Salt Path Walk

A walk along the salt trail

The Salt Path Walk is a community-driven trek held between Barletta and Margherita di Savoia, in the heart of the Barletta-Andria-Trani province, Puglia. The route follows the path of the old salt cableway, an infrastructure that for decades linked the famous salt pans of Margherita di Savoia to the port of Barletta, and which today lives on only in memory and a few traces on the landscape.

The history of the cableway

Built in 1955 to a design by engineer Tranchese and constructed by the firm Ceretti & Tanfani, the cableway was approximately 12 kilometers long and could transport up to 175 tons of salt per hour. A stretch of about one and a half kilometers even crossed the sea, supported by seven massive reinforced concrete pylons about twenty meters high. Decommissioned in 1981 due to high operating costs, the cableway was progressively dismantled, and the pylons at sea were demolished around 2000. The Salt Path Walk was created precisely to preserve this piece of the region's industrial and social history.

An experience blending nature and memory

Promoted by the association A.S.D. Gli Amici del Cammino Barletta, the event is not a competition but a slow, participatory walk, open to families, trekking enthusiasts, and the curious. Along the way, participants traverse the coastal and agricultural landscape that unites the two cities, passing through salt pans, countryside, and glimpses of the Adriatic Sea.

The route is enriched by stories, anecdotes, and archival documents: in recent editions, the event has featured the collaboration of the State Archives of Barletta and local historian Michele Grimaldi, who have shared the memories of the workers and families tied to the world of salt with the walkers.

The Gli Amici del Cammino association

The organizing group promotes numerous walking and solidarity initiatives in the Apulian region, from the Vette di Puglia festival to charity drives, with a particular focus on environmental protection and the enhancement of local heritage. The Salt Path Walk represents one of the association's most defining events, capable of combining gentle sport, culture, and the rediscovery of the roots of the municipality of Barletta.