Foggia is one of the larger cities in the region of Apulia and in southern Italy. The area has been inhabited since antiquity, while the current city is known from the year 1100, when the site’s wetlands were drained. Throughout the 12th and 13th centuries, the kings of Sicily built a cathedral and a residence in the city, which thereby increased in importance as a regional center. During the following centuries, Foggia was hit by several earthquakes, so several reconstructions took place before the city became part of Italy in 1861.

In Foggia’s old town you can enjoy some wonderful walks in the cozy streets. For example, you can start at Piazza Francesco de Sanctis, where you can see Foggia’s cathedral, Santa Maria Assunta. The cathedral was built in Romanesque style in the 1170s, but after an earthquake in 1731 it was rebuilt in the current Baroque architecture. The church became a bishop’s seat in 1855 and an archbishop’s seat in 1979. Close to this is the beautiful baroque church, Chiesa di Gesù e Maria, which was built from 1510. The church is known for having two pulpits, which was a result of using the church as a place of study with debates.

In Foggia you can also see the Chiesa delle Croci, a baroque church built in 1693. The church was constructed on the site where the priest Antonio da Olivadi placed seven crosses along the path during a penance to avert the famine that due to drought hit the area. At the end of the penance, a storm started, and therefore the church was built. The complex consists of a triumphal arch and five chapels in line for the first five crosses, and the church stands where the last two crosses stood.

You should also see the elegant Palazzo Dogana in the center of Foggia. It was built in the 15th century and is one of the city’s oldest and most beautiful mansions. Today it houses the provincial administration and there are also changing exhibitions here. Close to the Palazzo Dogana you can see Foggia’s town hall, the Palazzo di Città, which in its architecture is typical of Italy’s Fascist era. In the city, you can go to Piazza Vincenzo Nigri as well, where you can see the Arco di Federico II, which was the gateway to Federico II’s royal palace. The gate stands at the city museum Museo Civico. Finally, you can also go to the monumental Piazza Cavour, where the entrance to the city park Villa Comunale is located.