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Puglia

Italy

Puglia

Italy

An introduction to Puglia

Come to the heel of Italy and see its soul. Puglia is where the land and sea create a unique lifestyle and landscape with charming white towns, unchanged for centuries, watching over them.

One of the least known regions of Italy, Puglia is a joy to discover for many reasons. Visitors to Puglia can expect warm hospitality from the local Pugliese, rightfully proud of their traditional cuisine, historic towns, agricultural heritage and dramatic coast. If you enjoy discovering beaches tucked away in coves, restaurants hidden in a maze of narrow streets and a landscape where time appears to have stood still for centuries, you’ll love visiting Puglia.

What makes Puglia different

Iconic trulli houses are scattered across the countryside where olive groves, almond trees and vines have been grown for hundreds of years in the rich, red soil. The sea provides a harvest of fresh fish which is cooked in inventive ways or simply served with pasta in a tomato sauce.

You won’t find many developed tourist resorts in Puglia, but you can expect to wander through the winding flower-decorated backstreets of its towns, sit in piazzas enjoying a gelato and be dazzled by the Baroque churches and palazzos. It’s a place to be reminded of how the simple things in life can bring the greatest pleasure.

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History

Take a wander among the beautiful buildings and landscapes of Puglia and you will see the long and chequered history etched in its many faces. Puglia has been invaded and occupied by many different European empires - including the Greeks, Romans, Normans, Byzantines, Venetians and Spanish - before becoming part of Italy during the unification in the 19th century.

For archaeology enthusiasts, Bronze Age and Roman ruins can be seen at Egnazia where there is also a museum housing the artefacts found on the site. Inland, you can visit the former cave dwellings which formed a city in Matera, still inhabited until the 1950s and now being renovated and repopulated. In each town, you will find layers of history, either on display through the layout of the town, its churches and architecture or within an archaeological museum.

Culture

Immerse yourself into the way of life in Puglia, and you’ll find that it is, in many ways, still very traditional. Local farmers flock to each town’s weekly market to sell their seasonal fruit and vegetables. Festivals occur regularly throughout the year, some honouring local saints and others celebrating the harvest and wine making as well as music.

Between lunchtime and 5pm, you won’t see many people in the streets and businesses and shops close, coming to life again in the evening. The Italian custom of passeggiata, strolling around the streets near dusk, is still alive and involves all generations who want to discuss the day’s news with friends.

Architecture

As you discover Puglia, you’ll see a very marked contrast in architectural style between the Itria Valley towns of Ostuni, Locorotondo, Cisternino and Martina Franca. They all use the local limestone which gives them their name, “The White Towns” and appearance.

In Ostuni and Martina Franca, the stone has been carved into elaborate Baroque designs which decorate a large number of the buildings.

Cuisine

Food lovers will be in heaven in Puglia, which is rightfully proud of its cuisine and has contributed to the Italian “Slow Food” movement. Pasta is widely available. The most popular shape found in Puglia is the orecchiette, or little ears. A well known local speciality is orecchiette con le cime di rapa, a spinach-like leaf cooked with chilli, garlic and plenty of olive oil.

Fish is a staple on many menus with fritto misto, lightly battered and fried fish and shellfish, a popular choice. For something more robust, try octopus cooked in a tomato sauce served with pasta.

Wine is produced across the region with primitivo and negroamaro being particular specialities. The wine produced in the Salento region, south of Brindisi, is particularly well respected and good value.

Villa Plus holidays in Puglia

A villa holiday in Puglia offers the best of both worlds - a comfortable house from which to explore, plus a private space to return to for a siesta (riposo in Italian). Enjoy the luxury of your own property with a large garden to relax and plan the next day’s activities. All have BBQs and some have a pizza oven too so you can create a culinary masterpiece with ingredients you’ve picked up at the market.

All Villa Plus villas have plenty of surrounding space, which is often planted with olive trees. You can choose between a traditional converted trulli or lamia building or opt for a contemporary architect-designed villa with all the modern conveniences you would expect. We include air conditioning in the bedrooms of many of our villas. Because our villas are situated in the countryside, a car is necessary to get to and from the airport. Renting a car will also give you freedom to visit the towns, countryside and coastal regions to learn more about this fascinating region.