The lively Puglian city of Monopoli, not far from Bari, has an impossibly beautiful fortified old port and a warren of old town lanes to explore. There are churches around every corner and on the waterfront is the imposing fortress, Castello di Carlo V. The city’s name comes from the Greek 'Monos Polis' meaning only, or unique, and of all the towns and cities in Puglia, it retains a working feel that's precious.

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