Places
Park·Easy·Scenic·Popular
Parco Nazionale dell'Alta Murgia
Puglia
One of the biggest national parks in Italy at nearly 68,000 hectares, the Alta Murgia is a rolling limestone steppe grazed by sheep and pocked with karst sinkholes (the pulo of Altamura is among the largest), threaded by dry-stone walls and jazzi (stone sheepfolds). Castel del Monte, Frederick II's enigmatic octagonal hunting lodge, crowns a hill at the park's heart, and the plateau is one of Europe's best sites for steppe birds like the lesser kestrel and stone-curlew.
Duration
3 hours
Distance
8 km
Elevation
+100 m
Best season
March – June and September – November
Parking · Free
Free parking at Castel del Monte and other trailheads.
Water
None on the open plateau; carry water.
Highlights
- Karst sinkholes including the Pulo di Altamura
- Castel del Monte, Frederick II's octagonal castle
- Important steppe-bird habitat
With your dog
Off-leash tolerated on the open plateau tracks; leashed near livestock.
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