Trani
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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The city of Trani is a co-capital city of the Province of Barletta Andria Trani with a population of 55,851 inhabitants.
Situated on the Adriatic Coast, it covers a total area of 103 km² and lies 45 kilometres north west of Bari, the regional capital of Puglia. Trani's history dates back to Roman times and it was dominated later by the Byzantines and the Lombards. Key to the city's success has always been its port which was the most important on the Adriatic in medieval times when soldiers set off on the crusades. |
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Things have calmed down somewhat since those days and what remains is a beautiful port town, built in the typical style of Puglia, that offers plenty to its visitors. It doesn't take long to wander around Trani's major sights but this is just the first good point. It's the kind of place where you don't feel compelled to rush around making sure you've seen everything; instead it's a place to slowly meander around the port, taking in the sights, smells and sounds of the fishing harbour before relaxing with good food and wine.
Of course there are sights, and impressive ones at that. The only place to start any itinerary is the port area; here you'll find hundreds of boats, either yachts used for leisure purposes or the numerous fishing boats and their colourful apparatus. There are endless photo opportunities here and dominating the landscape is the imposing Cathedral, the Basilica Cattedrale San Pellegrino. The 12th century cathedral is situated on a sea-facing promontory and is flanked by a 59 metre high campanile (bell tower) that you can climb for unforgettable views of the coastline and the city below.
Just a few steps from the Cathedral lies Trani's castle (Castello di Trani). The castle was originally built in 1233 by Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor and in later years served as a prison. These days you can visit the castle grounds or even take in an exhibition or musical event depending on the time of year.
During medieval times when Trani's port was a hotbed of trade with the Levant, the city's Jewish community grew to be influential with several synagogues being built to enable them to worship. The Jewish community's influence waxed and waned with the years of war and new rulers impressing their own ideals on the city, much of them anti-Semitic. Several of Trani's synagogues were converted to Christian churches as part of the persecutions but some have now returned to their original purpose, such as the famous Scolanova Synagogue.
Trani's train station is situated to the south of the city centre, a 10 minute walk (800 metres) from the port. Trains from Trani run south east along the coast to Bari with a journey time of 28 minutes, stopping along the way at the port towns of Bisceglie (6 minutes), Molfetta (14 minutes) and Giovinazzo (20 minutes). Heading in the opposite direction, north west along the coast it's an 8 minute direct journey to Barletta, the same train continuing inland to Foggia (54 minutes).
The most convenient airport for Trani is Bari Karol Wojtyla Airport which is a 28 minute drive away (37 km) while the best alternative is Brindisi Salento Airport, 1 hour 44 minutes by car (160 km).
Places of interest close to Trani include the fishing ports of Bisceglie, Molfetta and Giovinazzo, all with their own character and lined up one after the other heading south east of Trani. Inland of Giovinazzo lies the historic town of Bitonto and just beyond that, another historic town called Ruvo di Puglia which is situated just before the Alta Murgia National Park.
Accommodation options in and around Trani currently include 8 hotels, 99 bed & breakfasts and 42 private apartments. The recommended accommodation for Trani is the Palazzo Filisio - Regia Restaurant.
Of course there are sights, and impressive ones at that. The only place to start any itinerary is the port area; here you'll find hundreds of boats, either yachts used for leisure purposes or the numerous fishing boats and their colourful apparatus. There are endless photo opportunities here and dominating the landscape is the imposing Cathedral, the Basilica Cattedrale San Pellegrino. The 12th century cathedral is situated on a sea-facing promontory and is flanked by a 59 metre high campanile (bell tower) that you can climb for unforgettable views of the coastline and the city below.
Just a few steps from the Cathedral lies Trani's castle (Castello di Trani). The castle was originally built in 1233 by Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor and in later years served as a prison. These days you can visit the castle grounds or even take in an exhibition or musical event depending on the time of year.
During medieval times when Trani's port was a hotbed of trade with the Levant, the city's Jewish community grew to be influential with several synagogues being built to enable them to worship. The Jewish community's influence waxed and waned with the years of war and new rulers impressing their own ideals on the city, much of them anti-Semitic. Several of Trani's synagogues were converted to Christian churches as part of the persecutions but some have now returned to their original purpose, such as the famous Scolanova Synagogue.
Trani's train station is situated to the south of the city centre, a 10 minute walk (800 metres) from the port. Trains from Trani run south east along the coast to Bari with a journey time of 28 minutes, stopping along the way at the port towns of Bisceglie (6 minutes), Molfetta (14 minutes) and Giovinazzo (20 minutes). Heading in the opposite direction, north west along the coast it's an 8 minute direct journey to Barletta, the same train continuing inland to Foggia (54 minutes).
The most convenient airport for Trani is Bari Karol Wojtyla Airport which is a 28 minute drive away (37 km) while the best alternative is Brindisi Salento Airport, 1 hour 44 minutes by car (160 km).
Places of interest close to Trani include the fishing ports of Bisceglie, Molfetta and Giovinazzo, all with their own character and lined up one after the other heading south east of Trani. Inland of Giovinazzo lies the historic town of Bitonto and just beyond that, another historic town called Ruvo di Puglia which is situated just before the Alta Murgia National Park.
Accommodation options in and around Trani currently include 8 hotels, 99 bed & breakfasts and 42 private apartments. The recommended accommodation for Trani is the Palazzo Filisio - Regia Restaurant.
Comune di Trani
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Province: Barletta Andria Trani
Region: Puglia Population: 55,035 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 103 km² Highlights: Trani Cathedral, Castello di Trani, Bell Tower, Port Close by: Bisceglie, Bari, Polignano a Mare, Conversano, Altamura Recommended hotel: Palazzo Filisio - Regia Restaurant |
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By air: Bari Karol Wojtyla Airport - 28 minutes by car - (37 km)
By train: Bisceglie - 6 mins, Barletta - 8 mins, Molfetta - 14 mins |
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