In AD 109, the emperor Trajan opened a new road from Benevento to Brindisi, shorter and easier than the old Via Appia, and it crossed the plain of northern Puglia, past the ancient city of Canusium, today's Canosa di Puglia. Near Canosa, the road crossed the Ofanto river on a bridge whose Roman foundations still support a later structure. The Appia Traiana at Canusium and the Ofanto crossing are part of the UNESCO listing of Via Appia, Regina Viarum, inscribed in 2024, and the plain around them is open, flat and fertile, a landscape of olive groves, vineyards and fields of wheat and artichokes.
The Ofanto valley has a famous battlefield. In 216 BC, at Cannae, a few kilometres upstream, Hannibal's army encircled and destroyed a much larger Roman army in one of the most studied battles in history. The site of Cannae has a small museum and an archaeological area on a hill above the river.
Canosa itself was an important Daunian and Roman city, with tombs, a basilica and a cathedral with Byzantine and Norman influences. On the coast, Margherita di Savoia has some of the largest salt pans in Europe, where flamingos feed in the shallow water and the salt is still harvested. Trinitapoli and San Ferdinando di Puglia are farming towns, known for artichokes and wine.
For riders, the plain of northern Puglia is not dramatic, but it is relaxing, with straight roads, little traffic, and big skies. The Gargano peninsula, to the north, offers twisting coastal roads and forests, and the Murge plateau, to the south, has rolling hills and castles, including Castel del Monte, Frederick II's octagonal fortress. Fuel is easy to find in the towns. Summer is hot and dry, so ride early. Try the local orecchiette with turnip tops, burrata, and the wines of the area, such as Nero di Troia.