Free walking tours in Martina Franca and what to see

Must-sees

Martina Franca stands on a hill above the Itria Valley, in the province of Taranto, and its old town is a maze of white stone, wrought-iron balconies and baroque churches and palazzi. You enter through the Porta di Santo Stefano, linked to the legend of Saint Martin, and straight away the Ducal Palace appears, a large building with fresco-decorated rooms that now houses the town hall.

From there the main street leads to the basilica of San Martino, with a lavishly ornate baroque façade, and to the semicircular Piazza Maria Immacolata, ringed by arcades. Wander the lanes and climb to the viewpoints over the valley, dotted with trulli. Every summer the town hosts the Valle d'Itria Festival, devoted to opera. And on the table you will always find capocollo di Martina Franca, a cured meat typical of the town.

Free tours and guided visits

There is no free tour in Martina Franca. What there is is a private guided tour of the old town, covering the Ducal Palace, the basilica and the baroque streets, and a wine tasting in the Itria Valley at a winery nearby. They are two ways to round off the visit: one to understand the town's baroque and the other to get to know the local wines.

How long to spend

Half a day is enough for the old town and its monuments. If you add the wine tasting or a relaxed dinner, give it a full day. Martina Franca is a good base for the Itria Valley: Locorotondo, Alberobello and Cisternino are a few kilometres away, so three or four days let you see them all without rushing, and even reach the coast.

Where to stay

The old town has guesthouses and apartments in restored palazzi, ideal for strolling at night when the stone is lit up. In the modern part you will find larger hotels with parking. If you travel by car, the trulli and masserie in the countryside offer a rural stay with a pool, surrounded by olive trees and vines, a few minutes from the centre.