Flanked by rugged cliffs and dreamy blue seas, Puglia lies in the ‘heel of the boot’ of Italy stretching from the Adriatic Coast to the Ionian Sea. With its rustic charm, centuries old farmlands and sweeping Mediterranean Coast, it’s easy to see why Puglia (pronounced poo-li-ya) has been winning the hearts of savvy travellers for years.
Puglia is a food lover’s heaven. Famous for its incredible olive oil production which provides 40% of Italy’s olive oil, it’s also known as the ‘bread basket of Italy’, where fields of durum wheat, used for Pasta and bread, grows in abundance. Throughout the region there’s a wide variety of wholesome and fresh cuisine based on simple, natural recipes. You’ll long savour a delicious dish of Orecchiette, the small ear shaped pasta, traditionally prepared with cime di rapa (broccoli rabe) tossed with garlic, fresh tomatoes and ricotta cheese. Perfect with a local red and the legendary ‘Pane di Altamura’ a chunky rustic bread drizzled with oil and baked on stone.
Far from the crowded tourist spots in the North, Puglia is packed with treasures dating back to the Middle Ages. You can wind your way along quiet cobbled paths in small villages, or be enchanted by the extravagance of Baroque Palazzo’s and churches. At Alberobello (one of Puglia’s three UNESCO World Heritage sites) the distinctive round, white washed Trulli houses, built by peasant farmers, create a unique urban landscape still used today as houses, hotels and shops.
Get off the well worn tourist trail and venture South to feast on all that Puglia has to offer.
Noteworthy:
The “Carnevale di Putignano’ is one of Puglia’s most popular festivals, celebrating the lands rich folklore. One of the longest Carnevale in the world, lasting up to 2 months, it a festival of celebration with processions of colourful masks and parade
carts to be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Luxury Bound loves the fresh food and relaxed pace of this beautiful place.
Plan well ahead as the summer months from May to September can mean limited accommodation options are available. Carnevale di Putignano – traditionally runs late December to early March.