Over the sun-scorched plains and rocky shores of Puglia, castles lord it over, silent yet expressive monuments to centuries of empires, crusades, and cultural interaction. The glittering shores of the Adriatic, the windswept hills of the Murge, there is no fortress that doesn’t have at least one interesting story. These are not merely defensive works, but the ideals of emperors hewn in stone – Frederick II’s quest for perfection, the Aragonese drive for control, and the Renaissance desire for beauty even in battle. In this article, we’ll cover some of the most beautiful castles in Puglia and teach you everything there is to know about them.
But let’s start from the beginning…
Castello Dentice di Frasso (Ducal Castle of Bovino)
At Carovigno, the Castello Dentice di Frasso stands on the summit of the town, where there are sweet groves of olives, and where one can see the Adriatic beyond. It took its rise during the Norman time, when a plain square tower was set up by Boemondo d’Altavilla. Through the centuries of its evolution, it assimilated the aspirations of Angevin, Aragonese, and local feudal lords. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the outlines of the castle changed to a vivid triangular shape, anchored by three towers: one square, one round, and one so-called mandorla (the shape of an almond), which reflected cannonballs away.
Then, under the noble family of Dentice di Frasso (since 1792), an extensive renovation of the castle by the engineer Gaetano Marschiczek made it a grand mansion with ornamental stonework, sculpted faces, arcaded loggias, and formal gardens linked by a now-covered tunnel. The castle interior contains vaulted rooms, frescoed salons, a great signorial hearth, a chapel through the portal of which are the Dentice arms and the motto Noli me tangere.
If you’re looking for a place to stay nearby, Hotel Park Novecento and Hotel Relais La Sommita are great options.
Lucera Fortezza Svevo-Angioina
The Fortress of Lucera, which stands high up a hill overlooking the Daunian plain, mimics a silent watchman over the town. It was constructed by Frederick II circa 1233, as part of his scheme to accommodate the Muslim troops he had transferred out of Sicily – a unique and fascinating medieval exercise in interfaith co-existence. The fortress was later redeveloped into the large walled complex by the Angevins that still impresses visitors even today. The ramparts, 900 meters in length with towers and bastions embracing it, screen what was a royal palace, a parade ground, and a huge underground cistern.
Even with time there is a lot less of it, but still the expanse and perspective are spectacular, particularly during sunset, when the stone is tawny. The place is right next to the fortress, and just a bit down the road is the quaint old town of Lucera, where a traveler can stay at the Palace Lucera Hotel, a four-star experience with all the trappings of modern times and the sight of the Apennines.
Enjoying this post? Then you may also like our list of castles in Sicily.
Castello Normallo-Svevo, Bari
The great Norman-Swabian Castle of Bari is a huge edifice of stone crowning the borders of the old town, overlooking the sea and the old streets of Bari Vecchia. It was initially erected by Roger II of Sicily in the 1130s and was torn down in the revolts and restored by Frederick II between 1233 and 1240. It was the touch of the emperor that gave the castle its stern loveliness: heavy walls of limestone, sharp towers, and a broad ditch on three sides. Subsequent monarchs, both Angevin and Sforza duchesses Isabella of Aragon and Bona Sforza, included Renaissance blossoms–carved staircases, frescoed halls, and fine balconies.
During the centuries, it was a fortress, a ducal palace, and even a prison of the Bourbons. Today, it’s a museum, with its chilly halls, exhibiting the sculptures and casts of Apulian monuments. Visitors can enjoy a nearby place of stay at Palazzo Calò, a luxury hotel nestled in the historical core of Bari.
Castello Carlo V, Monopoli
The Castle of Charles V in Monopoli was erected facing the sea in the proud defiance of the emperor who had commissioned the construction of the Castle in 1525 as part of the great plan of fortifying the coast of Puglia. The fortress is pentagonal in plan, constructed on the point of Punta Pinna, with massive bastions, which could have resisted the shots of a cannon. It became a garrison in the 17th century, but in 1749, it changed to a noble residence, with governors and local nobility staying. Gradually, its halls acquired ornate ceilings and massive windows that looked out upon the harbor.
The natives talk of specters they have observed in the battlements and the remains of its history as a stronghold and a jail. The vaulted rooms of the castle today are used as exhibition rooms, cultural rooms, and their thick walls ring with music and art rather than muskets. Tourists may look down and see the waves crashing beneath its panoramic terraces or walk around the old town of Monopoli just outside the gates. Hotel Don Ferrante, which was constructed against the city walls, is nearby, with its luxurious rooms suspended over the water – the ideal combination of ancient beauty and the tranquility of the sea.
Castello Angioino-Aragonese of Gallipoli
The Castello Angioino-Aragonese is a fortress at the entrance to the old town of Gallipoli, located right before the Ionian Sea, and appears as though it is growing directly out of the water. The port has long been under its protection with thick, stone walls and circular towers that have survived sieges, attacks by pirates, and the rise and fall of empires. It was originally constructed by the Byzantines, but strengthened by the Angevins in the 13th century, and subsequently by the Aragonese in the 15th, so that it is now a perfect composite of medieval muscularity and Renaissance symmetry.
The building has echoing corridors and spiral staircases, as well as the Rivellino tower, a tower detached but with a drawbridge linking it to the main tower in the past. Art exhibitions and shows of various kinds tend to fill up the old barracks, restoring life to the cavernous halls of the fortress. It is a view to remember when gazing over the golden roofs of Gallipoli and the sapphire waters, through the ramparts. Palazzo Presta Boutique Hotel is a luxurious experience right across the bridge in an 18th-century mansion, a beautiful contrast to the rough stones that once defended the Beautiful City.
Corigliano d’Otranto -Castello de Monti
The Castello de Monti of Corigliano d’Otranto is a charming union of strength and elegance in the very quiet centre of Salento. It was a medieval fortress converted by the noble de Monti family, in the 16 th century, into a palace of princes. The outcome is a masterpiece of southern Puglia: There are four huge bastions that enclose a sophisticated interior atrium with carved balconies and Renaissance reliefs. The moat and drawbridge still showcase its military history, but the interior also includes stuccoed rooms, fine staircases, and a secret passage connecting the castle with the adjacent church.
Today, it’s a venue to cultural events, poetry readings and concerts and serves as a symbol of the revival of the town. The landscape is covered with olive trees and tawny roofs, and the panorama of the terrace embraces the calm of the countryside of Salento. The closest accomodation to the coast would be Relais Masseria Le Cesine, a luxurious country resort with access to the coast, featuring comfort and a sense of silence of the timeless majesty of the castle silhouette.
Castello Aragonese of Conversano
This great Aragonese Castle towers over the town of Conversano, and it has been protecting the town since Norman days. Initially constructed in the 11th century, it was extended in the 14th century by the Acquaviva d’Aragona family and made Conversano one of the most dominant fiefdoms of the medieval Puglia. The castle unites defensive simplicity with aristocratic elegance: the square towers, the stone ramparts, and the high battlements protect the airy loggias and the great halls. The castle features galleries of paintings by Paolo Finoglio, whose series of works about Gerusalemme Liberata was regarded as a masterpiece of baroque.
The castle is now a museum and cultural center, and the terraces provide spectacular views of the hills dotted with olive trees. Only a few feet off is the Corte Altavilla Relais & Charme, a boutique hotel set in the walls of old stone, ideal for people who would like to stay right next to the castle.
Castello Massafra
Massafra castle appears to be growing out of the limestone-rock above the Gravina of San Marco. It was formed in the Byzantine period, but was modified by the Aragonese and strengthened by the Normans. The castle is situated on the brink of a deep ravine, where it commands spectacular scenes of the wild scenery at the base. Within are the mazes of rooms and corridors which recount the adventures of sieges and of noble intrigues.
Throughout the centuries, it had been a stronghold as well as an impregnable place, observing the rise and fall of the leaders of southern Italy. Its lost glory has been restored, and exhibitions and historical reenactments are done in the castle. The Masseria Amastuola Wine Resort, just down the road, with centuries-old olive trees, can offer the perfect base, a blend of local wine, serene splendor, just a 10-minute drive away from the castle.
Castello Svevo-Angioni-Aragonese, Manfredonia
This fortress, which overlooks the Adriatic in the harbor of Manfredonia, is a stratified relic of the turbulent history of southern Italy. Constructed during the mid-13th century under Manfred, the son of Frederick II, and subsequently reinforced by the Angevins and Aragonese, who turned it into one of the most beautiful castles in Puglia. The castle has a history of footsteps and revolt, used by the royal family, and used as a jail.
The halls of its current walls today contain the National Archaeological Museum of Manfredonia, containing the Daunian stelae – the stone slabs carved with human figures in building its stories, which are even more ancient than the castle itself. Looking over the ramparts, you can see the Gargano mountains sweeping towards the sea in a wave of pale blue and green. Regiohotel Manfredi, just up the road, is contemporary, has a spa and a view of the sea, the best place to rest after surveying centuries of history.
Castello Normano-Svevo-Aragonese, Monte Sant’Angelo
Raised high in the Gargano mountains, the castle of Monte Sant’Angelo commands a horizon stretching, through forested hills, to the Adriatic below. It has its roots in the Lombards, but was developed during the reign of Frederick II in the 13th century, when it became one of the most important castles in Puglia. It was afterwards fortified by the Angevins and the Aragonese with towers and hardened walls. It features a wide courtyard, vaulted halls, and the mysterious Torre dei Giganti, a gigantic Norman tower that takes up most of the skyline.
Faith and power are bound together in the same sacred landscape, as the castle also views the Sanctuary of St. Michael, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the region. The Palace Hotel San Michele is a welcoming neighbor with panoramic scenery – a relaxing contrast to the grim majesty of the fortress.
Mola di Bari – Castello Angioino-Aragonese
This seashore castle is a monument to the turbulent history of Puglia and is the protection of the small fishing port of Mola di Bari. Our first building was built in 1279 by Charles I of Anjou to guard against the ravages of the Saracens. The Aragonese in the 16th century converted it into a veritable Renaissance citadel, with circular bastions, ramparts, and platforms on which cannon were to be repelled. Its walls of rock are still suffused with the salty fragrance of the Adriatic, and the inner courtyard opens on the sky, and there gulls fly round like sentinels.
Indoors, visitors can see reconstructed halls and subways that used to hold weaponry and rations. Today, the castle is used to host concerts and art shows, which add more life to the centuries-old passages. The marina and old town are only a short distance away, and are a pleasant place to take a relaxing walk among the houses of fishermen painted in sun-bleached colors. To make their stay soundly laced with the seaside atmosphere, Hotel Gabbiano provides a panoramic view of the fortress and the shimmering Adriatic horizon.
Aragonesto of Otranto
In the easternmost part of Italy, where the first ray of the dawn brings its light to the peninsula, stands the Aragonese Castle of Otranto. It was constructed into an enormous coastal defence system, which was developed following the Ottoman invasion of 1480, to ensure the Salento area was secure against future attacks. Its angled bastions, moat, and star-shaped structure are indications of the developing science of fortification of the Renaissance.
Inside, there are thick corridors, which culminate in vaulted chambers and underground tunnels, which used to run to the defensive walls of the town. The Torre Alfonsina is the great round tower of the castle dominating the harbor and the skyline of the city. On the ramparts, visitors can enjoy the views of the remote Otranto Channel and coastal Albania. Only a short stroll outside the fortress, Hotel Palazzo Papaleo combines old and new luxury – the terraces with sea breezes, candlelit dinners, and panoramas of one of the most romantic ports of Puglia.
Castello Svevo, Oria
The Castello Svevo, which stands on the hilltop town of ancient Oria, is an amazing structure that overlooks the Salento plains. Constructed by Frederick II in the early 13 th century, it embodies the architectural genius of the emperor as well as his interest in symmetry and strength. It has three towering edifices: one square, one cylindrical, and one pentagonal, with huge curtain walls that create an exclusive triangular design. The citadel was used as a royal palace and frontier post, and was a part of the system of Frederick, which extended over southern Italy.
Centuries of sieges and noble feuds, and earthquakes have taken much of its magnificence, but a good part still stands. The vistas of the courtyards and towers of the Castle descend to an oversight of the olive groves and villas whitened by whitewash. During the summer, visitors can have a look at the restored halls where medieval reenactments and exhibitions are organized. In the old town, the small streets culminate in Hotel Relais La Corte di Oria, a quiet oasis of contemporary comfort and medieval echo.
Castello Aragonese of Taranto
The Aragonese Castle, located in Taranto, is one of the most remarkable coastal castles in Puglia and southern Italy. It’s a masterpiece of military architecture that is still protecting the bridge of the city to the old town. Initially constructed by the Byzantines and extended by Frederick II, it assumed its present shape in the late 15th century under the rule of King Ferdinand of Aragon, who commissioned architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini to design a sturdy bastioned cannon-proof citadel. The rounded towers and moat of the castle are perfectly reflected in the waters of the turquoise sea that surrounds it on almost all sides.
Throughout its history, it was a royal palace, a prison, and a naval fortress – and nowadays it has returned to its military use. Visitors are still able to explore its beautiful courtyards, the old chapel, and underground tunnels. On the other side of the causeway lies Europa Hotel, with a quiet view of the gulf–a soothing change to the castle, which was once roaring with cannon and royal dictums.
Brindisi, Castello Alfonsino di Mare
The Castello Alfonsino, or the Sea Castle, stands dramatically on a small island at the entrance of the harbour of Brindisi, and has defended the city since 1558. Constructed under Charles v and expanded by Philip II of Spain, it was in charge of maritime traffic and preventing Ottoman incursions. It is built of warm red carparo, and shines wonderfully at sunset, the towers being reflected in the water. The castle is divided into two areas namely the older Castello Alfonsino and the subsequent Forte a Mare, linked in a stone bridge.
Its heavy walls contain vaulted rooms, barracks, and powder magazines, which once contained the strength of imperial Spain. Some of the restored sections of the castle have been opened to people after centuries of neglect, and these days are used to host various cultural events. To create a memorable experience, Grande Albero Internazionale has views of the harbor.
Castel del Monte, Andria
Not many structures all over the world have the aura of Castel del Monte, the most mysterious masterpiece by Frederick II. This UNESCO World Heritage site was developed around 1240, and it towers over the Murge plateau in the form of a crown of pale limestone and coral coloured marble. The shape, which is of perfect octagonal form, has eight towers enclosed within an eight-sided court. Part castle, part saying, it has no defensive elements such as moats or stables, and was likely initially intended to be a hunting lodge or a temple of learning.
The castle is ethereal, suspended between the earth and the sky, with gorgeous views of the surrounding hills. Adjacent to the castle, Masseria Montegusto provides fine hospitality and a panoramic view of the fortress.
Castle of Lecce
The Castle of Lecce or the Castle of Charles V, is a fortress in the historic center of the city. It was originally constructed in the 12th century as the home of the Counts of Lecce, and then, during the 16th century, under Emperor Charles V, it was redesigned. The remodelling of the castle brought the castle to the current shape with four huge corner bastions and fortified walls that absorbed the previous medieval structure. With time, it was also used as an administrative and residential building, becoming one of the most important historical buildings in the city.
Stay at Risorgimento Resort, a 5-star hotel just steps from the castle, offering elegant rooms and a rooftop terrace overlooking Lecce’s baroque skyline.
Bisceglie Castle
Bisceglie is a maritime castle with agricultural roots. The town also thrived under Frederick II, who left a permanent mark on the urban structure. The castle, which was built by the Normans in the 11 th century, was extended under the Swabian reign. The most identifiable part is the 27-meter-tall Torre Maestra, which was later topped by other towers like the Torre Piccola and delle Gabelle.
The walls of the perimeter were strengthened by the Aragonese later on, and there are a number of Norman-Swabian watchtowers that offer gorgeous panoramic views of the countryside. These long-lasting edifices also reveal how Bisceglie served as a key strategic spot as both a fortification on the coast, as well as a management hub of its fertile interiors.
Book a night at Palazzo Bonomi, a stylish boutique hotel in the historic center, blending modern comfort with Bisceglie’s medieval charm.
Copertino Castle
The architect Evangelista Menga had designed the Copertino Castle on behalf of Alfonso Castriota, and it was finished in 1540. It’s one of the largest Apulian fortresses, which has a quadrangular plan and four large tapered bastions on each side. The inward courtyard features beautiful galleries and the Pinelli-Pignatelli palace of porticoes.
The interior of the chapel of St. Mark is covered with frescoes painted by the Mannerist Gianserio Strafella, in keeping with the sophisticated artistic taste of the 16th century. The castle was also used as an aristocratic home, in addition to its defensive role, and it was an expression of the amalgamation of military power with civil status in the Renaissance.
Nearby Tenuta La Contessa offers a peaceful countryside stay surrounded by vineyards, perfect after exploring Copertino’s grand fortress.
Acaya Castle
Gian Giacomo dall’Acaya, an architect whom Charles V had confidence in, between 1521 and 1535, constructed the Castle of Acaya. It was constructed to defend the citadel, representing the shift of a medieval stronghold to a Renaissance fortress. Dell’Acaya revised the current building to incorporate bastion ramparts and a built-in defense mechanism comprising ditches and gun positions.
The fortress represents not only the innovativeness in the military sphere but also the harmony of the architectural elements and the geometric accuracy of the structures. It is a monument of the tactics which governed Apulian fortifications under Charles V, and of the permanent influence of dell’Acaya on the architecture of fortifications in the Puglia region.
Rest at Acaya Golf Resort & Spa, a refined retreat just outside the walled village, featuring lush gardens, pools, and easy access to the castle.
The Swabian Castle of Trani
Last but not least, we conclude the list of the most beautiful castles in Puglia with the Castle of Trani, one of the most impressive Swabian castles in Puglia, with its coastal location and royal background. It was constructed in the 13th century as a component of a huge system of fortifications that Emperor Frederick II constructed along the coasts of southern Italy. The castle is actually hewn out of the very sea-coast, and the light of the sea and the cold, and the hard beauty of Swobian military art shine through its marble walls.
The fortress has had many functions throughout the centuries, being a royal residence and military garrison as well as a prison and a cultural landmark today. The castle still possesses its medieval grandeur, which, although centuries of change have passed, still surrounds the castle with an aura of chivalric legend. The city commemorates this heritage every summer with historical reenactments of the wedding of Manfred, and places the visitors in the romantic and martial atmosphere of the 13th-century Puglia.
Choose Mare Resort, a chic seaside hotel near the harbor, where guests can enjoy views of the castle’s gleaming walls reflected in the Adriatic.
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