Stunning Emerald Waters And Architecture Await At One Of Italy's Most Affordable Seaside Cities

Sitting in sleepy situ on the shores of Puglia, Barletta's pastel-stained homes line winding sandstone streets, leading out to the waves that lap at Italy's eastern coast. Disturbed only by the light flutter of laundry on the line and the vespas sputtering past, you'll find a scenic reprieve from the tourist crowds and deliberately hiked prices in this quiet seaside city.

Due to the fact that tourism is not a major player in the local economy, the prices here aren't matched to the splashy spending of the holiday crowds. Many of the top-rated hotels in town cost less than €80, or $83.26, per night to stay, a measly sum compared to the hundreds of dollars averaged in Venice or on the Amalfi Coast. A sumptuous meal in a classic trattoria will only set you back €15 on average, paired with a €4 domestic draught.

Away from the typical traveler's trail, there's no direct fly-in access to the city. Fly direct from four stateside hubs to Naples-Capodichino International Airport instead. Sidestep these crucial transportation mistakes when you go to Italy and rent a car for a 2.5-hour jaunt through the Campanian hills, or watch the Italian interior unfold from the window of the 3.5-hour train journey via Caserta. Alternatively, avoid lengthy travel times by landing in Bari. Less than an hour away from Barletta, the little port city in Italy's Puglia region with a street famed for fresh homemade pasta, has flights arriving from around Italy and other major European cities daily.

When the final stones of the pyramids were not yet set and the gardens of Babylon had yet to be hung, the Mediterranean was already flushed with trade. Barletta began as an outpost of the seafaring Phoenicians, who skimmed the shores trading olives and oil from the grand port cities of Lebanon from 2500 BC. A part of the ancient Greek world, a bloodied battleground tramped by Hannibal and his Roman foes, and stronghold of the Normans besieging Sicily, the unassuming city has a staggering legacy. 

Start your search for time travel at the Swabian Castle, a stoic shoreside structure that has defended the city since the Byzantines established its site in the 9th century. The modern fortress was mostly added on by the Normans in the 11th century, and it's their eerie subterranean dungeons you can sink into, their formidable walls you can see the Adriatic stretch from. Take a tour to hear the history of 16th century dueling knights who spun thin rapiers or to learn about the first German-Italian conflict of World War II.

Inside the walled historic center of Barletta, stop by the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral where Ferdinand I of Aragon received his crown. It's only a 5-minute walk from the city's most famed statue, the Colossus of Barletta. Presiding 16-feet tall over the sandstone streets, the 5th century Byzantine depiction of an unidentified emperor  originated in Constantinople and is thought to be the largest surviving bronze statue of antiquity. 

Though the thought of splaying out on the sands of the Med might instantly conjure images of a sea of striped umbrellas and hotly contended sunbeds shoved side-by-side, it's actually easy to avoid the crowds at Italy's underrated beaches. Barletta's slow pace of life lends itself to days spent lounging under the southern European sunshine, which casts an opalescent sheen over the fringing Adriatic. The town has three popular beaches to choose from.

Stick to the city center Spiaggia Litoranea di Levante, a 14-minute stroll away from the castle. Backed by tucked-away hotels and shoreside dining options, the golden stretch of sand may be the shortest in town, but it's plentiful facilities, proximity to town, and clean waters make it a local family favorite. Around the jutting port and its historic lighthouse, Spiaggia Litoranea di Ponente extends along Barletta's western front. Flanked by a palm-lined promenade, it's a popular option for water sports enthusiasts.

It's worth venturing just 20-minutes north of town to Spiaggia di Margherita di Savoia. Not solely a glorious stretch of sand, it's backed by the Salina di Margherita di Savoia nature reserve. Punctuated by periwinkle salt mounds, natural thermal baths, and flocks of perching flamingos, the surreal salt pans are the second largest on earth. Pair a trip out to the pastel pools of the reserve with a dip into the clear Adriatic seas or a stroll through the small town of Margherita di Savoia.