Puglia Creativa Launches Cultural Tourism Tours Linking Castles, Cathedrals, and Jazz

The Distretto Produttivo Puglia Creativa has developed a series of cultural tourism itineraries under the brand #VisitPugliaCreativa, funded by European Atlas project grants. The third tour, 'Dalla Pietra al Mito – Puglia Imperiale,' explores the region's Norman, Swabian, Angevin, and Aragonese heritage linked to Emperor Frederick II. Stops include Ruvo di Puglia's Romanesque Cattedrale SS Maria Assunta and La Capagrossa coworking, which hosts urban regeneration projects like Luci e Suoni d’artista and the Talos Festival, a glocal jazz event. In Trani, highlights are the Cattedrale di San Nicola Pellegrino and Castello Svevo, used as film sets by Sofia Loren and Pier Paolo Pasolini. Castel del Monte's octagonal esotericism contrasts with the Fondazione Bonomo's cultural initiatives. Barletta's Castello Svevo will reenact the 1503 challenge after 14 years from September 19–21, 2019. The Z.I.P. (Zone Interdisciplinar Projects) initiative, conceived by art historian Giusy Caroppo and sculptor Stefano Faccini, won second place ex aequo with Politecnico di Milano in the Creative Living Lab Prize (Ministry of Culture). It aims to sustainably revitalize Barletta's GOS-Distillerie Culturali through mini-projects, workshops, and participatory actions starting September 20 through January. Director Cinzia Lagioia stated that culture prevents tourism from becoming banal; packages will be commercialized from November via a web platform.