Via Francigena nel Sud Day 23: Cerignola - Andria

Road to from Rome Day 23: Cerignola - Andria

Life always offers you a second chance ; it's called tomorrow

- sign in the winery at Tenuta Ripa Alta

Yesterday was all about vegetables; today, fruit! 

After a quick breakfast-time tour of the winery at Tenuta Ripa Alta, where I was hosted last night by Natalina and Alessandro and their yoga teacher daughter Alessandra, not to mention all their cats, dogs, chickens and peacocks.... I set off walking through an endless expanse of vineyards, peach, fig, pomegranate and crabapple trees. In many of the vineyards, the grape harvest was underway.

Natalina gave me the most lightweight parting gift possible: a peacock feather! 

Most of the vineyards in this very hot, flat region are trained a tendone, forming a sort of canopy or roof of leaves which casts shade on the grapes below, sheltering them from the overly fierce southern sun. 

Young vines, with supporting structure still in view

The Via Francigena route zigzagged through the vineyards, crossed the motorway on an overpass, zigzagged some more, crossed a Roman bridge and slowly climbed the hill to the town of Canosa. 

It was unfortunate that I arrived in Canosa at lunch time, when everything was closes, including the cathedral; in southern Italy churches and shops close for an extended break in the afternoon, until 4:30 or 5:00, which is justified ny the climate but inconvenient for pilgrims, or even tourists, passing through! But I took a break from the heat the sun in a café, where I met with Annamaria, a member of the local Via Francigena association, for a cold drink. Once I had rested I set off again and the vineyards of this morning gave way to vast expanses of olive trees. At one point I could see a blue strip beyond the end of the road: the Adriatic Sea is in sight! 

But my route following the ancient Roman Via Traiana does not take me directly to the sea; it proceeds in a diagonal line which won't take me to the coast for another three days. 

Walking through the olive groves is very peaceful and pleasant. The drip irrigation system in place in some of them accompanies you with the refreshing sound of water dribbling down the tree trunks. I would quite happily have continued in this manner all the way to Andria, but it was getting late and as the days are beginning to grow shorter, my friend Adele of the Comitato Via Francigena del Sud di Corato, which is very courteously providing me with accommodations for this stretch of the way, arranged to have a member from Andria come out and pick me up and drive me the rest of the way into town. I had walked 35 km, which is plenty for one day! 

Giuseppe not only gave me a lift into town but showed me around and made sure I got a stamp on my pilgrim passport and checked into my accommodations.  

The town of Andria was a favorite residence of Emperor Frederick II, who built the imposing 13th-century Castel del Monte about 15 km south of the city centre, one of Italy's most famous castles, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Unfortunately, the castle is not on my route, but I visited the city gate dedicated to Saint Andrew, also built on order of Frederick II, and the three bell towers that give the city its nickame città dei tre campanili. 

Andria is renowned for its gastronomic specialties, burrata cheese, which is like mozzarella on the outside but with a delicious creamy centre, and confetti, sugared almonds, made along with sugar- and chocolate-coated confections of all kinds at the famous Confetteria Mucci. 

At dinner with my new friends from the Association of the Via Francigena del Sud in Corato I sampled another local specialty, the panzerotto, a fried dough pocket available with an endless variety of delicious stuffings! 

Since arriving in Puglia, every day has brought new gastronomic discoveries. 

I'm glad I still have another two weeks of eating... er, walking my way across this long and highly various region of southern Italy!