I am very excited to report that in just a few days I will be traveling to Puglia! I’ve never been to this region of southern Italy, the heel of the boot to be exact, so it will be fun getting to explore a new area – an area completely different from the other parts of Italy that I have visited and fallen in love with.
I’ve been as far south as the Amalfi Coast, and have sung many praises about Positano and Ravello – but I’ve never been to the heel of the boot.
If all goes well, I’ll be adding Puglia, also known as Apulia, to the areas that I create custom itineraries, itinerary reviews, provide hourly consults and arrange foodie adventures for. I’ll also be canvasing the area for yummy cooking classes, wine tastings, market tours and local guides.
What am I most exited about? Why am I looking forward to going? I’m glad you asked. Let me tell you:
1. Puglia’s food, olive oil and wine. The Puglia region is known as a food-lover’s paradise. This area produces over 26 DOC wines, 40% of Italy’s olive oil and hefty amounts of pasta. Those are promising statistics for a passionate foodie like me. Red wines like Negroamaro and Primitivo will be on my list to sample. Also on offer will be regional specialties like orecchiette, burrata, focaccia and maybe some fresh local seafood, right off the docks.
I’m drooling just thinking about it – are you? And though it’s not a look that would blend with the locals, I’m thinking elastic waist pants will be in order.
2. Puglia is an off-the-beaten-path location. It’s certainly not the first place people think of when planning a visit to Italy – and that gets me really excited.
3. Puglia’s Climate. Because of Puglia’s southern location, the area enjoys a temperate climate year round. Many of its popular villages, cities and towns are located right on the Adriatic sea, which means beaches, seafood, port towns, azure water, lovely views and of course lots and lots of beautiful photos.
4. Puglia’s UNESCO world heritage sites. At least three of them and I am excited to explore a few of them.
5. The Trulli. Puglia is home to the town of Alberobello, famous for its white limestone houses with conical-shaped roofs, called Trulli – and I’m looking forward to seeing them up close and learning more about them. The architecture and scenery in this region are all very different from areas like Tuscany.
I’ll have lots to write about when I return, but if you can’t wait for my updates on the blog, feel free to follow along on Twitter and Facebook as I will be sending out updates about my discoveries, what I’m eating and of course lots of photos during my time in Puglia!
Photo Credit : Flickr