Visit Puglia — Sunlit coasts, ancient towns
Visit Puglia for clear seas, centuries‑old stone villages and straightforward regional food that rewards slow mornings and active days. Start with Alberobello’s conical trulli and the whitewashed alleys of Ostuni; follow with Lecce’s baroque facades and the raw cliffs and beaches of the Salento peninsula. Explore Castel del Monte, the Grotte di Castellana and the windswept Gargano coast; take a boat to the Tremiti islands for snorkelling. Taste happens here—burrata, orecchiette, millennial olive oil and robust Primitivo wines—and local markets make it easy to assemble a picnic. Practical note: travel by hire car for the best access to villages and coves; visit in late spring or early autumn for mild weather and fewer crowds.
Alberobello’s trulli are UNESCO‑listed for their mortarless dry‑stone construction—conical‑roofed limestone dwellings specific to the Itria Valley in Puglia.
Essential Dining in Puglia
Start here for a reliably refined meal in Puglia: Il Falco Pellegrino delivers a polished dining experience with attentive service, a curated wine list and regionally focused dishes. Book ahead for evenings; tables fill quickly. The room is sophisticated yet welcoming, appropriate for a celebratory dinner or a measured evening after a day exploring olive groves and baroque towns. Menus highlight local seafood and produce; note that vegan and vegetarian options are limited, so mention dietary needs when reserving. Prices sit in the upper range for the area, but portions and wine choices justify the spend. Staff can recommend nearby passeggiata routes to walk off the meal or suggest quieter neighbourhood cafés for breakfast the next morning. Contact details and opening hours are on the website; look for seasonal tasting menus during harvest months.
Inside Otranto’s cathedral, Italy’s only complete Norman‑era mosaic floor—laid by the monk Pantaleone in 1163–1165—unfurls a Tree of Life across the nave and aisles.