Acquaviva delle Fonti

Acquaviva enjoys a Mediterranean fresh climate with mild winters and warm to hot, dry summers. Snowfall in winter is very rare but possible. During the summer of 2008 temperatures reached as high as 42 °C (108 °F).

Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II

The origins are uncertain. Some scholars and historians trace the foundation around the 4th-5th century BC in the area of Salentino hamlet, a few kilometers from the modern town, on a hill overlooking a fertile plain area. Probably the greater fertility of the land in the valley, the abundance of spring water that flowed into the ground a few feet from the surface, or some devastation were the causes that led the people of Salentino to move to the current city center.

The city's prosperity has been historically connected to its large underground aquifer. In the early Christian era it was an episcopal see, but was later destroyed by foreign invasions. Under the Aragonese domination a castle was built here. In the 15th century its fief belonged fir to the Orsini del Balzo and then, starting with Giulio Antonio Acquaviva, to the eponymous family, who held it until 1614.

The facade of the cathedral

Acquaviva Cathedral (Concattedrale di Sant'Eustachio di Acquaviva delle Fonti), church built in the 12th century (from 1158 onwards) is located here in the old city, since 1986 a co-cathedral in the Diocese of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti.

The town has the highest concentration of privates companies of the area. This places the town among those cities with higher GDP of all the southern Italy.

The city is known for the red (purple) onion that grows on her land, called Cipolla Rossa di Acquaviva delle Fonti. The production is very limited (less than 300 tons per year) because its cultivation still uses traditional and rudimentary methods in order to preserve the aroma and the fragrance. The red onion from Acquaviva is celebrated with a festival that is held in the end of July every year.

Acquaviva has a TV station TeleMajg broadcasting on digital platform and streaming as well, a domestic newspaper called L'eco di Acquaviva.

Acquaviva has an exit on the A14 highway Taranto-Bologna; the exit is right after Bari South driving 18 kilometres (11 mi) towards Taranto. It is also home to a railway station is on the main railway Taranto-Ancona. The closest seaport is Bari, 30 kilometres (19 mi) distant, while Taranto seaport is 45 kilometres (28 mi) away.

The closest international airport is the Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport, 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Acquaviva. The Brindisi – Salento Airport is 100 kilometres (62 mi) away.

• Maria Antonia Scalera Stellini, 17th century poet
• Mario Napolitano, chess player
• Giovanni Tria, politician and writer.
• Mirko Eramo, soccer player
• Joe Mantegna, Italian-American actor and director.

Acquaviva's most popular sport is football and it has two clubs: Atletico Acquaviva, founded in 2011, and Football Acquaviva, founded in 2016.

• Cesano Boscone, Italy;
• San Miguel de Allende, Mexico;
• Taranto, Italy.