Puglia & Basilicata Holidays

Where is Puglia & Basilicata?
In southern Italy, bordered by the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the southeast, Puglia is covered by woods, forests and mountains on one side and miles of coastline on the other. Its southern most city is Salento, which makes up the ‘heel’ in the boot of Italy, and the region borders Campania, Molise and Basilicata. The mountainous region of Basilicata borders the Gulf of Taranto and the Tyrrhenian Sea and is divided into two provinces, Matera and Potenza.

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Getting around
Ideal for a self-drive holiday, Puglia and Basilicata’s roads connect you to all the main towns. Buses and trains will also take you to the majority of towns and sights. City buses travel throughout downtown areas and tickets need to be purchased in advance from tobacco shops. The old towns have lots of narrow alleyways and steep inclines, so are not advisable for those with walking difficulties.

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Food & drink
Thanks to its fertile land and proximity to the sea, expect an abundance of fresh seafood, rustic cuisine and farm-to-table delights. You’ll find local producers offering crops of tomatoes, figs and fennel and vineyards producing deep red wines from the primitivo grape. Due to the heat, lunch is usually a light affair – a fresh salad on a shady terrace or fresh fish on a beach – but come late afternoon as the temperature cools, things really start to pick up. Expect home-style hearty cuisine, artisanal treats and lots of gelato. Puglia is also famous for its freshly made pasta, oils and cheeses – look out for orecchiette, troccoli and cavatelli pastas and canestrato pugliese and burrata di Andria cheeses.

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Ostuni
Perfect for history and culture lovers, the beautiful ‘White City’ surrounded by olive groves and a network of medieval streets, alleys and arches has an historic centre with an impressive 15th-Century cathedral. From here you can easily reach the Puglia coast and countryside by bicycle or car.

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Alberobello
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alberobello is home to over 1500 whitewashed Trulli - extraordinary dry stone buildings with conical, white-tipped roofs. These 14th-Century limestone dwellings were originally built to avoid the high taxes applied to stable buildings but nowadays serve as homes, restaurants and shops. Wander the lanes of Rione Monti, browse the little souvenir shops and enjoy a glass of local wine at one of the Trulli bars.

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Lecce
Lecce is known as ‘Florence of the South’ due to the magnificent Baroque architecture complementing a maze of narrow streets lined with boutiques, antique shops and charming restaurants. It also has a rich history and the central square, Piazza Sant’Oronzo, lies on a Roman amphitheatre. Stroll to the Basilica di Santa Croce, one of the most beautiful examples of southern Baroque buildings and head to Piazza del Duomo for the stunning 12th-Century cathedral with its ornate facade and 68 metre-tall bell tower.

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Monopoli
This former Venetian trading port is a popular coastal resort of ancient ruins, tranquil sandy coves, sea caves and charming hilltop villages. The historic quarter surrounds a 16th-Century castle and Roman and Bronze Age settlements. Visit the fortified abbey of Santo Stefano and explore the eight-mile stretch of coast sprinkled with picturesque beaches.

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