center you can also visit the 13th-century Chiesa Matrice which is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Other important historical monuments include the Porta Vecchia and the delightful Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II.

This area of the coast in the Bari province carries the Blue Flag categorization. This means it is a space of incredible natural beauty, and can benefit from a certain protection and preservation. One such natural beauty are the marine grottoes that you can visit by boat from Poligano a Mare’s lungomare promenade. To enjoy the sweeping views of the Adriatic Sea, you can moreover head towards one of the three panoramic terraces that lie on the cliffs holding the historical center.

Despite such a wealth of natural wonders, Polignano a Mare’s most famous export may well be the singer, Domenico Modugno. This artist’s song Volare rose to fame after its entry into the Eurovision Song Contest of 1958. Even today, the locals are proud of their slice of international fame!

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