Polignano a Mare in Puglia

 

Polignano a mare

The small town of Polignano a mare was once protected by defensive walls, with towers, bastions and a moat. Parts of the walls have survived and can be seen between via Roma and via Muraglie. The Arco Marchesale, which still exists today, was for centuries the only entrance to the city.

The charming old town is a maze winding white-washed alleys with beautiful old churches and palaces, leading to terraces with breathtaking views of the Adriatic sea and the cliffs and caves below.

A number of interesting buildings worth a visit are dotted around the town: the Arco Marchesale, the Palazzo Marchesale, the Palazzo del Governatore and the Palazzo dell'Orologio, located in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, as wells as the Chiesa Madre, the main church of Polignano.

Tourist Info Office

Address: Via F.A. Pace

Phone number: +39 080 4240079

 

Distance from Ostuni: 48 km

Time to get there by car: about 40 minutes

Places in Puglia: Polignano a mare

Get this fully comprehensive guide to enjoy the art and life in Polignano a mare.

What's inside: history of Polignano a mare and its monuments to visit: churches and palaces. The territory: masserie and archeological sites. La dolce vita in Polignano a mare with the best restaurants, pubs, bars and gelaterie. Uselful info and practicalities. All with 4 colourful maps.

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What to see in Polignano

Chiesa Matrice

The Chiesa Matrice church is dedicated to Saint Mary of the Assumption and it is located in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II.

It has a plain façade decorated only by a portal made in 1628. On the side of the portal there are two niches with the statues of St. Anthony of Padua and St. Mark. On top of the portal there is a nice bas-relief of the Virgin of the Assumption.

The bell tower of the Chiesa Matrice has a simple style following that of the of the church.

Palazzo dell'Orologio

The Dell'Orologio Palace is a rococo building of medieval origin. It is a three-story building with decorated windows on the first and second floor.

On the latter floor the coat of arms of the town is displayed between the two windows.

The terraces

Positioned at strategic points of the city there are terraces of Polignano that offer spectacular views over the Adriatic sea and the caves below the town.

Between these the terrazza that overlooks the Lama Monachile with the beach, the high cliffs and the bridge which can be seen in the distance.

 

Outside Polignano a mare

The Abbey of San Vito

The Abbay of San vito is a Baroque building with a small Romanesque church surrounded by defensive walls and a tower of the 16th century located by the sea. Inside the walls there is a mill, warehouses, barns, wells and spring-fed fishpond.

The Abbey of San Vito is located near the port of Cala San Vito, an important natural harbour on the Adriatic sea, an ancient horse-changing station during the Roman Empire.