The Traveler’s Guide to Carovigno, Puglia

Carovigno, Puglia, is a charming little town in the Brindisi region of Southern Italy. It is oozing with a local atmosphere and a significant medieval heritage. Whenever you are traveling the countryside of Puglia it’s always worth stopping at smaller cities like Carovigno.

Carovigno is a typical small town in Puglia. It has a great historic center with narrow streets and superb restaurants. It’s close to Ostuni and Brindisi so it’s easy to include in your itinerary but it’s a bit hard to reach via public transport.

The town is best suited for those who are exploring via their own rental car. If you are someone who loves to get pulled into a local atmosphere and explore a small town then you will absolutely love Carovigno.

Featured Image Credit: Carovale3, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Should you visit Carovigno, Puglia?

It depends. How long are you staying in Puglia? What other towns are you seeing? Are you renting a car? The answers to these questions affect if you should visit Carovigno.

First of all, we love the atmosphere of Carovigno but we would lie if we told you it’s very different from other southern Italian towns. It is a wonderful place but it is not unique.

If you are taking a long vacation in Puglia we say that you go for a visit to Carovigno. You will most likely want to see Ostuni anyway, and Carovigno, Puglia is super close. You might as well do it on the same day.

Also, you need to be renting a car if you want to see Carovigno. It’s easily approachable but only when you are driving.

To sum it up, whenever you are in the area you should include a stop at Carovigno but don’t go out of your way to visit.

How much time to spend in Carovigno?

Usually, the town can be seen in around 2 hours. You can walk the streets and experience the sights quickly if you prefer to do a quick stop.

Should you want to linger around there are plenty of restaurants and bars that will await you with open arms. As Carovigno is a rather local town, the people love when they get tourists visiting.

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How to get to Carovigno, Puglia

The town is located along the Strada Statale 16 which makes it easy to visit. All you got to do is follow the main road from Brindisi and you will arrive in around 30 minutes.

Do you prefer a more scenic drive? No problem, you can also take the E55 to the Specchiolla exit. From there it’s a short drive to Carovigno. Both routes are around 30 minutes.

Once inside Carovigno, you’ll find plenty of parking outside of Porta Brindisi – the main gate of the historic center.

Things to do and see in Carovigno, Puglia

Now it’s time to get into the exciting parts of this travel guide to Carovigno, Puglia. Let’s go over the main sights and things to do in the town.

1. Porta Brindisi

You will most likely enter the historic center through Porta Brindisi. This gate is one of the few remaining original gates to the city.

As you are walking through the gate just stop for a moment and think about how your experience today is not that different from a person in the medieval ages.

The gate looked pretty similar and the beautiful architecture of the historic center hasn’t changed a lot either. It’s a curious thing to think about and it is something to really appreciate when you are traveling.

2. Castello Dentice di Frasso di Carovigno

The local castle is believed to be founded by the Normans during their rule. This castle is particularly notable for its triangle shape which is a rarity.

As you visit you will see the three towers of the triangle watching over the city and the Adriatic Coastline. The castle is built upon the high ground to keep watch over the entire coastline.

During the 18th century, the castle lost its defensive significance and instead assumed the role of a noble residence. Many local noble families have occupied the castle over the years all of them making small changes and influencing the castle as we know it today.

One of the best ways to experience the Carovigno Castle is through a guided tour. They are available in English and you will be able to visit everything from noble residences to the dungeons.

Opening hours and other information: https://en.castellodicarovigno.it/copia-di-educazione-al-patrimonio

3. City Park of Carovigno

Those who love beautiful city parks will be happy to learn that there is an excellent park behind the castle of Carovigno, Puglia.

The city park is the perfect place to find some shade during summer. You can walk around the footpaths, find some benches to rest on, and marvel at the flora of the park.

As you are exploring the park you’ll also find some amazing photo opportunities and a nice fountain. There are also smaller statues scattered around the park waiting for you to discover them.

4. The Historic Center

As it is with many Italian towns the historic town center is an attraction in itself. Walk through the winding streets of Carovigno to discover a nice mix of architecture from the different periods of the town’s life.

Try to discover all 14 towers of the city that take up the skyline when looking from a distance. Once again imagine how little this town changed from its medieval form and appreciate the preservation efforts of the locals.

The historic center is relatively small which means you don’t have to do a lot of walking but even in this short distance you will be tempted to take photos on every corner.

This is also the place where you can get some food if you want to try what the locals are cooking around these parts.

5. Discover the churches of Carovigno, Puglia

Carovigno, Puglia has multiple churches hiding in plain sight. You can enter them, check out the exterior, and marvel at the facade.

It’s always fun to explore all the churches in a town and while that might be a big task in Italy you can try to at least explore all inside the historic town.

6. See the flag throwers after Easter

One of the best times to see Carovigno, Puglia, is just after the Easter celebrations. The ‘Nzegna’ takes place during this time and it’s an amazing spectacle.

During the ‘Nzegna’, local flag throwers display their skills and entertain the crowd in a historic tradition. The whole celebration is dedicated to Holy Madonna.

Of course, apart from the spectacle, the local festivals are always full of amazing food and happy people. It’s a great experience that you should check whenever you are in the area around Easter.

Carovigno, Puglia – FAQ