Castel del Monte, between wonder and mystery
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.
Tour Options
Itinerary
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.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
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
Reviews(51)
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Super prepared, friendly guide. He notified us the day before. In the end, he recommended what to do in the surrounding area.
Very informative tour. We learned a lot about history and Frederick II.
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.
Castel Del Monte is fascinating, but you need a knowledgeable guide like Alex to explain its history. Alex is passionate about history and in amazing
Great organization... all simple and on time The guide Maria talented and passionate about her work The castle has a super fascinating history Highly recommended
Mrs. Angela guided us, very prepared indeed. The castle is beautiful and definitely has its symbolism and historical importance, although it is totally bare inside.
