Updated on January 15, 2024
Locorotondo is my favorite small town in Puglia, so it always makes it onto my Puglia itinerary, whether I’m visiting solo, for work, or with my kids.
If I visit Locorotondo on my own, it’s a leisurely visit – I wander the small lanes, stopping to check out views, have a glass of the Locorotondo Bianco DOC wine, or a relaxed meal.
If it’s a family visit, things are a little different! Locorotondo with kids is a worthwhile stop, because the small town is less crowded than some of the other nearby destinations like Alberobello, but there aren’t a ton of activities for kids.
In order to make a successful stop in Locorotondo with kids, it’s important to keep the following tips in mind:
Keep Parking Simple
Yes, there are blue pay and display parking spots around town, but keep it simple and park in the garage underneath Piazza Aldo Moro. Then, you’re just a quick walk (less than 5 minutes) up to the centro storico (historic center).
No matter where you end up parking, you want to be close to the historic center (the round area on the southern part of town on the map) so your kids don’t have to walk to far.
Fun Fact: Locorotondo means ‘the round place.’ The name is derived from the Latin locus (place) + rotundus (round). Show your kids the map of town (on a paper map or the Google Map in this post).
Have a General Plan for Your Visit to Locorotondo
Locorotondo is a nice quick stop with little ones because the streets are closed to traffic in the historic center, but there’s not a lot to do with kids.
With my 5-year-old on our last visit, we:
- Walked to the Villa Communale and saw the Belvedere and the vineyards and countryside below town.
- Walked along the Lungomare along Via Nardelli.
- Wandered through town, had lunch, peeked at the Palazzo Morelli, looked inside the Chiesa di San Nicola di Myra, window-shopped, and made our way out of town via Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and Porta Napoli.
- Got gelato at Gelateria del Corso and sat in Piazza Aldo Moro watching kids do tricks on their BMX bikes.
Bring Your Stroller (if you want to)
You can bring your stroller into Locorotondo’s old town. There aren’t a lot of steps to worry about like in other Puglia towns.
Read more about Strollers in Italy
Don’t Relax Too Much
The pedestrian streets are great for little ones, and so are the many viewpoints. But, like many other places in Italy, things aren’t ‘kid-proof.’
When you’re walking along the walls (the Lungomare), pay attention to sections with drop offs and places that kids could slip through easily. Also, there are cars on this section of road (via Nardelli).
Visit One of the Playgrounds in Locorotondo
Just a 2-minute walk from the historic center, you’ll find a small playground in Piazza Mitrano. It’s got padded ground, swings, rocking toys, a slide, and climbing toys for kids. A few trees and benches, but the park is surrounded by roads and it’s not fenced. There’s also a wooded, very shaded playground below town (perfect for hot days). It’s called Parco Giochi Pineta Basile Caramia. There are swings, climbing structures, see-saws, benches, and picnic tables. Reach it on a small dirt path between the stone wall on the main road (SP 134).
Eat Cheese and Hug Olive Trees Nearby
Either before or after visiting Locorotondo, make time to stop at Caseificio Salatino to sample some of the area’s local cheeses, and if the timing is right, to see mozzarella or another formaggio being made.
And, while you’re driving to or from Locorotondo, find a safe spot to pull over and get out and hug one of the monumental olive trees – how many family members does it take to encircle one of them?
Combine Locorotondo with a Visit to the Beach
If your kids are like mine, they’d prefer to spend all day every day at the beach. If this is the case, do what I do and spend the morning in Locorotondo and the afternoon at the beach (or vice versa if it works better for your family).
There are free beaches and beach clubs nearby in Capitolo, Savelletri, and the Coastal Dunes between Torre Canne and Torre San Leonardo.
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Load Up on Baby Supplies at the Shopping Mall
Need diapers, wipes, baby food, baby formula, kids clothes or toys? Don’t look in the historic center of Locorotondo. Instead, head a couple of kilometers out of town to the Quinto Colore Centro Commerciale (shopping mall).
It has a large grocery store (called C7) and OVS for kids clothing.
If you need a pharmacy while you’re in Locorotondo, there’s one just outside the historic center on Via Cisternino, 100. Read more about Pharmacies in Italy.
Map for Your Visit to Locorotondo with Kids
Need help deciding where to go in Italy with your family? Read
Best Places to Visit in Italy with Kids
Best Things to Do in Italy with Kids
Realistic 10 Day Itineraries for Italy with Kids
Spring Break in Italy with Kids
Locorotondo with Kids FAQ
Yes, Locorotondo is one of the best towns to visit during the holidays because the streets are decorated, there’s a Christmas market, and the town puts on a lot of events during the holiday season.
The Valle d’Itria (Itria Valley) in Puglia is a compact area that’s full of small villages and beautiful beaches that are great for kids. Nearby, you could visit Alberobello (trulli stone homes with conical roofs), Cisternino (another small town but with more shops and a better in-town playground), any of the sandy beaches along the Adriatic Sea coast, or Martina Franca, a lively city.
It depends on what your kids are interested in, but I only took my 5-year-old into Chiesa di San Nicola di Myra. I don’t think the other churches in town (like the Chiesa Rettoria Madonna della Greca, the Church of Saint George the Martyr (Chiesa Madre di San Giorgio Megalomartire), the Chiesa della Madonna del Soccorso, or the Chiesa di San Rocco) have enough to hold the attention of little ones. Some may be interested to see the painting of Mary in the Chiesa di Madonna del Soccorso – she’s holding baby Jesus and waving a stick to protect him and ‘drive away evil.’
