Once upon a time in Italy in the heel of the boot there's a region called Puglia. It's a land where the food is hearty, the wine flows freely, and the people live in homes straight out of a Dr. Seuss book.
If you're flying to Puglia, then you're going to either arrive in Bari or Brindisi airport. We hired a car with Zest and after landing at Bari located the NOLEGGIARE desk, situated inside the airport terminal. So lucky there was no queue, unlike some other rental companies whose queues were enormous. Very quickly we were on the coastal highway from Bari, en route to Coreggia. We stopped off for groceries at Lidl on the northern outskirts of Monopoli. The supermarket is conveniently only a few hundred yards off the main road.
Italian driving is 'interesting'.....How do you know if you're driving behind a rental car it Italy? They're using their indicators on a roundabout! There's no doubt that driving in Italy will be different to what most people are used to, especially us Brits. Thankfully though, you get used to its rhythms and quirks quite quickly (and will probably even adopt some of them during your trip!) The first thing to note is that Italians rarely use indicators when they should. On the motorway someone won't necessarily let you know that they're about to switch lanes and cut in right in front of you, which is equal parts stupid and dangerous. As with any road trip in a foreign land, the first day will be your adjustment period. Make sure you take it carefully and with a huge dollop of patience; it's important not to panic or get too stressed out. By the second or third day, you'll have worked out the unspoken rules of Italy's roads (even if many make absolutely no sense). Avoid arriving after dark when it all becomes a little more bewildering and much more difficult to navigate.
COREGGIA.
The Valle d'Itria is a storybook Italian landscape - stone walls dividing lush farmland into patchwork fields. We visited in April. It's such a pretty time of year, the wildflowers are abundant and crowd out from verges, stand tall in the fields and colour the land with shades of poppy red and buttercup yellow. Look closer and you'll see that, instead of standard farmhouses, many buildings are trulli: cylindrical homes of whitewashed limestone with conical roofs of stacked, dark-grey stones. Some say trulli were built that way so that peasants could pluck out a stone - and cave in the roof - whenever they saw the king's men coming, because "unfinished" structures couldn't be taxed. Others maintain that this was simply one of the easiest ways to put a roof over your head without using mortar. Whatever the case, they keep their owners cosy in the winter and cool during the baking summers.
Trullo 4 at HPB Coreggia was going to be our home for a week. (trullo is singular, trulli is plural).
We then took a cue from the locals. Up and down Alberobello's steep streets, you'll see women stationed in doorways, sitting in chairs. They keep their hands busy - preparing vegetables, mending dresses, crafting toy trulli for their sons' souvenir shops - while chatting with their neighbours, each perched in her own doorway. (Italian men, on the other hand, traditionally congregate in public places in the piazza). So we followed the ladies' lead and sat outside. Our only chore to while away the early evening, soaking up the sun and enjoying a glass of wine.
ALBEROBELLO
Have you ever seen photos of a place and thought "that can't be real". This tiny town looks like it has been plucked from the pages of a fairytale. Alberobello is famous for its trulli. Stroll the hilly maze of streets, shop for souvenirs, enjoy the view across the rooftop terraces, and fill your camera's memory with photos of this enchanting town.
We parked next to the large cemetery as you enter the town and then walked in, about a 15 mins walk to the town square and then over to the Unesco Trulli area. We fathomed the following rules for parking in Puglia: A parking place is indicated by the blue sign with the white letter P or the phrase parcheggio. Blue lines anywhere mean you can park, but you have to pay. White lines mean you can park and it's free (but double check!). Yellow lines are only for disabled badge holders. Ticket machines are easy to find, and easy to use with cash (they would not take our credit card) so make sure you have a good supply of small change for them.
Within Alberobello, there are two main groupings of trulli. Rione Monti is the larger, more touristy area where you can see more than a thousand trulli. Rione Aia Piccola is a smaller area that is quieter, less touristy, and gives you a sense of what Alberobello was like before it became this tourist mecca. Alberobello was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1996.
Explore the Rione Monti. In Rione Monti, more than a thousand trulli line the hilly streets and alleyways. Even so, it is a small area and it only takes an hour or so to wander the streets. This part of Alberobello is very touristy, with large group tours lining the streets and tons of souvenior shops. Within Rione Monti visit.
To see a miniature recreation of Rione Monti, spend a few minutes at Alberobello in Miniature. It is free to visit but donations are appreciated. It is located on Via Monte S. Michele.
Standing on the highest point of Rione Monti is a trullo-topped church. For a European church, it is rather young, dating back to 1927. The facade of the church is very unique, with its conical domes and white-washed exterior. Inside it has stone arches and walls, and is adorned with frescoes by artist Adolfo Rollo.
If you want to explore a quieter area of Alberobello, and visit a more authentic area of town, visit Rione Aia Piccola. This area is much smaller than Rione Monti and lacks the souvenir shops and hustle bustle from the other side of town. We liked this area a lot more and it is delightful to stroll through. especially at the end of the day, when the sun is setting.
The view from the Belvedere at Rione Aia Piccola, is wonderful. From this tiny park, with its one big tree and maze of low stone walls, you get a panoramic view of Rione Monti, Alberobello.
Casa D'Amore is an historic home, which was built in 1797. It is important in that it was the first in the area to be built "in cotto", or using mortar. Before this, trullo were constructed by dry stacking stones.
Trullo Sovrano is a very large trullo which dates back to the early 1700's. It was the family home of a wealthy priest named Cataldo Perta. It is the only trullo to have an elevated floor (a second level) and masonry staircase. It is a National Monument and on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Two euros to enter. You can even sit in the garden with a glass of wine and soak up the sun. Not to be missed.
Fabulous lunch at Ristorante La Cantina close by, a family-run restaurant that specialises in antipasti, traditional pastas and meat dishes. The atmosphere is dark and atmospheric, with just seven tables. The staff are attentive and serve up delicious Italian food at a high standard. There are only 7 tables so you must book.
One evening we enjoyed a lovely fillet steak in red wine sauce, potatoes and veg for £22 (Starters very large so recommend you share) at a delightful underground olive mill at Casa Nova in Rione Monti.
We also enjoyed the Bondholders Dinner at Masseria Torricella, an old converted convent. The food was excellent, the wine fantastic and we met some lovely couples. Mostly everything grown and prepared by the Agriturismo. Couldn't have a better evening.
MARTINA FRANCA, is a must-see town for its beautiful Baroque architecture, atmospheric alleyways and stunning palazzi. We managed to park the car on a street and walked to Piazza XX Settembre, the town's main square and once the centre of trade and markets.
Arco di Sant'Antonio. The entrance into the centro storico is this impressive Baroque triumphal arch typical of the period.
Palazzo Ducale. Built on the site of the 14th century Orsini castle, this 17th century building is one of the loveliest in town, notable for its wrought-iron balcony. Part of the building is now home to the Town Hall. In front of the palazzo is the lovely Dolphins Fountain.
LECCE - also known as the Florence of the South.
Without question one of the main highlights of a trip to Puglia is the stunning Baroque architecture that adorns the facades of Lecce and to a lesser degree, Martina Franca, Locorotondo and Ostuni. You can gaze for hours at the intricacies of buildings such as the Basilica di Santa Croce and still remain in disbelief. Lecce is 60 miles away, mostly on motorway. We followed signs for Fasano and got on the motorway. 93 kms later we came off it right at a car park on a roundabout. Look for the coaches, and park just behind them. 2 euros for all day, press the yellow button. The walk from the car park to the centre is approximately 700 metres.
One of the main successes of the Leccese Baroque was that the local stone (pietra leccese) is of a calcareous nature, allowing for pliability and ease of carving. The Old Town is literally overrun with Baroque details.
The Basilica di Santa Croce is probably the best-known Baroque church in the city, which is no mean feat when you consider the competition, the beauty of the Basilica is hard to express in mere words. Lecce is celebrated for its architectural quirks. In particular, the city has its own version of baroque, which meshes the curves and curlicues of that period with the iconography and mythological beasts associated with the Middle Ages, several centuries prior. The facade of the Basilica is a perfect example of the style: The building itself is curvy and baroque, but decorated with a mix of pagan references and Christian symbols, including dragons, cherubs, winged Harpies, and pot-bellied mermaids. Atop one column is an ancient symbol of Christ's Passion: a mother pelican pecking at her breasts, the blood flowing down to feed her fledglings.
The Chiesa di Santa Maria della Grazia is also interesting. According to history, this church was built because of a 15th century fresco of the Virgin Mary here, where many miracles were said to have occurred. What we do know for certain today is that it was built over the top of the rest of the Roman Amphitheatre.
Lecce's impressive amphitheatre is a stark reminder that before the elaborate Baroque buildings it was the Romans that called this city home. Built during Hadrian's reign in the 2nd century, the amphitheatre's existence was completely hidden from view until as recently as 1902, when its ruins were uncovered whilst work was being carried out to construct a new bank in the large public square. To this day, much of the below-ground amphitheatre remains buried, but you can easily make out the horseshoe-shaped arena, which at its height could hold at least 15,000 spectators.
Lecce's centro storico are a joy to explore. Set over a relatively small area, its sometimes labyrinthine nature means that you can spend hours exploring rather aimlessly, but contentedly.
The Chiesa di Santa Chiara has a papier-mache ceiling inside.
The Piazza Duomo courtyard contains the Duomo (cathedral), the Vescovile (Bishop's Palace) and the Seminary and is undoubtedly the most impressive Baroque complex in Lecce.
GROTTO DI CASTELLANA
Discovered in 1938, the grottoes of Castellana are an unmissable sight. The vast complex of underground caves, one mile in length, offers breathtaking views of stalactites and stalagmites, as well as glistening crystallite within its many chambers. Also wave/veil formations and cauliflower and coral formations in extraordinary range of colours and white purity in the lowest cave. Well worth doing the longer trip, which takes you to the white cave. Stunning. Can be a bit slippy under foot therefore good footwear recommended. Sorry only photos of the first cave allowed. We tried to book online for the English tour at 10.45 a.m. but the site would not accept our credit card. So we arrived at 9.45 a.m. and parked in the large car park, just before the entrance for 4 euros. The ticket office opens at 10 a.m. (Walk past the crowds, they are probably organised tours waiting to go in). Try to walk immediately behind the guide in the caves because she has a torch and you will be able to hear what she says. There can be up to 50 people in a group. Take 50c coins for toilet.
A handful of years ago, back when Puglia was yet to reach the imaginations of non-Italians, an image surfaced that forever changed the course of the region's tourism; a photo of a small pebble beach edged by limestone cliffs, white-washed houses, and the most vibrant of aquamarine waters. This image was of Cala Porta in Polignano a Mare. Extremely windy when we visited. Did you know? Every September, crazy adrenaline junkies will emerge through a private living room in the cliffs to dive 27 metres into the blue.
No problem parking in the large car park (Parcheggio San Francesco) Delicious fish lunch at Ristorante Pizzeria Neuro.
OSTUNI
We parked outside the historic city centre (Parcheggio Ostuni Al Giardino) and walked into town It was easy to park at 9.30 a.m. During the day it is a regular stop for tourists and when we left at 11.30 a.m. the car park was full.
You will see Ostuni long before you arrive; the vast 'White City' rising high above the ocean of olive trees that sweep through this verdant area of Puglia.
Built atop a hill to protect from invaders, Ostuni is a certifiable labyrinth. A maze of alleyways, staircases and arches. Dead ends and pretty little gardens, glimpses of the Adriatic sea. Everything and nothing may lie around the next corner you take. Don't miss Porta Nova. This is one of the gateways into the historic centre that was built during the Angevin period, and it gives a clear idea of how protected the inner alleyways of the medieval town were at the time.
If you are wondering about the Pinocchio connection at HPB. Pinocchio's first encounter with the Cat and the Fox was in Ostuni and the Land of Toys is between Ostuni and Fasano.
From Ostuni we drove to CISTERNINO
The olive theme continues in this lovely little town surrounded by vast swathes of olive trees, which make the town's nickname, citta per la pace (city of peace), very apt. This is another of the region's citta bianche (white towns), and within the pedestrianised historic centre is a maze of whitewashed buildings bedecked with geraniums. Outside the pedestrianised area is the Belvedere with one of the best views of the Valle d'Itria with its distinctive trulli domes. A lovely place to stroll around on a sunny day.
MATERA - The City of Caves
The biggest problem with travelling to Matera by car is parking. Strongly recommend you take the HPB Transport. One couple drove and missed the walking tour because they could not park. The journey over to Matera is rather rough - a lot of pot holes like the UK!
From Italy's Shame to Capital of European Culture. Enchanting Matera's history goes back 30,000 years. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world. Matera came into disrepute in the 1950s when it was described as "The Shame of Italy" - whole families were living in Sassi cave houses with no electricity or running water and shared space with their livestock. Diseases were rampant.
Exposed and brought out of obscurity by the memoirs of Carlo Levi, the government passed a law forcing all residents into the modern buildings, which today forms the 'new Matera'.
In these dark holes I saw a few pieces of miserable furniture, beds and some ragged clothes hanging up to dry. On the floor lay dogs, sheep, goats and pigs......Children appeared from everywhere, in the dust and heat, stark naked or in rags, eyelids red and swollen.....and with the wizened faces of old men, yellow and worn with malaria, their bodies reduced by starvation to skeletons....I have never in all my life seen such a picture of poverty. - Carlo Levi
'Old' Matera however has come a long way in the intervening 70 years.
Today, it is a place to stroll in the sun, marvel at the architecture and gain a sense of all that is wonderful about southern Italy. From its position as "the shame of Italy" it was crowned the 2019 European City of Culture. And the caves, once pits of squalor, are now sought after boutique accommodation. We are relieved to have visited Matera before the secret is fully let out. Popular with Italian tourists this ancient city remains relatively unknown to foreign visitors, and when wandering the streets it is still the sing-song lilt of the local language that you will hear. In the next few years, this is certain to change especially since the new Bond film was filmed here in 2019 and released in late 2021.
The first glimpse of the Sassi (the stones) stops you in your tracks, looking down at the dramatic tangle of grey stone houses. Walking down a steep staircase, we plunged into a magical world that didn't quite feel real. Buildings climb up and down the hillside, houses piled on top of each other, the roofs of some acting as streets for those above. They were carved out of rock and the original caves extended with facades that look like normal homes.
Gutters are held up with old bits of cow bone..
Our local guide Teresa was very good. She related stories of her family who used to live in the Sassi. "My family has some very black memories of the Sassi but also a nostalgia for its social life. People lived outside in their vicinato, or courtyards, which was like a tiny piazza. There would be children playing, men gossiping, women shelling peas with their neighbours. They helped each other in every difficulty".
On the other side of the ravine from the sassi, you can see the simple forms of the Neolithic caves where people lived 7,000 years ago.
After our tour we enjoyed a lovely lunch at Il Terrazzino Ristorante Pizzeria Con Vista Sassi.
We also believe that every day in Italy should involve at least one gelato!
It's important to note that we survived the roads and got all our car rental deposit back. And, 99% of the time, we absolutely loved driving a car in Puglia and discovering just how gorgeous this region is.
