For these 23 km the route winds through gently rolling hills in a hilly and barren landscape, half asphalt, without shade or water. Following the advice written in the guide, at one point I deviate to visit the grotto of Sant’Angelo which lies beneath a masseria complete with several trulli, about 1 km off the path; unfortunately, although it has been recovered and put in order, it is permanently closed to visitors and nothing can be seen from outside. For anyone who still wants to go, I recommend at least checking the GPS trace before turning back, because the path of the walk passes not far from there; with a short cut (of whose possibility I only became aware too late) I could have reentered directly onto the path without having to travel the same deviation twice unnecessarily – there and back – saving about half an hour.

A stop that is absolutely worth it arrives more or less an hour later at Masseria Scalera, which appears beside the dirt road on which we walk, on top of a small hill; it is a family-run business where Vito offers me a tasting of their dairy products: ricotta, mozzarelline, caciocavallo, pecorino, scamorza al finocchietto with pane d’Altamura and a very fresh “contadino primitivo wine”. Since I can’t finish everything, Vito even gives me some little bags to put the leftovers in to take away. With my stomach full I face the almost three hours of walking remaining, mostly in the rain, to finally arrive in Altamura passing next to a battery of enormous Silos where the grain is stored with which the famous bread is produced.

Because of the rain and muddy, caked shoes, my exploration of Altamura is limited to the immediate surroundings of the Casa Xenia hostel, which is also run by a stage referent; I am settled in a comfortable double room with bathroom that I share with another walker.

The location is very central, literally two steps from the Antico Forno Santa Caterina and the Cathedral; convenient also for reaching the Pein Assut tavern which – apart from the pilgrim menu – has excellent prices and a good variety of local specialties. But the real delight for my palate comes unexpectedly the next morning, when at the Svevo Café on Corso Federico II (one of the pedestrian arteries of the historic center) I eat my first “tetta della monaca”, a typical dessert made up of a very soft sponge cake filled with cream. I will eat several others during the rest of the Cammino Materano, but the one from the Svevo Café in Altamura remains absolutely the best.