Puglia Perfection

The one thing that I have discovered about Italy is that it is a country of contrasts, from its Northern Alps region to the “toe of boot”, and the island of Sicily. The region called Puglia stretches down the south-east coast and forms the “heel of the boot”. It was where I decided to spend two weeks following my ten day tour of Sicily, to experience some Puglia perfection.

Puglia without doubt ticked all the boxes for me. It boasted historical towns, medieval castles, pristine beaches, flavourful foods and delicious wines, olive groves as far as the eye could see, and the astonishing trulli houses of Alberobello. It was a feast for the eyes. Exploring the “toe of the boot” was also easy with train services connecting

Puglia, Italy

If you’re tired of the crowds in Rome, Venice, Florence and the Amalfi Coast, then Puglia is a great alternative for an Italian holiday. There are six provinces that make up Puglia: Bari, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Brindisi, Foggia, Lecce and Taranto. If you wanted to see all of these places it would require at least two to three weeks to do it justice.

An interesting fact about Puglia is that it fringes coastlines on two different seas, the Ionian and the Adriatic. This is due to the shape of the “heel of the boot” that forms Puglia. One can spend the morning in Otranto on the Adriatic Sea and then the afternoon at Gallipolo on the Ionian Sea. It is a mere 68 kilometres in distance.

If you are after a beach holiday then there are plenty of towns where there are sun-drenched beaches. The most famous being Lama Monachile, Cala Porto located in Polignano a Mare. Others include: Vignanotica, Marina di Pescoluse, Torre Guaceto, Torre dell’Orso, Punta Prosciutto, Porto Selvaggio, Torre di Roca Vecchia, Baia dei Turchi and Lido Marini.

For me, it was an exploration of all that was on offer in Puglia, basing myself in Bari for a week and then travelling inland to Valle d’Itria and further south to Ostuni and Lecce. I also included a day trip to the marvel that is Matera, in the nearby region of Basilicata.

Where to Travel in Puglia

The highlights are many and varied in Puglia. When I was researching my holiday and planned my itinerary there were some main standouts, but the options were numerous.

From my own personal experience I discovered that the best places to travel in Puglia are:

• A day or two in the magical “fairytale-like” village of Alberobello with it’s iconic trulli houses.
• The white-washed hilltop village of Ostuni for at least two days.
• Check out the beaches of Salento that sits between the Ionian Sea and Adriatic Sea. You could easily spend three to five days here.
• Another white-washed town, Polignano a Mare is known for its impressive cliffs and picturesque coves on a day trip.
• Lovely Lecce with its baroque architecture and Basilica di Santa Croce for at least two days.
• A day trip to Locorotondo in Valle d’Itria, known for its circular layout and local wines.
• Meander through the narrow laneways of Bari and watch the Nonnas making orecchiette pasta.
• Visit the fishing village of Trani and wander out to the fort.
• Spend a day in the charming coastal city of Monopoli.

My Puglia Itinerary

I recommend two weeks in Puglia, including a side trip to the ancient city of Matera in Basilicata. For the first week I based myself in the port city of Bari and made day trips from here. My Puglia Itinerary consisted of:

• Two days in Bari wandering around the city.
• A day in Alberobello.
• A day trip to Matera in Basilicata.
• A day in Polignano a Mare.
• A half day in Trani.
• Three days in Lecce.
• Three days in Ostuni (probably two would have sufficed).
• An extra day in Bari before getting the train back to Naples.

Bari

My base in Puglia for one week was the port city of Bari. This stunning waterfront city also boasts an engaging old town called Bari Vecchia, made up of a maze of narrow laneways. I stayed in the perfect location close to the old town, the main shopping precinct and also close to the railway station. Everywhere was accessible by foot.

The top things to do in Bari include:

• Visit Saint Nicholas Church where the body of the saint lies in a crypt underneath the church.

• Explore the Swabian Castle.
• Stroll along the lungamore (waterfront).

• See San Sabino Church – the main cathedral in Bari.
• Wander around the narrow laneways of the Old Town checking out the shops and restaurants.

• Try some of the street food, like fried dough (popizze), fried polenta (“sgagliozze”) or local meat wraps called “braciole”.
• See the very popular Orecchiette Street where nonnas make handmade pasta.

• Check out Piazza del Ferrarese, lined with restaurants, sparkling with fairy lights of an evening and also hosting local arts and craft market stalls.
• Admire the views of the old port from Piazza Mercantile and the famous Via Venezia also called “Muraglia”, as well as the oldest city wall in Bari.

• Visit the Bari Art Gallery, named after Corrado Giaquinto, a famous Apulian 18th-century painter.
• Shop at the upmarket stores along Via Sparano.

Alberobello

One of the biggest drawcards in Puglia is the wondrous village of Alberobello in the Itria Valley, and the trulli houses, that date back to the mid 14th century. These whitewashed, dry stone huts with their conical shaped roofs give the town a fairytale feel.

As you wander around the town there are literally 1,500 hundred of these tiny homes, that are now mainly souvenir shops, cafes and craft workshops. The trulli huts are a sight to behold upon the hillside in the Rione Monti quarter of the town. There are a few vantage points where you can view the houses on the hill that make for a charming photo.

As you wind your way up the hill you arrive at an open square at the top with a park on one side, and the picturesque trullo church of St Anthony of Padua on the other side. On the stroll back down the hillside there are little cross streets that you can branch off into to explore more.

At the bottom of the hill is the main thoroughfare of the village, after you’ve finished your wanderings there are plenty of restaurants where you can sit, sip and eat and watch the world go by.

For a truly “trulli experience” it is recommended that you stay in a trulli home for a night in one of the many B&B cottages in the town. However, for me it was merely a day trip, so after enjoying this very touristy town I got back on the bus and returned to Bari.

A Side Trip to Matera

One of the biggest highlights of my time in Puglia was a day trip to the Basilicata ancient city of Matera – the city of caves. We caught an hour long bus from Bari Train Station out through the countryside to this city.

Matera is the third oldest continually inhabited city in the world that is is composed of a network of caves inhabited since the Paleolithic era. It became a forgotten city back in the 1900s and suffered from poverty, malnutrition and disease. In the 1950s the government acted and moved a lot of the cave dwellers into proper homes with running water and electricity.

Due to it’s grandeur and fascinating history, the entire city is a must see. Buildings and dwellings are literally carved out of solid rock located adjacent to a deep ravine. The Sassi is a hotchpotch of steep stone stairs, intertwined alleyways, ancient rock dwellings built on top of each other and cave churches.

I arrived here early in the morning and immediately looked for somewhere to enjoy a coffee and something to eat before meeting my group tour guide. The view over the sassi from the balcony at my cafe of choice was breathtaking. I could have sat here all day admiring the scenery.

The city is composed of two Sassi (districts of stone) – Sassi Barisano and Sassi Caveoso. The tour guide walked us through these two districts via a series of stairs and narrow laneways. Located on the highest point between the two sassi lies the 13th century Apulian-Romanesque Cathedral, Cattedrale di Santa Maria della Bruna e di Sant’Eustachio.

There are magnificent views from the sassi across the ravine (Gravino) to the hillside featuring small caves called the Parco della Murgina Materana. These are a collection of palaeolithic caves dating back more than 7,000 years. If you have time it is worth the hike across the ravine to explore these ancient caves.

Polignano a Mare

Around 30 minutes by train from Bari, is one of the most recognised and photographed towns along the coast of Puglia – Polignano a Mare. This town sits atop a dramatic limestone cliff with whitewashed buildings and homes, the famous beach called Lama Monachile Beach, is wedged between two cliffs.

On arrival I wandered to the main square of the town – Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, where there are a few restaurants/cafes and a small cathedral. After a quick coffee pick-me-up, I headed to the old gate and the entry way to the old town. Like most old towns it was a maze of narrow cobblestoned streets with many souvenir shops and small cafes.

There are several viewpoints where you glimpse spectacular vistas of the limestone cliffes, the whitewashed buildings clinging to the cliffs, Ponte Borbonico bridge that connects the two halves of Polignano a Mare and Lama Monachile Beach.

After taking in these stunning views I wandered to another square where the statue of Domenico Modugno (famous Italian singer) sits. Further along the coastal path to where there is a natural rock pool called grottone.

If you have pre-booked well ahead, the ultra expensive Grotta Palazzese – Puglia’s most famous restaurant with its spectacular terrace overlooking the water, is worth a splurge.

I took a stroll along Via Roma, a narrow-straight road lined on both sides with bars, restaurants and shops. Here there was a large variety of pizza, pasta, seafood and local fare on offer. I decided upon a traditional foccacia sandwich with meat and cheese at one of the alfresco restaurants.

Trani

There are plenty of coastal or fishing villages apart from Polignano a Mare, near Bari that are worth a train trip. Monopoli is one that springs to mind, but also Barletta, Molfetta and Trani are worth visiting. I chose to spend half a day in Trani.

The picturesque fishing harbour town of Trani is only a 30-40 minute train ride north of Bari. I arrived here mid morning in time to see the fisherman with their catches of the day, tending to their fishing boats and nets. The semi-circular harbour is a fair distance to walk from one end to the other and is lined with restaurants and bars.

At one end of the harbour is the impressive Romanesque Cathedral San Nicola Pellegrino and the Castle of the Emperor Friedrich II, which was built in 1233.  After seeing these sights, I took a stroll to the other end of the harbour and through the nearby Villa Comunale park, where below are some beaches where you can sunbake or swim.

I finished my morning here with a stroll through the relatively small old town before returning to the train station.

Lecce

After a week in Bari, I caught the train to the Salento Peninsula in Southern Puglia and the cultural town of Lecce. It is a journey of approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes from Bari along the coastline, with glimpses of the sea through large olive groves and dry rural terrain.

Lecce is like a mini version of Florence with amazing Baroque architecture, white stoned buildings, a medieval castle and an impressive Roman amphitheatre.

The must see things in Lecce to see and do are:
– The main square in Lecce, Piazza del duomo and the Cattedrale dell’Assunzione della Virgine.

– Piazza Sant’Oronzo – The Seat, the Column and the Church of San Marco.
– Roman amphitheatre.

– Lecce Cathedral, Basilica di Santa Croce.
– Castle of Charles V, Castello di Carlo V and the Fountain of Harmony

– Other churches including: Église Santa Chiara de Lecce, Chiesa di San Matteo and Chiesa di Sant’Anna.
– Browse Lecce’s main shopping street, Via Trinchese.

– Take a day trip to nearby beaches such as: San Cataldo, Porto Cesareo or Lecce’s coastal Salento area.

After three days in Lecce I’d had my fill of exquisite Baroque churches and palazzos. Lecce was a veritable open air museum of distinctive architecture and sculptures. Simply stunning!

Ostuni

My first glimpse of the amazing hillside white town of Ostuni was from inside my transport from the railway station as we wound our way up the hill. It was gleaming in the midday sun with the whitewashed walls almost blinding me.

Upon arrival into the centre of the town it looked quite compact with a large central square and a maze of narrow streets branching off the square. The central square called Piazza della Liberta, is lined with restaurants, featuring the Column of Sant’Oronzo, the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi and the town hall, which was once a Franciscan monastery.

The Centro Storico is characterized by steep alleyway stairs and cobblestone streets lined with enchanting shops, tucked-away trattorias, and casual bars. One of the best ways of witnessing all the attractions in Ostuni is by hiring a tuk-tuk to guide you around.

Delving deeper into the old town there is Ostuni Cathedral, Cathédrale Santa Maria Assunta, the archway of Arco Scoppa and La casa con la porta blu – a famous blue door and a great vantage point for some incredible views across the landscape surrounding the town. From the city walls there were also amazing views out to the Adriatic Sea.

A big highlight for me was my accommodation that was located in the centre of the old town at an old artist’s studio, called La Casa Dell Artista. This gorgeous little studio apartment was the former residence of an artist, who still sells his artworks from a shop below. 

The Best of Puglia

When I was planning my holiday to Southern Italy, I had no idea how mesmerising and magnificent it would be. Puglia was full of surprises. Every day of my two weeks here delivered something new. From a history point of view it delivered so many treasures with historical old towns, castles, churches and palaces.

The food was taste tempting, the people were friendly and the weather was warm and sunny every day, bar one rainy day. The coastal towns were so pretty with some lovely beaches and steep towering cliff faces. The countryside was charming with olive groves everywhere and of course the incredible trulli houses. The vibrant ceramics and quality linen shops were also exquisite.

But, I guess the best of Puglia was it’s less crowded and unhurried atmosphere.