Description: Located on the Eastern Coast, along the Adriatic Sea, Monopoli has a population of approximately 50,000 people. It’s verifiable history dates back to 500 B.C. and is one of Italy’s well-known towns relating to the white-washed buildings and narrow stone streets.

Within Monopoli is a beautiful old town and a wonderful, large piazza that comes alive each night with local residents and many free activities. There are also several religious buildings and historical sites to admire throughout the city. Several scenic beaches are within a couple mile range in either direction. They tended to be very rocky, and not accessible to large numbers of people at one time, but were always enjoyable.

Being a coastal city, the streets all slope towards the water. Along with the narrow, congested sidewalks in many areas, Monopoli is more difficult to navigate for those with moderate to severe mobility issues. Even those with minor issues need to use caution on the often slippery, white limestone streets with uneven surfaces.

The city has a bus system that serves the inner-city and regional routes. There is a train station with two main lines and multiple trains arriving and departing daily, with connections anywhere in Italy and beyond. A word from our experience; the trains themselves were older, less reliable per locals, and less likely to be adequately air-conditioned for those not acclimated to summer temps in Southern Italy.

Descriptive Word: HUMBLE – Overlooked by most, used by others, Monopoli’s word comes, not from us, but from a photographer who studied the social sciences of this area, Roselena Ramistella. From the dry and dusty farmlands to the beautiful blue sea, the families who farm and fish in Monopoli are strong, resilient, and humble as mother nature tries time and again to break them.

Summary of Thoughts: Monopoli was our first experience with a true beach town in Italy. From the moment of arrival, we felt the different personality compared to the north of Italy. It wasn’t the old-er train or the party atmosphere. The heartbeat of Monopoli was less polished, raw, and gritty. People wore shorts and swimsuits all around town. Music and fireworks were heard on many evenings. The seafood was a bold contrast to the delicate pastas of the north. The small “old town” was darling as tourists wandered through the little shops. As the sun shone high in the sky, the nearby rocks and tiny sandy nooks were covered with bodies baking in the sun. Many tourists use Monopoli as a home base and travel to larger, more sandy beaches.

In the evening as the sun set and the heat died back, locals of all ages would join at the square to catch up on the day. The children played. The parents encouraged. The elders advised. Monopoli was real and local at this time of day. We loved observing them at home.

We took three trips away from Monopoli that enriched our perspective of southern Italy.

Taking the train, we rode up to Bari where we saw the Nonna’s making Orecchiette pasta, toured the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and visited an archeological site of an ancient Byzantine Cathedral (the Museum of the Succorpo of the Cathedral of Bari).
We rented a car and drove first to Matera, a Sassi city, whose Paleolithic settlements date back to around 7500 years BC and was continuously inhabited until the 1950. We slept in a cave that night. Then we drove to Metaponto where we visited an archaeological site and swam in the Ionian Sea before returning to Monopoli.
When we finished visiting Monopoli, we rode the train to Brindisi where we spent two nights before boarding an overnight ferry to Vlore, Albania. This was an extra purchase in the Monopoli budget instead of making this short trip it’s own destination.

Number of Days we visited: 15 with day trips

Analyzed Costs: How much did we spend? Monopoli was a cheaper destination in Italy, but our extra side trips had accommodation expenses and car rental expenses that increased the budgeted amount significantly. We slept in three cities (Monopoli, Matera, Brindisi). Our 3-day car rental was the primary transportation cost ($245). Additionally, when leaving Italy, we chose to take an overnight ferry from Brindisi to Vlore, Albania ($192). This meant we had expenses for a hotel in Brindisi right after Monopoli.