Why go
Andria is one of the three capitals of the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, inland in northern Puglia between the Adriatic coast and the Murgia plateau. The Region's tourism portal presents it as the town of Castel del Monte, Frederick II's UNESCO-listed fortress that stands within its territory, and as a town famous for its food products.
Its skyline is marked by three bell towers in local stone, those of the Cathedral, San Francesco and San Domenico, each about fifty metres tall: this is why the municipality calls it the “city of bell towers”. The old town is a web of lanes and airy squares, with votive shrines, noble coats of arms, grotesque masks and the Casalino quarter.
Andria deserves a visit of its own, not just as a stop on the way to the castle. Here the memory of the Swabian court, kept in the cathedral crypt, meets a living food tradition: the burrata born in its countryside, sugared almonds and the oil of a “City of Oil”. A day in town and a day at the castle make up a complete portrait of this corner of Puglia.
Sources: Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Comune di Andria — I tre campanili · UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Castel del Monte
History
Andria's history can be read in its churches. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, seat of the diocese of Andria-Canosa-Minervino, is of Norman origin: according to the regional portal it was rebuilt from the fifteenth century, altered in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and in the mid-nineteenth with its neoclassical portico, and last restored in 1965. Its bell tower grew out of an old Lombard tower raised in Norman times; the oldest bell, called the Campanella, is dated 1310.
The link with Frederick II runs deep. Two of his wives, Yolande of Brienne and Isabella of England, rest in the cathedral crypt, and a few kilometres away stands Castel del Monte, documented from 1240, which according to the museums directorate lay near the route between Andria and Garagnone. The cathedral also venerates the Holy Thorn, a relic that tradition links to Christ's crown, donated in 1308 by Beatrice of Anjou, and the relics of the patron saint, Saint Richard.
In the eighteenth century the town gained the bell towers of San Francesco and San Domenico, built by the local master builders Vito and Domenico Ieva. The regional portal also mentions the church of Sant'Agostino as one of the oldest places of worship, linked to the memory of the Templars.
Sources: Comune di Andria — Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunta · Comune di Andria — I tre campanili · Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Puglia — Castel del Monte
What to see
The starting point is the Cathedral, with the chapel of the Holy Thorn, the so-called Cappellone of Saint Richard and the crypt with the tombs of the two empresses; the building is free of architectural barriers. From the forecourt rises the Norman bell tower, about fifty metres tall with its pyramidal spire.
The other two bell towers guide a walk through the old town. That of San Francesco, built between 1760 and 1772, combines two square storeys with an octagonal third storey and spire; that of San Domenico, the tallest in town, is Baroque and ends in a pear-shaped dome topped by a bronze sphere and a weathervane shaped like a dog holding a torch. Between towers you cross paved lanes, squares, votive shrines and palazzi bearing coats of arms; in the Casalino quarter, according to the regional portal, is one of the narrowest streets in Europe.
A few steps from the cathedral, the “Giovanni Mucci” Confetti Museum occupies the premises of a historic sugared-almond factory active since 1894 and, in four sections with documents, tools, machines and moulds, tells the story of making confetti, sweets and chocolate; in 2011 the Ministry recognised it as a place of special historical interest.
Sources: Comune di Andria — Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunta · Comune di Andria — I tre campanili · Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Comune di Andria — Museo del Confetto Giovanni Mucci
Food and wine
Andria is the home of burrata. According to the protection consortium, it was born in the early 1930s from an idea of the Andria cheesemaker Lorenzo Bianchino: during a heavy snowfall, to keep and transport his dairy products, he created a pouch of pasta filata enclosing shreds of mozzarella and cream. The name recalls the buttery taste of the filling, not added butter. Burrata was once wrapped in asphodel leaves gathered on the Murgia. Today Burrata di Andria has been an EU PGI since 2016.
The town also has a long confectionery tradition. The municipality recalls that in the 1930s, in the historic factory in the centre, the “tenerelli” were created, an Andria speciality of Puglia almonds and hazelnuts covered with a double layer of chocolate; the regional portal suggests a tasting during a visit to the Confetti Museum.
The sign at the town entrance presents Andria as a City of Oil. The surrounding countryside lies within the area of Terra di Bari PDO extra virgin olive oil with the Castel del Monte mention, made with at least 80% Coratina olives, and within that of the Castel del Monte wines, including the Rosso Riserva based on Nero di Troia.
Sources: Consorzio Burrata di Andria IGP — prodotto e lavorazione · eAmbrosia (Commissione europea) — Burrata di Andria IGP · Comune di Andria — Museo del Confetto Giovanni Mucci · Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Terra di Bari DOP · Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva DOP
Things to do
The classic visit starts in town and climbs to Castel del Monte, in the Alta Murgia National Park: Frederick II's octagonal fortress, with its sixteen rooms and the coral breccia of its doorways, is about twenty kilometres from the centre. The regional portal recommends experiencing it at sunset, when the sun sinks behind the towers.
In town, a walk following the three bell towers helps you find your way around the old centre and discover churches, palazzi and the Casalino quarter. Food lovers can build a route between the Confetti Museum and the trattorias serving burrata: the regional portal suggests exactly this tour of the town's specialities, and the protection consortium explains the stages of production, from curd to stretching in hot water and sealing the pouch.
For lovers of contemporary culture, in August the Castel dei Mondi Festival brings new voices in playwriting to Andria. By bike, the town has several urban cycle routes listed by the regional portal.
Sources: Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Puglia — Castel del Monte · Consorzio Burrata di Andria IGP — prodotto e lavorazione · Comune di Andria — I tre campanili
When to go
Andria can be visited all year round: the old town, the cathedral and the museums do not depend on the season, and burrata is made and available in every period. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant times for combining the town with a day at Castel del Monte and in the Alta Murgia countryside, with temperatures suited to walking.
Summer brings the Castel dei Mondi Festival, which in August offers contemporary theatre and new playwriting. At the castle, on long days, sunset offers one of the most striking views of the visit, as the regional portal notes.
During the year Castel del Monte takes part in national museum initiatives such as the European Night of Museums and European Heritage Days, which may offer special openings and activities; dates and programmes should be checked each year on the official websites.
Sources: Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Puglia — Castel del Monte · eAmbrosia (Commissione europea) — Burrata di Andria IGP
Getting there and around
The Region's tourism portal explains that Andria's central station mainly serves nearby towns, while for longer journeys, outside the province or the region, it is better to go to Barletta railway station. The Alta Murgia Park notes that from Bari Palese airport you reach the city on the Bari-Nord railway, the network that also serves the towns of the province. A transfer must be arranged for the airport.
In town, public transport has eleven urban and two suburban lines running every day from morning to evening, plus COTRAP intercity lines. Alternatively you can hire bicycles, scooters and cars; Andria also has several urban cycle routes. By car, the Murgia towns are reached from the A14 motorway via the exits the Park lists for the area, including Trani.
For on-the-spot information, the Andria Info-point is in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. Castel del Monte, about 20 kilometres away, is most easily reached by car along State Road 170.
Sources: Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Info-point Andria · Parco Nazionale dell'Alta Murgia — Come raggiungere il Parco
Where to stay
Andria is the closest base to Castel del Monte and offers the advantage of a town that is lively in the evening too. Hotels and B&Bs in or near the centre let you walk to the cathedral, the bell towers and the trattorias, and drive up to the castle in a short time.
Those who prefer the countryside will find masserie and farm stays among the olive groves and vineyards of the Castel del Monte DOC area, on the road towards the Murgia: they suit those who want to see the castle at sunset or early in the morning and walk in the park's landscape. In this case you need a car.
For a trip combining inland and coast, you can split your stay between Andria and a coastal town such as nearby Trani, alternating days devoted to Frederick II, food and the Adriatic.
Sources: Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Puglia — Castel del Monte · Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva DOP
Nearby
The first nearby sight is Castel del Monte, a UNESCO site since 1996, in the Alta Murgia National Park: the octagonal fortress, the open landscape of the plateau and the vineyards of the appellation can be explored in half a day or a full day.
Towards the coast, Andria shares the role of provincial capital with Barletta and Trani. Trani, with its Romanesque cathedral facing the sea, its Swabian castle and its harbour, is a short distance away, and Barletta is the rail hub for long journeys. Together they form a Frederician itinerary running from the interior to the Adriatic.
To the south opens the Alta Murgia, with towns such as Minervino Murge, Spinazzola, Altamura and Gravina in Puglia, reached along the roads the Park lists for the area. Castel del Monte's position on the old route between Andria and Garagnone shows how closely these territories were linked even in the Middle Ages.
Sources: Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Andria · Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Puglia — Castel del Monte · Parco Nazionale dell'Alta Murgia — Come raggiungere il Parco · UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Castel del Monte
Local tourist information
Local tourist offices help with opening times, events and transport on the day.
- Info-point Andria · Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 16, 76123 Andria (BT) · +39 0883 290231
Source: Viaggiare in Puglia (Regione Puglia) — Info-point Andria · checked on
Where to stay
In the municipality of Andria the national database of the Ministry of Tourism lists 121 accommodation businesses with a verified CIN code: 8 hotels, 50 other licensed accommodation and 63 other types such as B&Bs and private rentals.
Licensed businesses from the official list of Regione Puglia, each with a checked national CIN code: matching municipality and category. Private individuals are not listed. Check directly with the property before booking.
AFFITTA CAMERE
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400063685
AFFITTACAMERE SAN NICOLA
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400023325
AFFITTACAMERE UMBERTO I PALACE DI MATARRESE DOMENICO
Guest rooms · Website
CIN IT110001B400062135
ALL'OMBRA
Guest rooms · Website
CIN IT110001B400052689
BORGOMURGIA
Guest rooms · Website
CIN IT110001B400026524
BORGOROSA DI REGANO SILVANA
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400026266
Casa Pellegrino
Guest rooms · Website
CIN IT110001B400059816
Club64
Guest rooms · Website
CIN IT110001B400071071
DOMUS DEA
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400123843
FORESTERIA PELLEGRINO
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400021959
FRAVINA
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400024143
I MURETTI A SECCO
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400072214
LA CONTR'ORA
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400023512
LE PLEADI
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400024121
MOZART
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400027170
MURASANFRANCESCO
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400024269
NETIUM
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400106141
QUARTO DI MONTE SUITES
Guest rooms · Website
CIN IT110001B400095661
Sulle tracce di Federico rooms
Guest rooms
CIN IT110001B400112158
AZIENDA AGRICOLA ADDARIO CHIECO BALSAMO DEI GERMANI
Farm stay
CIN IT110001B500021286
AZIENDA AGRICOLA ZUCARO
Farm stay · Website
CIN IT110001B500050617
AZIENDA AGRITURISTICA MASSERIA SEI CARRI
Farm stay · Website
CIN IT110001B500074656
Agriturismo MASSERIA POSTA DI MEZZO
Farm stay
CIN IT110001B500123986
BIOMASSERIA LAMA DI LUNA
Farm stay
CIN IT110001B500020950
IL PINO GRANDE
Farm stay
CIN IT110001B500021287
MASSERIA REVINALDI
Farm stay
CIN IT110001B500025005
MASSERIA TARANTINI
Farm stay
CIN IT110001B500070125
MONTEGUSTO
Farm stay · Website
CIN IT110001B500108707
TERRE DI TRAIANO
Farm stay
CIN IT110001B500021960
"AI TERRAZZINI DI CIBELE" di PIERINI MARIA
B&B
CIN IT110001B400076702
B&B ARCHE'O
B&B
CIN IT110001B400075436
B&B BORGO FORNACI S.R.L.
B&B
CIN IT110001B400026319
I LARI B&B CASTEL DEL MONTE
B&B · Website
CIN IT110001B400035146
IN CAVOUR 127
B&B
CIN IT110001B400108472
MASSERIA DELLE GINESTRE
B&B · Website
CIN IT110001B400101154
OTTO APULIA HOUSE
B&B · Website
CIN IT110001B400064054
PALAZZO DUCALE di CHICO Paolo Vincenzo
B&B · Website
CIN IT110001B400122670
PALAZZO MARGHERITA
B&B
CIN IT110001B400026347
RELAX TRA LE VIGNE
B&B
CIN IT110001B400071576
TERRE DI SVEVA
B&B · Website
CIN IT110001B400119674
VILLA MANGIULLI
B&B
CIN IT110001B400124055
villa ceci
B&B
CIN IT110001B400104265
CHEZ ANTOINETTE
Holiday home
CIN IT110001B400023159
ALBERGO DEI PINI
Hotel · ★★★
CIN IT110001A100020948
ALBERGO RESORT MONTE CARAFA
Hotel · ★★★★
CIN IT110001A100025076
CRISTAL PALACE HOTEL
Hotel · ★★★★
CIN IT110001A100023742
MASSERIA CARIATI
Hotel · ★★★★
CIN IT110001A100091687
ORIZZONTE MOTEL
Hotel · ★★★ · Website
CIN IT110001A100052510
Wine Resort Le Vigne al Castello
Hotel · ★★★★
CIN IT110001A100092381
Sources: Regione Puglia – ARET Pugliapromozione (DMS), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-12 · Ministero del Turismo – Banca Dati Strutture Ricettive (dashboard pubblica), 2026-10-12
YOUR JOURNEY
How to shape a journey here
We can organise Andria around a town visit and a cheesemaking or confectionery encounter, adding Castel del Monte or a transition to Trani according to your preferred pace.
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