Conversano sits on a hill between the Murgia plateau and the Adriatic, surrounded by olive groves and cherry orchards — cherries are a local specialty, celebrated with a festival each June. The town is anchored by a Norman-era castle that now houses a pinacoteca, and a Romanesque cathedral with an understated facade that belies the age of the place.
The real draw is the atmosphere. Conversano is small enough to walk in an hour, but its lanes and piazzas have genuine character without the tourist crowds of the better-known Puglia towns. The Benedictine monastery of San Benedetto, with its cloister and frescoed church, is worth seeking out. From here you can easily explore the Puglia countryside — Polignano a Mare, the trulli of Alberobello, and the coast are all close.