The village of the Daunian Mountains among the most beautiful in Italy
In the Daunian Mountains, the green sub-Apennine hills on the border between Apulia and Campania, Bovino is one of the "Borghi più belli d'Italia", a medieval village of grey stone at over 600 metres, perched on a hill overlooking the valley of the Cervaro. It lies on the ancient Via Traiana and on the old sheep track that shepherds followed between Abruzzo and the Tavoliere, and was for centuries a strategic point controlling the passage between the two regions.
The historic centre is a tangle of paved lanes, arches, stairways and small squares, with stone houses decorated with carved portals and coats of arms, and over a dozen churches. The Romanesque cathedral of the thirteenth century has a fine rose window, and the Castello Ducale, the castle of the Guevara dukes, built on a Norman tower, has a tower known as the "Torre Normanna" and houses a museum. In the past the area was known for the legendary brigand Michele Caruso, who operated in these mountains after the unification of Italy. The village is surrounded by woods of oak and chestnut and by wind farms on the ridges.
Tip: in summer the village hosts evenings with music and food; the Daunian Mountains are a little-known area, ideal for slow tourism.
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