Locorotondo, Italy; a beautiful hilltop village

Visit Locorotondo

Situated in the Puglia (Apulia) region of south-east Italy, Locorotondo is on a 400 meters high hill on the plateau called "Murgia dei Trulli” . Locorotondo is a delightful village of whitewashed houses set on a hill-top. It is classed as one of the most beautiful villages of Italy, "Borghi più belli d'Italia".

Locorotondo is about 70 kilometers south-east of Bari and Bari airport.

Explore Locorotondo

Italy This Way review: Locorotondo is a beautiful village with sweeping views and whitewashed houses. There are few notable monuments but the village as a whole is a delight to explore.

The town has a circular plan with the houses laid out in concentric rings and is a very pleasant place to pass a couple of hours just wandering around the centre. Start your visit by passing through 'Porta Napoli', one of the ancient gates that leads into Locorotondo, to discover the Old Town.

The best way to visit this village centre is to amble throught the pretty streets, which were surrounded by walls until the middle of the 19th century. The houses are characterized by typical pointed roofs, known as "cummerse”, with limestone roof slabs.

In the centre of the village you will find the Locorotondo tourist office in a square called the Piazza Vitttorio Emanuelle where you can pick up a map to make sure you don't miss anything though the centre is small and the pleasure more in soaking up the atmosphere of the village than particular sights.

From time to time when you are at the edge of the town you are rewarded with scenic views across the countryside and if you walk uphill to the highest point the views really are remarkable.

The main historic site in the village is the Saint George Cathedral. The circular structure of the Old Town in Locorotondo is centred around the Cathedral Church of Saint George, built between 1790 and 1825.

The Renaissance-style façade has a relief of "Saint George and the Dragon" in the tympanum (above the entrance) and at the two corners there are statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, carved by an unknown local artist in the 18th century.

The church has a Greek cross form and some Neo-classical elements which harmonize well with the other aspects of Renaissance and Baroque character.

Among the paintings in the cathedral note the painting of the “Last Supper”, by the Neapolitan painter Gennaro Maldarelli (1769 approx.-1858); a fresco of Bishop Saint Donatus; and an 18th century painting portraying the “Risen Christ”, by an unknown author.

Next to the altar of the Assumption, is another of Maldarelli’s paintings from 1838. In the sacristy you can also see three ancient paintings, thought to be from the early 18th century, by an unknown author and depicting a “ Scourged Christ”, “The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew” and “Doubting Thomas".

There are quite a number of churches in Locorotondo and these include the Church of Our Lady “della Greca”, a simple Romanesque church and the 17th century Church of San Rocco.

There is also the Morelli Palace to see which is built in Baroque style and has an impressive portal and wrought iron balconies.

Places to visit nearby

The region around Locorotondo is very pleasant to explore and has lots of the beautiful trulli cottages amongst the olive groves and vineyards that surround the village.

The nearby village of Alberobello is famous for its trulli and is the best place to see a lot of these all together.

Ostuni is another town of whitewashed houses and lots of charm.

You can find more local travel ideas in the Puglia guide.

Photos of Locorotondo

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Map of Locorotondo and places to visit

Locorotondo places to visit

Alberobello

Alberobello is a beautiful little town full of incredible buildings called trulli with cone-shaped roofs

Alberobello guide

Monopoli

Monopoli is a coastal town with a pretty harbour and a pleasant old town.

Monopoli guide

Ostuni

Ostuni is known as the 'White City' for its lovely white-washed buildings.

Ostuni guide

Martina-Franca

Martina-Franca is a pretty hilltop town with beautiful baroque buildings.

Martina-Franca guide

Polignano-a-Mare

Polignano a Mare is a charming coastal town with one of the best beaches in Puglia, dramatic cliffs and even a restaurant in a cave in the cliff face.

Polignano-a-Mare guide