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A Tour of Puglia: Best-Kept Secrets

Puglia_1Seven days in Puglia, Italy, was one of the best holidays of my life. My boyfriend and I spent the week driving between small towns, checking out amazing beaches, and of course eating copious amounts of delicious pizza, pasta and gelato.

When planning our trip to Puglia we weren’t sure where to begin, but after booking flights in-and-out of Bari, we decided to spend five days in Martina Franca and two days in Otranto on the Adriatic coast. The plan ended up ideal, as we were perfectly situated for exploring the region. If you’re planning on visiting Puglia, a car will be necessary for driving from town to town, as public transit is pretty basic.

There are lots of great places to visit, but luckily our host at the Trulli Valle D’Itria gave us a local’s insider’s tips of where to visit.IMG_0341

First of all, the area is known for trulli – or, small cone-like houses that dot the countryside and date back to the year 1500. Trulli are found throughout the Valle D’Itria region, and a must-visit is the town of Alberobello (the only place where trulli were also built in the main town).

Ostuni is also a beautiful small town, known for its white-washed walls and beautiful view over the countryside. Driving up the hill into Ostuni will also give you some great photo options. In the main town there’s not ample amounts of sites to see, but it’s a great place to stop in for a lunch or gelato.

Per beaches, we had no idea that southern Italy’s beaches were so spectacular. On the west coast, Ponta Proscuitto boasts unbelievably turquoise waters – clearer than in the Caribbean! On the Adriatic side, Polignano a Mare was incredible, with a decent down steep stairs to a stony beach that’s nestled between two dramatic rocky cliffs. We also spent a day at the Torre Guaceto, which is surrounded by sand dunes and protected in a nature reserve. Again, the waters were unbelievably clear and calm.

Heading south to Otranto, we unfortunately had to skip Lecce (the “Florence of the South”) due to time constraints, but Otranto was an oasis waiting for us! The town is centered around a fantastic white sand beach with both lidos and public beaches, so you can pick which you prefer. The town has a great selection of restaurants for dinner and ample gelaterias for a daily gelato fix.

About a 30-minute drive from Otranto is the incredible Roca Vecchia and Torre Dell’Orso – spectacular beaches, coves and grottoes nestled amongst rocky shorelines. It’s a must-visit if you’re in the area.

From Otranto, it was a 2.5 hour drive back to Bari airport. And so, after a fantastic week, we head back to Amsterdam very sad to leave the fabulous Puglia area.

Text: Lydia Parafianowicz

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