I should be the Official Brand Ambassador for Puglia … it’s my favorite region of Italy. Why?, you ask? Let me count the ways (in no particular order) . . .

1.  “What? Where?”

I get that a lot. You might likely have never heard of it. That means others haven’t, either! While Americans flock in droves to Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, Amalfi, etc. – Puglia has stayed under the radar. It’s less crowded, less expensive, less “touristy.” There are almost no fast food restaurants, Starbucks, etc. Few big hotels. Definitely a “WOW” kind of place!

2.  The small towns.

Puglia has many, many charming small towns. Walkable. Manageable. Without too much drive time from place to place. Whitewashed hill towns with tightly-packed houses. Baroque or Romanesque towns. Picturesque coastal towns – on both the Adriatic and Ionian Seas – with colorful fishing boats bobbing in the harbor.

If you, like me, are a sucker for window boxes dripping with flowers, laundry fluttering from second-story balconies, cobblestone streets, stout ladies in cotton house dresses and aprons, cute old gents sitting on benches watching the world go by … you’ll love Puglia.

And I just love the town names: Locorotondo, Squinzano, Monopoli, Gallipoli, Alberobello!

3.  Beauty.

Puglia is a photographer’s dream. I added 1,829 photos and video clips to my library! Town squares, 500 miles of coastline, farm fields divided by stacked-stone walls, flower-filled window boxes, magnificent churches, markets brimming with fresh veggies, colorful artisan shops, trulli, masserie . . . here’s a little video of some of my favorite pics!

4.  Food.

Everybody expects great food in Italy. Pugliese cooking is different – and no less delicious. They call it cucina povera – traditional cuisine that is simple and delicious, relying on fresh, local produce. Puglia has lots of fantastic ingredients to choose from—like chickpeas, homegrown herbs and spices, olive and olive oil, tomatoes, and, of course, fresh seafood. Most famous is Orecchiette, which literally means “small ears.” This homemade, ear-shaped pasta is usually served with cime di rapa (broccoli rabe) and garlic, or fresh tomatoes and ricotta cheese. The shape is ideal for soaking up the sauce! (You can watch a lady making orecchiette in the video above.)

p.s.  The wine is wonderful, too!!

5.  Ancient olive trees.

There are more than 50 million olive trees in Puglia and the region accounts for 40% of Italy’s olive oil production. We saw a tree that’s 3,000 years old – and still producing olives! The sculptural, gnarly form of an old olive tree is a thing of beauty. (I took a LOT of photos!)

Tragically, however, these groves are threatened by a disease for which there is, as yet, no cure. In the southeast part of Puglia, entire groves of gorgeous trees are dead. (Better get here before they’re all gone!)

6.  Creative craftsmanship.

I love the unique handicrafts of Puglia. Eclectic. Funky. Colorful. Creative. Whimsical.

7.  The architecture.

This region (did I mention it’s the “heel” of the boot?) is part of the old Appian Way – which connected Imperial Rome with the port of Brindisi on the Adriatic coast, from where boats left for Egypt, Greece, and North Africa. The Crusaders traveled through Puglia on their way to the Holy Land. The Knights of Malta were here.

Over the centuries, influences from invading Arabs, Normans, Venetians, Greeks, etc., as well as practical considerations, caused some unique styles. For example, the masserie. Farmers built homes out of local stone (plentiful in these parts) and surrounded the structures with stone walls to shelter their flocks, store crops, and provide basic protection from bandits. Nowadays, these are being converted into comfortable boutique hotels.

The soft golden sandstone of the region made it easy to carve delirious elements of the Baroque and Rococco styles, which decorate portals, balconies, and window frames. Cathedrals are stunning – inside and out. The town of Lecce is filled with Baroque treasures, as well as a beautifully-preserved 15,000-seat Roman Amphitheatre (dating to the 2nd century).

Another unique architectural feature are the trulli structures. Back in the olden days, property owners were taxed based on the number of structures. They perfected a method of building a round structure with stacked stones, using no mortar. When the tax man cometh, they’d simply remove a few keystones from the conical roof and the whole thing would come tumbling down. Only to be re-built after the tax man moved on. Genius!

You see these structures dotting the countryside, as well as in some towns which have become notorious for their trulli houses.

8.  Safety.

People are surprised when I tell them, in my 40ish years of leading groups, that the most dangerous place in the world is Florence. No, not South Carolina. But Florence, Italy. I’ve had more issues with people getting pick-pocketed in Florence than anywhere else. (I can share a story about thieves who unbolted a guestroom safe from the wall and wheeled it out of a luxury hotel in my client’s Louis Vuitton suitcase!)

Not that nothing can happen in Puglia, but I walked around for a week with an unzipped purse.  Never did I have any anxiety, even when I wandered alone, often in the evening. I saw no “gypsies.” No Prada knock-offs. No little ladies begging, “money for my baby.” There were a few colorful, non-aggressive African characters loaded with jewelry and some interesting wood crafts (which my hubby couldn’t resist).

9. Lodging

As mentioned before, many masseria have been converted into boutique hotels. In some places, you can stay in a trulli house. My WOW group stayed here:

10.  Accessibility to other fabulous destinations:

From east to west, it’s only about 200 miles across the “boot” to the Mediterranean coast. The UNESCO masterpiece of Matera – the 2nd oldest continuously-inhabited settlement in history – is nearby. Stunning Sorrento, Pompeii, Naples, Capri, Amalfi … all can be reached with ease from Puglia.

. . . . . . . . . .

Sooo . . . . .

The WOW! Travel Club has gone to Puglia twice. The first time, back in 2013, and a couple of years ago (May 2019). Not a lot had changed in that time. I’d LOVE to plan another Puglia trip if I have sufficient interest to fill a small group with about 16 travelers. Interested? If so, add a comment or drop me a note! I can make it happen. It’s an absolute WOW!

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Comments? Questions? Interested? Let’s go!