Puglia, also known as Apulia, is located in the south of Italy at the heel of Italy’s boot. It is a beautiful and picturesque area along the coastline that is peaceful and filled with good food, olive oil and plenty of wine. It is also an excellent area known for its old farmland, history, and culture, as well as the Trulli stone huts that were traditionally built in the area. With stunning landscapes and beaches it is an excellent place to visit on holiday.

One of the lesser known areas of Italy, Puglia works fantastically for a romantic break for two. Offering wine tasting and travelling throughout the region or the chance to visit the incredible Italian coast. It is also home to several spectacular villas such as the Villa San Marco a fantastic villa sleeping 12 guests in the Locorotondo area of Puglia and in the perfect location to head to the beach or explore this historical town. 

With over 800 kilometres of coastline, the region is beautiful and many visit it for the spectacular beaches, white cliffs and chic traditional Italian towns. The coastline runs from the Adriatic Sea in the east, to the Ionian Sea in the south. One of the best beaches in Puglia is Pescoluse beach, a soft white sandy beach with sun loungers, fantastic if you are looking to head to where the locals go. Alternatively you can visit the Tremiti Islands, these are iconic, with beaches and cliff edges surrounding the islands, they offer turquoise waters which are brilliant for snorkelling, as well as hidden coves to discover.

Throughout Puglia you will see the Italian love of food and wine shining through. Orecchiette pasta, the shape meaning ‘little ears’, is commonly found and served here. If you are wandering the cobbled streets of any village in the area it is likely you will see some Italian grandmothers making fresh pasta. Commonly it would be served with locally grown greens or Cime di rapa which is a little like tenderstem broccoli, if you see it on a menu please do give it a go. If you head to Bari, the capital of the Puglia region, you can also enjoy a cookery or pasta making class and try the locally produced foods for lunch afterwards. 

One of the larger towns in Puglia is Lecce, also known as ‘The Florence of the South’, a beautiful and historic town that has bustling markets and many well designed buildings to explore. The area is famous for its food and wine and many of the local vineyards also sell their produce in the restaurants and bars in town. The Old Town is beautiful with churches and hand carved buildings all made from local limestone in Baroque style. If you are visiting Lecce head to the Piazza del Duomo, it is simply spectacular and a great place to spend the afternoon wandering around.

In Puglia there are four main wine areas: Salento, Manduria, Gioia del Colle and the Castel del Monte DOC area. The Salento area is in the most southern part of Puglia, with fertile and sun drenched vineyards it produces more than half of the wine in Puglia. Here you tend to find Negroamaro, Primitivo and Malvasia Nera di Brindisi wines. The DOC Primitivo di Manduria area borders the Salento peninsula and offers some of the top Primitivo wines from the area, these are fruity and rich red wines. The Gioia del Colle area is north of Salento and the wines produced are impressive; they can be a little lighter and great Italian wines such as Montepulciano. In the north of Puglia is the Castel del Monte DOC area, this area is excellent and lovely to visit as it is full of medieval history, beautiful buildings and quaint towns. A popular produce found in the area is the Nero di Troia variety of grapes, these in turn make delicious and smooth red wines. Whilst most commonly known for its red wine, Puglia also produces some delicious fresh and crisp white wines to enjoy.

There are several UNESCO World Heritage Sites within Puglia, one of the most famous of these is the Castel del Monte, which was listed in 1996 as an excellently preserved medieval military building in the Bari province. Then there are the previously mentioned trulli of Alberobello buildings, these traditional stone houses are exceptionally built and there are 1500 that still function as houses today. There are also some spectacular wine estates; the Bocca di Lupo and the Masseria Maime Castel del Monte and they offer an exciting blend of grapes. You can visit and take a tour of both wine estates followed by visiting the Tormaresca Vino e Cucina restaurant in Lecce, offering local cuisine and wine tasting. 

Alternatively head to the Tenute Emèra area, located near the coast just south of Taranto, the famous vineyard of Tenute Emèra di Claudio Quarta can be found here. Famous not only for its delicious wines, but it is also steeped in history and home to the ancient Casino Nitti-Quarta building, previously owned by the first president of the Kingdom of Italy. A traditional vineyard that still uses old traditions such as grape crushing by foot, the estate offers wine tastings and you can also get involved in grape harvesting if you time your visit right.

Puglia is full of hidden treasures and for food lovers or wine connoisseurs it is a must visit destination when planning a holiday to Italy. An undiscovered gem it is much less busy with fewer tourists than Tuscany, Florence or Rome, but it will undoubtedly offer a snapshot of the beautiful Italian countryside and coastline. If you are thinking of heading to Puglia, we have a number of villas in the area and the Villa San Marco is just one of these. It is perfect for groups of 12 looking to be close to the action and a wonderfully converted farmhouse close to Locorontondo. With a private swimming pool and spacious indoor and outdoor living areas it is well suited to guests looking to fill their holiday with time spent relaxing in the villa but also for those who would like to venture out for the odd afternoon or meal out.

If this has tempted you to visit Puglia please do get in touch with one of our specialists and we will be more than happy to help. Call us on 020 8050 2681 or send an email to sales@flagstonetravel.com