Tours/Bari/Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery
Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery
4.5(54)Bari1h–1h 30min
VIATOR4.9(13)TRIPADVISOR4.3(41)
+5 photos
At a glance
Duration
1h–1h 30min
Price from
$46 / person
Location
Bari, Italy
Rating
4.5 / 5 · 54 reviews
Languages
EN, IT
Group
Private
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Confirmation
Within 24h
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
Free Walking Tour Barletta
Description
Castel del Monte, the famous octagonal fortress symbol of the crown of Frederick II of Swabia and magnificent testimony of the reign of one of the most fascinating and mysterious emperor of medieval history.
A hour of tour inside the internal and external environments of the Frederick's manor, to better understand what lies behind the apparent simplicity and sobriety of a castle that once looked much richer and more decorated than nowadays.
Let yourself be accompanied by our guides, who will reveal details that would otherwise be impossible to notice by simple visitor's eye.
The tour is on request and does NOT include the transfer to Castel del Monte.
Meeting point at CAT parking. The entrance ticket to the castle (7 euros) and the cost of the shuttle bus (1 euro) are NOT included.
Out at sunset: the 4:00 PM departure is under way when the sun sets, around 4:56 PM in the coming weeks.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Tour Options
Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery
Itinerary
Castel del Monte
Admission not included60 min
Visiteremo il magnifico maniero federiciano, che si erge su di una collina in località Santa Maria del Monte. Entreremo alla scoperta degli ambienti interni, apprezzandone le sue architetture ed i suoi dettagli decorativi, in gran parte andati distrutti o rubati a partire dal 1700. Parleremo anche dei misteri e delle leggende che si celano dietro questa affascinante fortezza e dietro la figura di Federico II di Svevia. Un tour dinamico ed informale, all'insegna della storia, della bellezza e del mistero.
What's included
Included
Visita guidata al Castello
Not included
Bus navetta dal parcheggio al Castello
Ticket per il parcheggio
Castel del Monte
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.5
54 reviews
5
38
4
8
3
4
2
4
1
0
How it compares in Bari
No. 40 by number of reviews among 593 tours in Bari
Starting price $46 is 38% below the typical $74 for tours of similar length in Bari
Excurgo comparison of 593 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery take?
Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery lasts about 1h–1h 30min. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery cost?
Prices start at $46 per person for this Bari experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 5:00 PM.
How much does Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery cost for children?
Children aged 10–13 pay nothing, adults from $46.
Can I cancel Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
What languages is Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery offered in?
The experience is available in EN, IT.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.
Is Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 54 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Free Walking Tour Barletta.
Reviews(54)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
P
PPMM
August 23, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Watch out for the parking scam.
The castle is fascinating, but unfortunately, we fell into the parking trap: we were told that it was mandatory to park before the climb to the castle (5 euros) in the private parking lot of the L'imperatore bar and then use the shuttle to reach it (2 euros per person), while it was possible to park directly next to the castle itself. To the cost of parking and the shuttle, you must then add 10 euros for admission, which is excessive considering the very short route allowed. Our artistic treasures should be valued, not debased by swindling the tourist.
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Ci dispiace che la vostra esperienza non sia stata positiva, tuttavia riteniamo doveroso precisare che la nostra attività riguarda esclusivamente la gestione delle visite guidate.
Non gestiamo in alcun modo il parcheggio, il servizio navetta né le modalità e i costi di accesso al Castello. Pertanto, le considerazioni e le critiche relative a tali servizi non sono imputabili alla nostra attività.
Vi invitiamo quindi a rivolgere eventuali segnalazioni o contestazioni direttamente ai soggetti che gestiscono questi servizi.
D
donatellam867
August 23, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Wonderful
The castle is wonderful, a bit mysterious, unique, very fascinating. Kept very well, everything is super well-maintained, from the parking lot to the shuttle to reach it.
When you go inside, you lose track of time a bit; it is absolutely recommended to visit it at least once in your life.
M
Marc_B
August 22, 2026 · via Viator
Castel Del Monte, the most beautiful castle in the world.
Alex was an excellent guide. Castel Del Monte holds the greatest secrets. A must-see!
T
toni_2508
August 16, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
visit to be done wide awake
A visit truly not to be missed.
to be helpful: Watch out at the beginning of the climb where they will clumsily try to divert you toward an absolutely useless shuttle, given that for the same price ($5) you can park under the castle. This bothered me significantly because it denotes an approach to tourism that is too predatory and does not do our country honor. Another negative note: the guides are very insistent and very often claim to be what they are not... Ours was supposed to be a philosophy graduate.
If there is a tourism department in this municipality, it should wake up as soon as possible.
For the rest, one is truly fascinated by the mystery and the grandeur of such an imposing structure.
H
Hilary M
July 30, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Beautiful!!!
Castel del Monte was absolutely a must-visit during my vacation in Andria. I started out with the idea of buying an audio guide because I imagined the interior would be rather bare and I would have liked to better understand the history, architecture, and life in the castle. But fortunately, at the entrance, we met Angela Zingaro, a tour guide licensed by the Puglia region, who offered us her explanation at the affordable cost of 5 Euros... a dream! She explained to us (given her experience) that having a "human" guide during the visit is an advantage, and we were also lucky that she spoke our language (because if I hadn't known Italian, I would have been forced to rely on the audio guide). We couldn't have made a better decision.
The castle is majestic and imposing. The interior is very bare (a necessity that makes having guidance from someone important). We also visited a tower, accessible via a spiral staircase (narrow but doable), looked out the mullioned window (the only one in the castle), and saw the view of Andria from above. We also had the opportunity to see the bathroom of Frederick II (the setting for fun and playful photos by tourists).
Angela was clear and precise. In a little over half an hour, we had detailed information that was understandable to anyone. An excellent job.
Before going up to the castle, there is a paid parking lot (5 euros on weekdays) and then a "walk" to access the structure.
The bathrooms are located along a slope, once you exit the castle. Very clean.
UNESCO World Heritage site that absolutely deserves to be visited
Operator response
Gentile visitatrice, grazie per aver condiviso la sua esperienza così dettagliata. Siamo davvero felici che abbia apprezzato la visita a Castel del Monte e che abbia avuto modo di scoprire la storia e l'architettura di questo straordinario sito UNESCO.
Desideriamo però fare una piccola precisazione: la signora Angela Zingaro non è una guida che collabora con la nostra organizzazione, pertanto non possiamo esprimerci in merito alla sua attività professionale. Ci fa comunque piacere sapere che la spiegazione ricevuta abbia contribuito a rendere la sua visita ancora più interessante.
La ringraziamo per aver scelto di visitare Castel del Monte e ci auguriamo di poterla accogliere nuovamente in futuro.
T
Tracy_M
July 15, 2026 · via Viator
Nothing is included except the guide!
Nothing is included except The guide, who was very knowledgeable. His name was Alex. You park down below, coat, need a bus ticket, cost, need a ticket to get into the actual castle. Cost.
Operator response
Hi Tracy and thank you for your review,
We are pleased to read that you enjoyed our tour. Unfortunately we do not manage the extra services which, as written in the description of our product, are not included in what you purchased on Viator.
We understand that their cost could be a bit expensive compared to other places in the area but we hope that eventually your overall experience in Castel del Monte was enjoyable anyway.
Best regards,
Marco
P
Parsal
July 9, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Avoid scams
A mystical place with a 360-degree view of the surrounding lands, the view from afar is fascinating as you approach the castle. A negative note is the parking scam; you can park near the castle to avoid the shuttle scam, ZTL, at the beginning of the climb to the castle. There is a designated parking area at the beginning of the climb, and you can drive up to the parking lot.
Operator response
Grazie per aver condiviso la sua esperienza e per aver apprezzato il fascino del castello e del panorama che lo circonda.
Ci teniamo però a precisare che noi ci occupiamo esclusivamente del servizio di visita guidata all'interno del castello e non gestiamo i parcheggi, il servizio navetta o la ZTL, che sono di competenza di altri enti. Siamo lieti che abbia potuto godere della visita e speriamo di accoglierla nuovamente per farle scoprire altri aspetti della storia e delle bellezze del castello.
A
angelica_s
July 5, 2026 · via Viator
Guided tour of Castel del Monte
Super prepared, friendly guide. He notified us the day before. In the end, he recommended what to do in the surrounding area.
D
Dagmar B
June 14, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Historical tour through the castle
Very informative tour. We learned a lot about history and Frederick II.
W
whitestar2014
June 1, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Very beautiful, but...
A very impressive and well-maintained monumental site. In my opinion, the ticket price is too high (10 euros per person) considering that the castle is practically empty and the guide is an additional cost. It is worth visiting for its unique shape and location.
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