Things To Do in Carovigno

On Easter Monday, Carovigno comes alive with music concerts, folk dance shows and fireworks, as well as a flag-throwing procession. Performers in traditional dress march through the town’s streets in honour of the Virgin Mary.

Carovigno’s market springs up on Tuesdays in the town centre, with vendors setting up their stands from very early on in the day. Fresh fruit and vegetables are the headliners, but you’ll also find an array of clothes, ornaments and even artists’ prints on sale. Keep an eye out for the cherry-red tomatoes which hang from the tops of the stalls – it’s a local variety called regina.

This region has a huge variety of ingredients at its fingertips – like chickpeas, olive oil, home-grown herbs and spices, tomatoes and fresh seafood – so it’s no wonder the food’s extra tasty. From black pepper and fennel taralli – which look a bit like pretzels – to crispy salted cod topped with pecorino cheese, you’ll have plenty of options to keep your taste buds on their toes. Dessert-wise, opt for a zeppola – a deep-fried dough ball filled with custard, jam or cream.

This hour’s-drive-away metropolitan city’s home to a bevy of must-sees, like the 12th-century Basilica of Saint Nicholas and the impressive Petruzzelli Theatre, which was rebuilt after the original was destroyed in the Nineties. There’s a really varied nightlife scene, too – al fresco taverns rub shoulders with Mexican-themed cocktail bars. Don’t miss out on sampling the orecchiette pasta that’s made and sold on street-food stalls. The name means ‘small ears’ in Italian, and the shape’s made to soak up the sauce.