8 Amazing…Things to Love About Puglia, Italy.

Whenever I get asked about my favorite places we’ve visited in our travels, Italy is always at the top of the list. I feel like its my second home–I get the people, I love the food, and the climate definitely suits my clothes. A lot of my love for the country also comes from meeting and developing a good friendship with Beth’s relatives in Lacedonia, a small hill town in southern Italy, where her nonnie and nunu grew up. It’s a connection I’ll cherish for the rest of my life, as I consider them my family too.

On our most recent trip to Italy, we had the chance to explore Puglia, and discovered even more to love about the country. It was here in the heel of the boot that we discovered the Italy of our summer dreams. In a matter of only a few days, we found a coast full of turquoise seas, friendly people, and tasted delicious cuisine that we still long for. There’s a lot to love about Puglia, and these are a few of our reasons.

Otranto

We discovered the ridiculously cute seaside town of Otranto on one of our last days in Puglia. Its blue, sparkling waters, cheap food and non stop views made us question our decision to head to Greece.

Notte Delle Luci in Scorrano

And just when you think Italy can’t get any prettier it does. Aside from the four major Luminaria displays at Notte Delle Luci (Festival of Lights) in Scorrano there are also several side streets that are decorated as well. These streets are some of my favorite because they are less crowded and have such a magical feel as you are walking through.

Beach beyond the pines

The Ionian Sea. The cool thing about this beach to the south of Gallipoli is that you have to walk down trails through pine trees to get to it. It feels very private, the water is warm and so, so blue. And while I don’t know the exact name of the beach, it’s very easy to find. Head south on Lungomare Galilei (it’s the main coastal road) from Gallipoli. You’ll see handful of beach clubs on beautiful patches of white sand, keep going until you come into a lightly wooded section of the coast. Depending on the time of year, you should see a lot of cars parked on the side of the road. Pull off, even in the high season parking is easy to find, and follow a trail through the pines to the sea.

Scapece

I tried the local specialty scapece in honor of my father who loved sardines. For those who aren’t familiar with this regional specialty, scapece is made up of tiny sardines and breadcrumbs that are soaked in vinegar and saffron. If you like sardines (or fish for that matter) then you’ll love it, if not you probably won’t. The vinegar gives it a great flavor, but I had a hard time getting pass the fishy flavor of the sardines.

Duca Carlo Guarini

One of the oldest wine producers in the region, Duca Carolo Guarini in Scorrano has approximately 260 hectares of biodynamic vineyards and olive groves in Salento. Guarini focuses on producing quality wines from native Salento vines. It’s here that you can find Primitivo, Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera grapes, which Guarini helped put on the map when the winery bottled its first Primitivo in the early ’90s.

Santa Maria di Leuca

Leuca, Italy via Shutterstock

This is lands end in Puglia, which may be better described as the heel of the Italy’s proverbial boot. Leuca is a cute seaside town with white-washed houses, offering visitors gorgeous beaches and tasty seafood restaurants. For the best panoramas of the town, head to the tall bluff where the lighthouse and Basilica are located.

Craft Beer

The craft beer movement has hit Puglia, and I’m happy to report there are some tasty brews coming out of the region. This is great news for beer lovers traveling to southern Italy, as the country’s main beer, Birra Morretii, was nothing to write home about. Look for Birrozza and Terrona next time you’re in the region.

Gallipoli, Italy

Set on the west coast of the Salentina Peninsula along the Ionian Sea, Gallipoli (meaning “beautiful town” in Greek) is unique and that it’s divided into two parts: a modern city sits on shores of the Ionian coast, and the old town, which sits on a limestone island in the sea and is linked to the mainland by a bridge built in the 16th century. Among the old town’s picturesque stone walls, which were used to protect if from sea attacks, you’ll find a colorful fishing village that is still distinctively working class. In the summer months, you’ll find bars and restaurants perched on the ramparts offering visitors exquisite views of the Ionian Sea. Tip: If you are traveling to Gallipoli by car, there is a parking lot at the end of the bridge on the old town side. It’s better to park here and walk through the town, as the streets are narrow and parking is extremely limited.

Bonus Photos & Travel Story From Scorrano:

An interesting story about the Tarantula tambourines: These tambourines are typical to the area and have been used in traditional peasant dances for centuries. The reason they are decorated with the Tarantula is because the spider was the symbol for the oppressive rich landowners. The peasants of the Puglia region were forced to work for the landowners and the conditions were less than desirable. To make matters much worse the landowners used to rape the women whenever they felt like it. The people were powerless against them and could never even talk about the landowners or their current situation without fear of retribution. As a result they created dances as a way to express their feelings deal with their situations. The dance for the Tarantula (landowners) involved a lot of tambourine playing, intense dancing and stomping the ground to kill the ‘spider’.

Know before you go

The best way to see Puglia is by car. The main airports and seaports are Bari and Brindisi, and cars can easily be rented in either city.

Each August, Salento hosts a beer festival in Brindisi. You can find more information about the event by visiting http://www.salentobeerfestival.it

July and August are the busiest months, especially in the coastal towns, but even then the crowds tend to be out-of-town Italians, and not foreigners.

Generally speaking, we found the prices of Puglia to be cheaper than in the North, even during the region’s peak season.

For more more details about Puglia, check out www.pugliaturismo.com

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Disclosure:Puglia Tourism is a Must Love Festival Partner, and provided our accommodation and transporation while we were in the region to cover Notte Delle Luci. As always, though, our thoughts and opinions are entirely our own.