CISTERNINO WITH KIDS – How to Visit (& Why You Should!)

Cisternino is a town in Puglia I gravitate towards with kids… but not for a particular family-friendly site or museum or activity.

Instead, we wander the tiny lanes, eat pizza with local families, and I lounge on a park bench while my boys play soccer with other ragazzi (boys). More often than not, there’s also some sort of kids’ festival taking place in town.

Cisternino has been the most requested town on our current trip to Puglia. I vetoed the third night in a row (and we’re finally heading to mamma’s favorite spot – Locorotondo).

If you’re in Puglia’s Valle d’Itria with your family, add Cisternino to your itinerary – as an evening visit for dinner, or for a half day visit in the morning (with lunch).

Let’s take a look at how to spend an enjoyable few hours in Cisternino with your kids. I’ll go over:

What to see & do in Cisternino as a family
Where to eat with kids in Cisternino
When to visit (time of year and time of day)
How to get to Cisternino & how to get around with kids
Family logistics (like, is it stroller friendly?)

You may want to check out my Guide to Visiting Puglia with Kids

Table of Contents

What Our Family Loves to See & Do in Cisternino

Boys walk toward a playground in a piazza shaded by umbrella pines in Cisternino, Puglia, Italy on a sunny evening. — *Playground*

Three boys stand in the main piazza of Cisternino, Sicily and look toward the clock toward and people eating at tables under umbrellas. — *Playground*

Hang Out in the Pineta Comunale – The ‘town pine forest’ is a small park area with a fun playground, gorgeous views of the countryside, and it’s often packed with families celebrating some sort of festival on summer weekends.

My boys would gladly play soccer with the local boys here every night of our vacation, and I’d happily sit on a bench or at one of the tables on the edge of the park having a cold bevanda or a snack while watching them.

My youngest two (4 & 7) enjoy the playground, but my 11-year-old feels ‘too old’ for it.

It’s shady, there are plenty of benches, and there’s a water fountain too. The paved paths work well for pushing baby in a stroller (although the area can be quite noisy).

Check Out Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II – This picturesque piazza has a lovely atmosphere, day or night. You can get a quick snack or aperitivo at one of the shops on the edge of the piazza or sit at one of the tables in the middle of the square.

Look for Fish in the Villa Communale – The views from here aren’t too shabby either.

Wander Cisternino’s Narrow Lanes – It sounds cheesy, I know, but Cisternino really is a place to wander a bit with your kids.

My boys like looking for the luminarie (white wooden frames decorated with colored lights) outside shops. I like checking out the ceramics, especially if a trip to Grottaglie is not on our itinerary.

Cisternino is not a town just for tourists (although there are plenty), so there are a ton of ‘normal’ shops too – clothing, shoes, etc.

You don’t need to buy anything, though. Take photos (mental or actual) of the flowered covered lanes, adorable outdoor seating areas, and whitewashed steps.

Wandering Cisternino is a delight.

Good To Know: In the summer months, there’s a small night market on Via Cellini. It’s on Saturdays and Sundays (and even more frequent in August).

Family-Friendly Restaurants in Cisternino

Lit up piazza in a whitewashed square at night in Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. — *Pizzeria Doppio Zero*

Boys sit at an outdoor table eating pizza in Cisternino, Italy. — *Pizzeria Doppio Zero*

There are a ton of places in Cisternino that work well with kids. I try to seek out casual spots on pedestrian streets or piazzas so kids can run around before the food arrives or after they’ve finished (and the adults are still chewing their first few bites).

Pizzeria Doppio Zero is our top pick for its excellent pizza, outdoor covered seating area, and the fact that it’s in a piazza. My boys love running around (literally) in the piazza before and after eating their pizzas. Be sure to reserve this place (ask for an outside table on the edge so you can see your kids and they can get to/from the table easily. I also recommend eating early – before locals arrive and it gets busy (and orders take longer).

Other good options include Zio Pietro and Al Vecchio Fornello.

Try summer fruit gelato flavors at Fico Caffè.

Alternatively, you could also pick up picnic supplies at a grocery store outside of town and have a picnic. For example, there’s a bigger supermarket – Sette Più – just outside the historic center walls. Find fresh, in-season fruit at a fruttivendolo (fruit seller). Have your picnic in the pineta comunale.

Read about Going to the Grocery Store in Italy

When to Visit Cisternino with Kids

Boy in yellow shirt runs down stone lane between whitewashed walls in Cisternino, Puglia. White dreamcatchers hang from above. — *Summer evening*

Boy runs down an empty stone street in the whitewashed town of Cisternino in Puglia, Italy. Plants on the left. Blue sky with no clouds. — *Summer evening*

My favorite time to visit Cisternino as a family is on a summer evening, before the shops close. Once the sun’s down, it’s not too hot, and the views of the countryside at sunset are epic. I also love sitting outside to eat in Cisternino, and it’s much more pleasant in the evening.

While some shops stay open later in the evening, I think it’s nice to arrive and check them out before heading to dinner. Closing hours can change, so look on Google Maps before you go. I’ve found that a 6pm-ish arrival works well for summer visits – enough time for the playground, a stroll to see the shops, followed by dinner and gelato.

We’ve also enjoyed ‘off-season’ (for example, April & October) visits, and the town still feels lively.

Read more about visiting Italy in January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December.

Transportation to Cisternino & How to Get Around

Blue skies peek from between white stone walls in Cisternino, Puglia. Plants lines the walls. — *You can get everywhere in Cisternino on foot*

Like most places in Puglia, it’s best to have your own car to get to and from Cisternino. And, like most Pugliese cities and towns, the historic center is a ZTL – zona traffico limitato (limited traffic zone).

If you’re staying in a nearby town (for example, Ostuni), you could take a bus to get to Cisternino. Just pay attention to the schedule (look here or on Google Maps).

Another (pricier) option is to use a taxi or a private driver.

Once you’re in town, the best way to move around is on foot. The historic center is tiny (but mighty).

Family Logistics for Cisternino

Boys walking on sidewalk outside center of Cisternino in Puglia. Below is a dirt parking lot and in distance home and olive groves. — *Parking lot below the Pineta Comunale (to the left)*

Toilets – We haven’t found the public toilets in Cisternino to be… reliable. Instead, make a small purchase at a bar or restaurant and use the toilet. Read more about Bathrooms in Italy.

Water – There’s a water fountain at the pineta comunale (opposite end of the playground).

Parking – More often than not, I roll the dice in Cisternino and look for street parking (the spaces with the blue lines). Cisternino uses the EasyPark app (one of my favorite Italy travel apps), so you can pay for parking and top up later via the app if you need to.
Another convenient lot is the free lot below the pineta comunale. There’s also a small stretch of street parking (blue lines) between that lot and the pineta comunale.

Good To Know: I find the street parking in Cisternino can be a tight squeeze, so if that stresses you out, choose one of the lots outside of town and walk in. On our most recent visit I received a round of applause from some shopkeepers for my Austin Powers maneuvers while I parallel parked.

Strollers – Cisternino is very stroller-friendly. If you end up parking below the pineta comunale you’ll need to wind your way up to town on the streets/sidewalks (vs taking the shortcut up the long staircase).

What to See & Do Nearby Cisternino

Beaches (on the Adriatic Sea), like Torre Guaceto Beach
Locorotondo
Monopoli
Grotte di Castellana (aka Castellana Caves in Castellana Grotte)
Polignano a Mare
Alberobello
Ostuni
Go cycling (read about Cycling in Puglia with Kids)
Martina Franca
Ceglie Messapica
Grottaglie

I hope your family loves Cisternino as much as our family does!

Green cactus against a white stone wall in Cisternino, Puglia, Italy.

Candice Criscione

Candice, a mamma of three, is an Italy trip planner and travel guide who has been living, traveling, and working in Italy for over two decades. She uses her extensive experience in Italy to help travelers plan their first (or tenth!) trip to bella Italia. She lives in Tuscany with her husband and three boys and when she’s not writing for Mom in Italy or The Tuscan Mom, you can find her cycling the Tuscan hills and exploring Italy with her boys!