La Puglia makes up for its monumental simplicity by embodying the essence of pure Mediterranean. It is not that amazing churches, monasteries and small towns do not abound here, it is simply that its charm is sometimes eclipsed by a strong and hedonistic character, a philosophy that combines the southern accent with the influences of the sea.
Although it is becoming more and more popular for travelers from all over the world, here the foreigner continues to be a mere anecdote in the popular “boot heel” since it is the Italians themselves who populate its beaches and terraces when the good weather arrives. It would be said for its authenticity that they keep this territory a secret, which oscillates between the rural and the sea, between the homemade stew and the fresh fish served without dressing,between the sandy beaches of the Ionian Sea and the rugged coast of the Adriatic. Be that as it may, it is still a microcosm full of peculiarities and, above all, authenticity.
The best access to the region is Bari, its capital, through which the last section of the Via Appia that came from Rome passed and ended in present-day Brindisi. Its main monument is the Basilica of San Nicolas, built to house the relics of this pilgrim from the 4th century, taken from the Turks in 1087; Centuries later, the Nordics appropriated his legend to found the myth of Santa Claus.
Fate Giovinazzo
Bari acts as a base to visit attractive enclaves. Along the Adriatic coast to the north stands out the fortified town of Giovinazzo, while to the south surprises Polignano a Mare, which perches on a cliff populated with caves and crouching cafes. If you choose to go inland, you will see that the beautiful Gravina in Puglia also climbs over a rock, in a rural area with olive groves and orchards where dozens of masseries open their doors, old mansions of landowners from the 17th and 18th centuries, now converted in cozy lodgings.
Overbooking of trulli
More surprising are the trulli , the curious constructions crowned by a stone cone that can be seen in Alberobello, 55 kilometers southeast of Bari. When this land was repopulated in the 15th century, lashed by the Turks, the feudal nobleman Guercio de Apulia ordered the houses to be built with stone but without mortar so that they would appear unfinished and thus avoid paying taxes to the Spanish viceroy of Naples. Today they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Souvenirs from Spain
The Spanish presence in southern Italy is felt in history and also in the abundance of baroque art. This is especially true in Martina Franca, 15 km from Alberobello. It is a town known for its music festivals, which occupy exceptional settings such as the Plaza del Plebiscito. In it stands the Basilica of San Martino, a Baroque jewel that combines with several palaces and the four gates through which the city was accessed until 1861.
Ostuni, the verdadera capital
After a short stretch towards the sea, Ostuni appears like a mirage among olive groves. The labyrinthine streets of this “white city” climb upwards as in a whitewashed Andalusian town, but in this medieval case. The extraordinary image of Ostuni prepares for the baroque apotheosis of Lecce, also white but because of the marble of some of its buildings.
The charming simplicity of Ostuni
Considered the main monumental city of Puglia, they say that it was founded during the mythical Trojan War under the name of Sybar. It lived its splendor in the fifteenth century, when the duomo and the church of Santa Croce are. Also noteworthy is the Sant’Oronzo square, where a column remains that indicated the near end of the Via Appia. But the best of Lecce comes at sunset, when the sun paints the white of the facades orange.
And meanwhile, Otranto
From Lecce, and already in the middle of the Salento peninsula, the charming towns continue, although now the main protagonist of the route is the sea. There are unavoidable stages in the Torre de Sant’Andrea cliffs and in the Le Cesine Nature Reserve, with dunes and wetlands populated by waders.
Otranto awaits us 40 kilometers away. Old Byzantine square, from the time when it was a transit point for pilgrims and crusaders, it houses the Romanesque cathedral built by the Normans. The Aragones castle bears witness to its opposition to the Turks, which, like others in Puglia, has cylindrical towers widened at the base.
Salento Peninsula
If the wind blows on the north coast of the Salento peninsula, you should not think twice and go to the south side, which is bathed by the Ionian River and where crystalline treasures are hidden, such as the Leporano cove. But before changing seas, we can stop at Santa Maria di Leuca, the border of Italy, to taste a tasty fresh fish in one of the stalls that are set up in the port.
And in the end, Taranto
From here, all that remains is to follow the line of fine sandy beaches that stretch from Gallipoli to the gates of Taranto. A coastline with billboards announcing marinas and idyllic coves where you pay for a sun lounger, parasol and greater privacy.
