Fasano, Lo Zoosafari and the rovine of Gnathia.

Fasano is an agricultural town in the centre of the narrow plain between the Adriatic and the hills which rise up to the Murgia of the trulli.

The area was inhabited since megalithic times, and a dolmen still stands near the village of Montalbano a few miles from Fasano.

Near Fasano is the ancient city of Egnazia. Dating back to pre-Roman times, there are many remains of the Messapian civilisation - at its peak in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. The extensive excavations here also offer views of the later Roman port and acropolis, the roman town with its forum and an early Christian basilica. An excellent museum houses many local finds, as well as a superb sample of roman mosaics from Taranto.

After the decline of the Roman empire christianity continued to flourish, and in the area are examples of rock churches and small monasteries.

The site of modern Fasano was developed around the late 11th century, after the decline of Egnazia, and by the 16th century was a thriving community. Its Palazzo Communale dates from 1509, built by the Knights of St John, otherwise known as the Knights of Malta.

The main event in its subsequent history was a defeat by the knights of an attack by Turkish pirates in 1678. The townspeople attributed this rare success to divine intervention, and the church of Our Lady of Graces contains a picture of the event, which is still celebrated annually in a pageant and festival.

Fasano is surrounded by rich but thirsty agricultural land which in addition to olive groves and cherry orchards manages to produce a large proportion of the area's vegetables.