Puglia

Puglia is the heel of Italy’s boot, sculpted over millennia by the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Ionian to the west. Its coastline is dotted with magnificent beaches while its towns and villages are rich in history and wonderfully varied, from beautiful Baroque Lecce to arresting Alberobello.

Known for its year-round sunshine, pretty towns and beautiful beaches, Puglia remains one of Italy’s most charming destinations. Located between the airports of Bari and Brindisi, historic Fasano makes a great base for exploring the Valle d’Itria, an area dotted with centuries-old trulli, Puglia’s signature cone-shaped buildings. The highest concentration of trulli can be found in Alberobello, a UNESCO-listed town that wouldn’t look out of place in a children’s fairytale, but they pop up like mushrooms right across the region. South of Valle d’Itria the land gives way to endless olive groves, vineyards and fields of wildflowers. This southern Salento region is also home to some of Italy’s loveliest beaches and most dramatic coastlines.

While in the Salento, be sure to explore Lecce, the ‘Florence of the South’, known for its exuberant Baroque architecture, and the whitewashed seaside town of Otranto. Highlights in the north include the stunning ‘white city’ of Ostuni, Baroque Martina Franca, laidback Locorotondo, arguably the prettiest town in Puglia, and Polignano a Mare, an ancient clifftop town known for its stunning views and Blue Flag beach.