Puglia

I visited Puglia in the summer of 2019 with the occasion of a wedding of friends, I had never been there because I have this strange deformation so I always prefer to discover abroad than to travel to my land. Instead I discovered an incredible place full of wonderful beaches, very special small towns, and fabulous food wherever we went!
As you know, Puglia is very long, so this 7-day tour tries to combine very beautiful places in the north and south of the region, and beaches both on the side of the mediterranean and ionian sea, offering both more typical places and more touristic places, but for this reason no less interesting. In addition, for those like me who like to vary days entirely on the beach and days of rest from the sea and sun, the tour alternates days of relaxation and the beach with days of visiting the cities and culinary discoveries. So….let’s start!

1. Stroll barefoot in an olive tree field

In various parts of Puglia they began 3 millennia ago to graft the wild olive trees, the olive tree, with the domestic olive tree, more productive, to obtain the olives from which to obtain the precious oil. Today that part of Puglia between the territory of Ostuni, Monopoli, Fasano and Carovigno represents the area with the greatest concentration of secular olive trees of which many are certainly millenary. Traveling through the streets of Puglia, by car or bicycle, you cannot avoid to see immense expanses of green olive trees, and the desire to take a walk in the midst of this green will be irresistible

2. Get lost in the crystal water of “Grotta della Poesia”

Grotta della Poesia is one of the most beautiful natural pools in the world, and attracts thousands of tourists every year.
It is in fact a pearl of rare beauty, which many want to visit. The cave has a rock overlooking the crystal clear waters that allows a dip of about 5 meters, an irresistible attraction for many young people who decide to ignore the ban on bathing.
It is in fact practically impossible to take a picture of this cave without dozens of tourists flocking to the banks, for many of them it is a series of continuous dives one after the other.
This is why the municipality decided to take rather severe measures. The fence of the area where the Grotta della Poesia is located is planned for the next few months, so as to preserve its integrity.

3. Eat one of the typical dishes with freshly caught seafood

There are many recipes that this cuisine presents, which has a particularity that distinguishes it from the others, to offer different dishes in relation to the different seasons, so that during the milder seasons, in spring and summer, preference is given to vegetables and fish, while in the other legumes predominate, homemade pasta seasoned with various sauces, alone or combined with vegetables or fish.
In Puglia there are really tasty typical dishes, such as frise or orecchiette with turnip greens. If you visit Puglia, however, you cannot avoid to try one of the typical seafood dishes, such as pasta with seafood, grilled prawns, or mussels au gratin. All of course with the typical Apulian wine, Negroamaro.

4. Take an evening stroll in the crowded streets of Gallipoli

The city, a bishopric since the 6th century AD, is located along the western coast of Salento, stretched out over the Ionian Sea, and is divided into two distinct areas: the historic center, which stands on a limestone island and has a circuit of about 1.5 km, and the new village, connected to the island by a brick bridge dating back to the 17th century. Gallipoli is a very tourist city, in summer the beaches are really inaccessible by how much is the amount of tourists that crowd it. However, the city is very beautiful, and you cannot avoid making a short visit. For this reason, I recommend avoiding the beaches in summer, which could leave you a bad impression and a sense of confusion caused by the huge crowds, and dedicate yourself to an evening stroll through the streets of the historic center.

5. Go up and down the streets full of trulli in Alberobello

Alberobello is in my opinion one of the most representative places of Puglia, with its typical houses that are found only in this area, called trulli, conical stone constructions that since 1996 are protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The streets of Alberobello are uphill roads lined with trulli, some of which are still inhabited.
It is really enchanting to walk up and down the streets and observe this very particular place. My advice is to stop for lunch or dinner in this town, and taste one of the typical dishes and wines, often in one of the trulli that are used as restaurants!

6. Admire the typical low limestone houses in Ostuni, the white city

Ostuni is truly an enchanting city, also called White City because of its characteristic historical center which in the past was entirely painted with white lime. The center is all uphill and is full of delicious places to stop for a glass of wine, a dinner or for shopping. You pass from one street to another often through narrow paths with small stairs, which constitute a characteristic labirinth. Visit Ostuni at sunset, where the white of its houses will seem even more suggestive, and have a drink in one of the typical bars whose tables are…..the narrow stairways!

7. Have a drink at sunset on the seafront of Otranto

Otranto has been recognized as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. The walk along the promenade, near the port, lined with charming little restaurants on one side, and the harbor full of boats on the other, is truly enchanting.
At the end of the walk on the promenade, there is a staircase that allows you to go down near the beach and there is a pier that houses a bar overlooking the promenade, and allows you to see the sunset and the moored boats, a truly romantic show!

8. Enjoy a full day of beach on the coast of Polignano

I don’t like to go to the seaside places and do a week of sun and beach only, I also love to visit the villages and the cities, and to alternate days of sea only with days of walking, visits to cities and of course … photographs!
But Puglia has some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy, so if you like to do a week or two entirely of sea and beach, in Puglia this is a very pleasant alternative. There are many enchanting beaches, especially those on the Adriatic side, but also for example the “Maldives of Salento” beach is an enchantment.

9. Appreciate the magic of Lecce in the evening

Lecce stands out for the richness and exuberance of the typically seventeenth-century baroque style of the churches and palaces in the center, built in the local Lecce stone, limestone very suitable for working with the chisel. The architectural development and the decorative enrichment of the facades was particularly cared for during the Kingdom of Naples and characterized the city in such an original way as to give rise to the definition of Lecce Baroque. Enjoy the city in the evening where the churches are illuminated and give a magical touch to the city.

10. Fall in love with the small white cities in Valle d’Itria

Located in the heart of Puglia, this fertile valley extends between the provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto. It is characterized by luxuriant vegetation, it includes one of the largest quantities of olive groves, from which one of the finest Italian olive oils is obtained. It is also characterized by the presence of trulli, the typical buildings of southern Puglia. Together with Alberobello, Locorotondo and Cisternino are two other cities of incredible charm and the typical configuration of low white houses.

three unmissable stops

Best photos spots

I’m a photographer, so I’m always looking for the best corner in the world to make the perfect picture. Often, with great pleasure of my traveling companions, I also spend hours staring at the landscape, waiting for the perfect moment with perfect light. Therefore, when I decided to create my blog, I could not avoid to include a dedicated section to photography enthusiasts like me, always looking for the landscape that leaves you breathless. Hope you will enjoy these places where, in my opinion, you can enjoy wonderful landscapes and take the best pictures.