Andria

Access

Andria can be reached via the [A14] Bologna–Taranto motorway via the Andria–Barletta junction. The local rail network is operated by Ferrotramviaria S.p.A. (Ferrovie del Nord Barese), which serves its own station in the town with direct connections to Bari; the main Adriatic line, operated by Trenitalia (TI), is served by Barletta station, approximately 9 km away, with services to Bologna, Bari and Taranto. Roads connect the town with neighbouring municipalities (Barletta, Canosa di Puglia, Corato, Minervino Murge, Ruvo di Puglia, Spinazzola, Trani). As the town does not have its own airport, the main airport serving scheduled flights is ‘Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport’, some 50 km away. During the summer months, the influx of tourists to Castel del Monte can cause traffic delays on the access roads to the hamlet, which is about 17 km from the town centre.

Introduction

Andria is the capital of the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, in central-northern Puglia, situated on the lower slopes of the Murge plateau, some 10 km from the Adriatic coast. The municipal area, one of the largest in the region, stretches from the foothills of the Murge to the highest elevations of the Alta Murgia to the south. It borders Barletta, Canosa di Puglia, Corato, Minervino Murge, Ruvo di Puglia, Spinazzola and Trani. Known as the ‘city of the three bell towers’ and the ‘city of Frederick’ due to its connection with Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, Andria preserves, in its hamlet of Castel del Monte – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the defining feature that best characterises it.

Description

The municipal area stretches from the foothills of the Murgia, at lower altitudes to the north-east towards the Adriatic coast, up to the highest points of theAlta Murgia to the south-west, where the limestone landscape becomes more rugged and is characterised by sinkholes, karst plateaus and sparse woodland. The town centre stands on a plateau halfway up the hillside, whilst the hamlet of Castel del Monte occupies an isolated hill further south, within the Alta Murgia National Park.

The earliest evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Neolithic period. First mentioned in a document from thethe year 915 as a hamlet under the jurisdiction of Trani, Andria was fortified by the Normans in 1046 and later became a favourite residence of Frederick II of Swabia, who had Castel del Monte built here in the 13th century. In 1272, Andria was the birthplace of Isabella of England, and it was also the burial place of two of the emperor’s wives, Yolande of Brienne and Isabella ofEngland, whose remains are enshrined in the Cathedral. In 1431, the feudal lord Francesco II del Balzo rediscovered the body of Saint Richard, the city’s patron saint, establishing the town fair that is still celebrated today. Having passed to the Aragonese in 1487 and then to the Carafa family from 1552, Andria played a leading role in the Risorgimento following the unification of Italy. The town’s historical heritage includes, in addition to the Cathedral, the Church of Sant’Agostino, the church of San Domenico and the Clock Tower, together with the three bell towers that have given the town the nickname by which it is commonly known.

Thetown’s economy is based on agriculture — in particular olive growing, viticulture and almond cultivation — and on the livestock and dairy industries, of which ‘Burrata di Andria IGP’ is the most widely recognised product both nationally and internationally. The area forms part of the Castel del Monte DOC Wine Route and is a member of the National Association of Olive Oil Cities.

A significant part of the southern municipal area, towards Castel del Monte, lies within the Alta Murgia National Park, established in 2004 to protect the karst plateau. The vegetation of the Murgia plateau is characterised by grassy steppes and sparse Mediterranean scrub, with scattered woods of downy oak, whilst the sinkholes and ‘lame’ (low-lying depressions) harbour more humid microhabitats.

The territory of theAlta Murgia, between Andria and Castel del Monte, offers a network of walking and cycling routes through historic farmsteads, sheep tracks and karst landscapes, with Castel del Monte serving as a landmark and the final destination for many of the area’s itineraries.

Information

General information

Area: 402.88 km²
Altitude of the main town: 151 m
Highest point: 540 m – Castel del Monte
Population: 96,520 (as at 1 January 2026, ISTAT)
Name in dialect: Iàndrie (Bari dialect)
Name of inhabitants: andriesi
Patron saint: Saint Richard, celebrated on the third Sunday in September
Neighbouring municipalities: Barletta – Canosa di Puglia – Corato – Minervino Murge – Ruvo di Puglia – Spinazzola – Trani<
Province: Barletta-Andria-Trani
Region: Puglia
Country: Italy
Official website: comune.andria.bt.it

Points of interest

Itineraries

Itineraries by activity

Collections

• municipalities in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani | list - map

• municipalities in Puglia | list - map