Pope to Puglia Day 29 Ruvo di Puglia to Bitonto – 26 km

More olive tree grand dames along the straight and flat-ish Via Traiana.  We arrive in Bitonto early enough to pause for an aperitivo in the piazza by the Duomo, a magnificent 12^th century Romanesque church with impressive arcades supporting an extensive loggia along its entire length.  The front façade projects structural dignity though the details are worn by the elements over time, a process with which we are becoming intimately familiar.  Like other towns we passed through in the last week, Bitonto’s historic center preserves its original medieval configurations, without the open sewage.  It renders a level of proximity and even intimacy to city dwelling that is hard to resist. 

Tonight, we rest in a small B&B, an old structure that is decorated with 18^th century elements from which we expect Vincent Price to greet us.  But we had an excellent dinner, including Linguini Vongole Lupini and a fine Verdeca so we will sleep well.