Martina Franca, placed at the extreme edge of the Murge dei Trulli, at the crossroads between Taranto, Bari and Brindisi, is about half an hour from Casa Isabella.

Conceived as a city at the beginning of the fourteenth century by the Prince of Taranto, Philip I of Anjou, it was then a fief of various families (Tocco, Orsini del Balzo, Coppola, Acquaviva d’Aragona), until 1507 to 1827 when it was enfeoffed with the title of the duchy to the Caracciolo del Leone family.

The tourist route starts from the old Martina, one of the few historical centres that has survived almost intact through the centuries, characterised by the Baroque architecture in a manner entirely particular and different from the prototype of Lecce. Through the Arch of Santo Stefanosi, continue towards the superb Palazzo Ducale (1668), frescoed in good part by Domenico Carella (1776), and then continue towards the baroque churches of San Martino, San Domenico and del Carmine in which there seems to be a hand and chisel of Borromini. Well worth visiting are the Fanelli, Magli, Motolese, Stabile, Maggi and Martucci buildings and the characteristic trulli, white conical-shaped buildings.

Martina is a town with strong folkloric and gastronomic traditions, as well as cultural, and plays host to its most important exhibition, the Valle d’Itria Music Festival in July-August.

Discover more with the Blog tour http://aroundcasaisabella.ridieassapori.it/index.php/2015/10/19/highlights-aroundcasaisabella/