Conversano is a refined, elegant medieval village, well off the tourist track, and town of art, history, palaces, monasteries and castles. It is 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Bari and 7 km (4 mi) from the Adriatic coast, at 219 m (719 ft) above sea level. The charming historic center contains several historic buildings - the Castello, the Cattedrale and the San Benedetto convent. The Castello degli Acquaviva is an imposing fortress structure that houses a museum/art gallery with significant work of local artists. The town became a center of art and culture thanks to noblemen who sponsored architectural projects and purchased many famous 16th Century artworks, including those by Paolo Finoglio. Conversano’s large Piazza, with views across the plain, becomes alive during the evening. The Romanesque Cattedrale is dedicated to Madonna dell’Assunta and was started by the Normans in the 11th and 12th centuries, and enlarged and modified over the centuries. Adjacent to the cathedral is the San Benedetto monastery with its tall multi colored domed tower, originally occupied by Benedictine monks and later replaced with Cistercian nuns in 13th Century, and becoming a convent. Conversano is the traditional Puglian home of cherries. Every June they celebrate the Festa delle Ciliegie, the Festival of Cherries, where local producers set up countless stalls to display all varieties of the town’s most famous product.