Egnazia, the ruins on the Adriatic between Messapians, Romans and Byzantines

A few kilometres south of Monopoli, where the Apulian coast breaks up into low rocks and clear water, lies a place that most tourists drive past without noticing. The archaeological area of Egnazia, ancient Gnathia, is one of those destinations that reward those who slow down: an entire layered city, inhabited for centuries by different peoples, spread out among the grass and the constant sound of the sea.

Among the ruins

You walk along the Via Traiana, the ancient Roman road that still marks the ground, among the remains of forums, basilicas, baths and dwellings. Egnazia was born as a Messapian centre, became a Roman municipium and then experienced an early Christian and Byzantine phase: the stones tell of this changing of hands without needing much explanation. The museum beside the excavations holds the famous "Gnathia black-glaze pottery", useful for putting a face to the objects of everyday life.

The silence of the site

The most surprising thing is the silence. While Alberobello fills up with coaches and the nearby beaches saturate in summer, here you can stroll almost alone, with the ruins on one side and the Adriatic on the other. Part of the ancient harbour is now submerged, and on clear days you can make out its outlines beneath the surface. It is a large site, but little frequented: you can sit on an ancient wall without the pressure to free up the space for someone else.

When to go

To visit it properly, it is best to avoid the peak hours of summer and choose spring or early autumn, when the light is soft and the heat bearable. It is easily reached from Fasano or Monopoli, perhaps by bicycle along the coast. Bring water, a hat and time: Egnazia is not visited in a hurry, it is crossed the way you cross a story two thousand years long.

Related guides: Apulia off the beaten track: inland villages far from the crowds · Alternatives to Polignano a Mare: Apulia's villages and coves without the crush · Where to go by the sea in September without crowds: the South once the tourists leave.

Getting there

The archaeological park lies along the coast between Fasano and Monopoli, on the coastal road to Savelletri. By car you arrive via the main road with the Fasano-Savelletri exit. The nearest railway station is Fasano, a few kilometres away; the reference airports are Brindisi and, further afield, Bari.