Overview
Nestled on the Murge plateau, amid expanses of olive groves and dry-stone walls, Ruvo di Puglia is one of the oldest and most captivating towns in the province of Bari. Bordering the Alta Murgia National Park, it is a place where nature, history and spirituality intertwine, poised between the silent hinterland and the nearby breath of the Adriatic Sea.
Ruvo has always been a crossroads: it is crossed by ancient drove roads that once linked the Murgia to the plains of the Tavoliere, and today it lies along one of the variants of the Via Francigena del Sud, the historic pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, continuing on to Santa Maria di Leuca and the embarkation ports for the Holy Land. This makes Ruvo an ideal stop for modern-day travellers in search of spirituality, culture and authentic beauty.
The origins of Ruvo reach deep into antiquity: it was an important Peucetian centre and later a Roman municipium along the Via Traiana, as evidenced by the extraordinary archaeological finds preserved in the Jatta Museum, one of the few Italian museums still arranged in the nineteenth-century style. Among the most renowned artefacts is the celebrated Talos Vase, a masterpiece of Greco-Italic pottery.
The heart of the historic town unfolds around the magnificent Romanesque Cathedral, one of the finest examples of Apulian Romanesque architecture, built between the 11th and 13th centuries. With its austere façade and rock-hewn crypt, the cathedral dominates a maze of cobbled alleyways, noble palaces and smaller churches, offering vistas of striking charm.
The surrounding landscapes are uniquely rugged: fragno oak woods, hidden ravines, historic masserie and ancient jazzi where flocks once rested. Hiking and cycling routes allow visitors to explore a land shaped by transhumance and agriculture, in a constant dialogue between man and nature.
Local culture is also expressed through its gastronomy: Ruvo’s cuisine exalts the fruits of the land with dishes such as broad beans and chicory, orecchiette with turnip tops, rustic focaccias and grilled meats. Fragrant, full-bodied extra virgin olive oil is the true protagonist of the table, alongside local wines such as Nero di Troia.
Throughout the year, Ruvo comes alive with events that weave together the sacred and the secular. Holy Week, with its procession of the Eight Saints, is among the most evocative in Apulia. In summer, village festivals and music and theatre events light up the historic centre, celebrating the living identity of a community deeply rooted in its traditions.
70037 Ruvo di Puglia BA, Italia
