July 2018 – 5 days with the family
This is part of our Italy Summer Road Trip – check out the rest of the trip.
Overview
From Sicily we drove to Puglia. After crossing the ferry into the “toe” of the mainland, we were blown away by the topography, which seemed similar to the U.S. state of Montana. On this trip, we drove past the beautiful beaches and forested hills of Calabria without eating any spicy ‘nduja or Tropea red onions. We would have to wait another couple of years for that. We also went past the cave dwellings in the town of Matera, saving its strange history of being trapped in time for another trip, and went onto the tacco (the heel) of the Italian boot that is Puglia.
This is an area that is not on the average American traveler’s radar when planning a trip to Italy, and it was definitely the one that most surprised us and exceeded our expectations. In fact, it only made the list because some people we got to know from Turin – who run a B&B that we love in Turin (Cascina San Vito) – also own a B&B in Puglia. They showed us pictures of the Trulli (an old stone building with a conical roof) and their organic farm and we felt we couldn’t skip it. Puglia turned out to be an uncrowded haven of white sandy beaches, historic towns, and delicious cuisine with a culture that was all its own. Just as we learned about the different dialects while we were in Italy, we were fascinated to discover how much the food changes from region to region in Italy. In Puglia, we ate almost no pasta, and the meals focused heavily on grilled meats and a style of eating where the food just kept coming and coming.
Avventura Faves
Masseria Camarda – This is one of our all-time favorite hotels. We stayed in a modern updated trulli. They had a gorgeous pool. The breakfast was incredible, with all organic products sourced from their own farm or from their neighbors. The family that owns this hotel also owns Palazzo Camarda in Ceglie Messapica if you prefer to stay in town. The father was a former Formula One Manager and so they have an impressive collection of Formula One/Ferrari paraphernalia.
Ceglie Messapica – This small white town with predominantly pedestrian-only roads surprised us with its charm and uniqueness. It was close to our hotel, so we went in a few nights and enjoyed getting lost on the small streets. On our first night there, we ate at Arrosteria Borgo Antico, a grilled meats restaurant that served up 10 small antipasti plates that we soon learned is typical of the region.
Ostuni – This was a bigger town in the area with an excellent atmosphere at night. (We found some classic Italian pasta dishes inside a charming cave restaurant called Osteria del Tempo Perso).
There are beachesboth on the Adriatic Sea (east coast) and on the Ionian Sea (west coast). The hotel staff said we should choose the side we prefer depending on the wind. On our beach day, the winds were better for the Adriatic and so we headed to Baia dei Turchi. There was lots of white sand and the water was calm and clear. We chose the free area and laid on the sand, but there are plenty of options for beach chairs to rent.
Grotta della Poesia – There’s a legend that a beautiful princess used to bathe in the healthy waters here and many poets would come here to write and be inspired by her. In any case, it is an incredibly picturesque and beautiful natural pool that attracts many people to jump in for a swim. We all took a turn and it was a great time.
Other Things We Liked
Bari – We really wanted to visit Bari because it is the town that our first Italian-language teacher from Chicago, Francesca, is from. It was not quite as charming as many of the other little towns in the area but had a vibe that was similar to Miami being on the waterfront with palm trees. We ate at an incredible restaurant there called La Uascezze. Unfortunately, we had already sampled some delicious panzerotto (fried dough with cheese inside) before dinner at Cibo’ and after an hour we had to tell them to stop bringing us so much food. They were disappointed because somehow we only made it through the antipasti/appetizers! The next day we did a quick look in at the Basilica San Nicola, then passed by some old Italian ladies drinking a beer at 10 am on our way to Panificio Fiore for some amazing focaccia.
Logistics and Miscellaneous Notes
Most trips to Puglia will involve a trip to Alberobello which does have the best collection of Trulli in the area. Although they made for some cool pictures, the town is so touristy with tons of people coming in by the busload and tourist shop after tourist shop. We think it’s best to avoid it.
Next Time We Go
- Our friends have raved about their day at an olive oil farm in the area and we would have enjoyed it. It’s a very important region in Italy for the production of olive oil.
- Perhaps renting a vacation house near the water and settling into some of the better beaches. Our trip to the region was short and we only had one beach day.
- Try sampling some Primitivo wine!
This is part of our Italy Summer Road Trip – check out the previous stop on our trip – Sicily – or the next stop – Campania
Have any questions or suggestions for Sicily? Post them in the comments below or contact us at LewinAvventura@gmail.com.
The Avventura 