Begin your guided tour of Gioia del Colle from the historic center. Walk through the many arches that served as entrances to the courts of noble palaces. Visit the Mother Church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, repeatedly altered over the centuries. After the historical center, the guided tour will introduce the majestic Norman-Swabian castle, symbol of the city, inside which the National Archaeological Museum is kept. Enjoy this treasure chest of finds from the excavations carried out on Mount Sannace and its hinterland. 

The funerary objects and ornamental objects from the 5th to the 3rd century BC exhibited in the rooms include decorated vases and weapons, metal fibulae, and terracotta figurines that tell the habits and customs of one of the largest peucete communities. Inside the castle visit the "room of the oven" and descend into a small underground, used in ancient times as a prison.  See the wall on which two round shapes are carved, according to legend reproductions of the breasts of Bianca Lancia, lover and then probably wife of Frederick II of Swabia.

The same Bianca Lancia gave birth to three important sons to the emperor: King Manfredi, Violante, and Constance. On the first floor, you can also visit the Sala del Trono, made famous for the shooting of the film "Tale of Tales."