Carovana Romantica International Rally 2024 - 40°Anniversary

The 2024 Rally returns to the sunny lands of Southern Italy, across Puglia and Basilicata Regions, where the sea breeze blows over the infinite expanses of olive trees and vineyards, the blinding white lime covers the small houses, the ancient villages are a treasure chest of popular traditions lost elsewhere.

An itinerary to discover the legacy of Frederick II of Swabia, the "Stupor Mundi", a network of Castles and Fortified Farms, evidence of the Norman Swabian domination, like Castel del Monte, a unique masterpiece of medieval architecture, an architectural synthesis of cultural elements from Europe, the Muslim world and classical antiquity.

From the expanses of olive trees in the Itria Valley in Puglia, through the UNESCO sites of Alberobello, Cisternino and Martina Franca, to the remote hills of Daunia, we will drive along miles and miles of vineyards and fiends of olive trees to reach typical Masserie there will be no shortage of tastings in cellar, enjoy folkloristic hospitality to the rhythm of "pizzica" and "taranta", the traditional local dances.

The road will bring us up to Basilicata region, with a stage at the "Sassi" of Matera (UNIESCO Heritage), European Culture Capital in 2019, and world's third-longest continuously inhabited human settlement. We will visit the natural caves in the tufa limestone, exposed as the Gravina cut its gorge, attracted the first inhabitants perhaps 7000 years ago. Driving through the canyons of the Gravine, wwei will reach the archaeological sites of Grumentum and Metaponto, evidence of the settlements of Magna Graecia. The next sage will touch the “Little Dolimites” Lucane, and the Saracen castle of Pietrapertosa, and its ancient Arab nucleus of Arabata, in which the gardens are hidden between the houses and the rock wall, dyed blue as proof of having made a journey to Mecca.

Last stage will be in Acaya, in the Salento area, between rows of vines, wheat fields, dry stone walls and blue sky,where the local dialect, based on the ancient Greek language, the "Grico", is still spoken, and the small villages of Caroviglio, Cutrofiano, Corigliano d'Otranto, preserve the ancient traditions of manufacturing and traditional dances.