Sammichele di Bari

Sammichele di Bari lies in the inland Bari province, among vineyards, olive, cherry, and almond trees, within the Lama Diumo area of the Lama San Giorgio hydrographic network. Though its origins date to the Bronze Age, the current village was founded in 1609 by Portuguese nobleman Michele Vaaz. The first settlement of 87 houses grew around the Centuriona tower, now Castello Caracciolo and home to the Museo della Civiltà Contadina.Renamed Casale San Michele in 1619, it was ruled by the Caracciolo family until 1806. The historic center preserves the typical vignali: small stone dwellings, whitewashed with lime and once adorned with climbing vines at the entrance. Another symbol of tradition are the apotropaic masks carved in local stone, bearing witness to ancient popular beliefs.Food and wine tourism thrives here, thanks to the zampina, a mixed meat sausage celebrated with a festival since 1967, and the focaccia a libro, now a Slow Food Presidium.Sammichele is also famed for its festini, Carnival dances with masked groups, identified by the Ministry of Culture, as a historical and identity-related event.