Apulia · Barletta-Andria-Trani
Bisceglie
An Adriatic port town between Trani and Molfetta, named for Roman watchtowers, with five dolmens around it and a Norman cathedral begun in 1073.
Known for
DOLMENS
Five Bronze Age megalithic tombs around the commune, with the Chianca the largest and best-preserved in Italy.
NORMAN CATHEDRAL
San Pietro, begun 1073 by Peter II of Trani, finished 1295, with a crypt built for the relics of three Beneventan martyrs.
BANDIERA BLU
Blue Flag coastline north of Bari, shallow Adriatic with rocky coves and sand stretches, working fishing port still in use.
When to visit
Best · May–Sep
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
The festa: Mauro, Sergio e Pantaleone, 27 July
Why come
Bisceglie sits on the Adriatic coast between Trani and Molfetta, thirty-five kilometers north of Bari, at sea level on a low limestone shelf with the Murge rising inland. The name probably derives from the Latin vigilae, watchtowers, recording the Roman coastal lookouts that preceded the medieval town. Five Bronze Age dolmens stand around the commune; the Dolmen della Chianca, with a ten-meter passage and a burial cell two meters by 1.
6, is the largest and best-preserved megalithic tomb in Italy. The Cathedral of San Pietro was begun in 1073 by Peter II of Trani and finished in 1295, its bones-relics translated to a purpose-built crypt under three altars in 1167. Bisceglie carries Bandiera Blu for its sea, Spighe Verdi for its olive countryside, and Città dell'Olio for the Coratina groves that surround it. The harbour still works, between commercial fishing and pleasure boats, and the Adriatic here is shallow and clean.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written Bisceglie’s letter yet.
One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.
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What to see
Dolmen della Chianca
Bronze Age megalithic tomb with a 10-meter passage and a burial cell two by 1.6 meters, the largest and best-preserved Italian dolmen, three kilometers inland.
Concattedrale di San Pietro
Norman cathedral begun in 1073 by Peter II of Trani, finished in 1295, now co-cathedral in the Archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie.
Torre Maestra
Norman square donjon of the twelfth century, twenty-seven meters tall, the surviving keep of the medieval citadel above the port.
Centro storico
Walled medieval town between the cathedral and the port, stone houses and narrow lanes, the limestone the same as the dolmens inland.
Spiaggia di Bisceglie
Bandiera Blu Adriatic coastline along the commune, rocky coves and small sand stretches, the most accessible swimming north of Bari.
The slow-trip planner
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Living here
- Population 53,534
- Commuter belti
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Train station in the comune
- Nearest airport Bari / Brindisi, 26 min drive
- Regional capital Bari, 38 min drive
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 16 m
- Population: 53,534
- Surface area: 69.25 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories — ISTAT, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata — and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
Featured on
Bisceglie appears on this themed pick from our Collections:
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