The Monti Dauni
The Monti Dauni, or Daunian Subapennine, are the stretch of the Apennines that belongs to Apulia: mountains and hills in the province of Foggia, on the border with Molise, Campania and Basilicata. Thirty villages among woods, lakes and ancient transhumance tracks, the highest peak in Apulia and a cuisine made with local produce.
30 villages
They are small villages, from the hills overlooking the Tavoliere plain to mountain towns above 800 metres, with Norman and Swabian castles, Romanesque churches and old centres made of alleys and steps. Lucera and Troia hold centuries of history, from the Roman amphitheatre to the fortress of Frederick II and the cathedral with its rose window. In Faeto and Celle di San Vito people still speak Franco-Provençal, in Casalvecchio di Puglia Arbëreshë, the language of the Albanian communities.
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Getting there
By car: leave the A14 motorway at Foggia and in half an hour or a little more you reach the first villages, such as Lucera, Troia and Bovino; from Naples take the A16 and exit at Candela. By train you arrive in Foggia, connected with Rome, Milan, Naples and Bari; from there buses run to the villages, so check the timetables before you leave. The nearest airports with many flights are Bari and Naples, about an hour and a half away by car. To move from one village to another the car is the easiest choice: the roads are mountain roads with many bends, so take your time.
When to come
All year round: every season has something to offer. In spring the meadows and woods are in bloom and it is the best time for walking and cycling. In summer it is cool in the hills and the villages fill with patron saint feasts and food festivals, such as the Feast of the Madonna di Valleverde in Bovino, with its historical horse parade, and the Giostra della Jaletta in San Marco la Catola. Autumn is the season of new olive oil, wine, mushrooms and colourful woods. In winter snow can fall on the peaks, and between January and March the villages light the bonfires of San Sebastiano and San Giuseppe.
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