The salt flats of Margherita di Savoia

Margherita di Savoia is a small town of about 11,000 inhabitants in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. The town has changed its name several times over the centuries up to the current one towards the end of the 1800s in homage to the first queen of Italy. In its seabed important Roman remains have been found which show that at that time the town was an important trading port where the main product was salt. The largest and most technologically advanced salt flats in Italy are still found here today. This activity has developed thanks to the clayey soil of the area which allows the creation of waterproof tanks in which to dry the sea water and obtain sodium chloride. The salt flats are populated by more than 100 animal species and for this reason they have become an important nature reserve. Among the birds that live here we find woodcocks, goldfinches, black-winged stilts, herons, ducks, avocets and pink flamingos.