Parco naturale in localita' Lama Balice

The Parco naturale regionale Lama Balice covers 504 hectares of protected land featuring Mediterranean scrubland, wetlands, natural caves, and diverse habitats that support local wildlife and migratory birds throughout the year.

Established as a regional park in 2007, the area has ancient origins dating back to prehistoric times, with paleolithic settlements in its caves and medieval structures including castles, churches, and traditional masserie farmhouses scattered across the landscape.

The park preserves important archaeological sites including the Chianchiarello caves with paleolithic remains, historic masserie like Villa Framarino, and traces of medieval settlements that reflect centuries of human presence in this rural territory.

Managed through a collaboration between Bari and Bitonto municipalities since 2008, the park offers marked trails, information points, and educational programs, with its main operational headquarters located at Masseria Maria Cristina di Savoia in Bitonto.

The park contains dinosaur footprints discovered in a former quarry site, making it one of the few protected areas in Puglia where visitors can observe both prehistoric traces and active Mediterranean ecosystems in the same location.