Safari at Fasano

Many years have passed now, but the day of the trip to the zoo is still vivid in my memory. You can drive in, but for the monkey area it's better to take the little train, since the friendly little creatures hopping about everywhere could scratch the vehicle or take off some parts. The Zoosafari is the largest wildlife park in Italy, and boasts more than 200 different species. It covers an area of over 140 hectares, mostly Mediterranean scrub, at the foot of the hills of the Fasano woods, one of the most beautiful spots in Puglia, just 7 km from a stunning sea. The park was founded on 25 July 1973 thanks to two nature lovers, Matteo Colucci and Angelo Lombardi, and has grown and expanded year after year, hosting in this natural paradise living animals from the 5 continents.

In this park the animals live in complete freedom, with no bars or barriers, so it's possible to admire them, photograph them, film them in an almost natural setting. There are also various attractions, an amusement park, a dolphinarium, all to spend an extraordinary day in touch with nature. And then zebras and giraffes, the clever little things, come up to the tourists' cars looking for caresses and a few tarallini to munch on. On the way out of the park, the Fasano woods are an oasis steeped in green on the hills, and a few kilometres away is Torre Canne, home to a spa resort; its beach of the finest sand would make the most renowned spots of the Adriatic riviera envious. In a few hours, helped by a meteorologically flawless day, I spent some fantastic hours — and it must really have been so if, after all this time, I remember it so well!!!