Puglia: Land of the Trulli

Miles of grassy dunes and silver-green olive groves, burning white sugar-cube towns, intense turquoise-blue waters...that’s Puglia. Washed by the Adriatic on one side and the Ionian Sea on the other, the heel of Italy’s boot still remains remarkably untrodden.

Puglia is an essentially flat region that is home to miles of sweeping coastline. Impressive karst formations furnish the Murgia highland and coast whilst inland you can explore the Castellana Caves, home to an impressive collection of stalactites and stalagmites.

The region offers an abundance of interesting and quirky towns and villages that lend themselves to leisurely strolls. Alberobello and Locorotondo are home to entire streets of beehive-roofed Trulli homes, an unusual but attractive feature of the region.

Trulli buildings originated between three and four thousand years ago but nobody’s really sure how they came about. Now they attract interest from Italians and foreign visitors alike and many have been renovated into wonderfully unique accommodation. The region is punctuated with immensely stylish hotels that have shades of the exotic, with adobe-style architecture and Moroccan flourishes.

Bari is the regional capital and consists of a rambling old town – full of striking architecture – a major shopping district for frittering away your Euros, and the administrative district which surrounds the rectangular shopping area.

The town of Lecce – the so-called Florence of the Baroque – has a riotously ornate central piazza and narrow lanes that lend themselves to exploring. The local sandstone has a slight pink tinge that makes rose tinted glasses redundant and every turn reveals another captivating building.

Fortified Ostuni, set on three hills rising over the Adriatic, also begs to be seen. It is home to spotless beaches and endless vineyards and olive groves which just beg you to sample their wares.

Over the years Puglia has been dominated by many a major power, resulting in a diverse and unusual mix of buildings and customs. There are cool Baroque churches to gaze upon, pagan dances to watch and archaeological complexes like Canne della Battaglia and Ignazia to explore.

There are many impressive castles and imposing cathedrals to see as well, ensuring that the time you spend in Pulgia will be enriching as well as relaxing.

The Puglians, like most other Italians, have a near obsessive love for food and take great pride in their local specialities. Puglia produces more olive oil than the whole of the rest of Italy and more wine than Germany. Spend time enjoying these delicacies as well as locally made pastas, soft cheeses and every kind of fruit you can imagine.

If you’ve still got room after all of that sit in the sunshine and wash it down with one of the potent local wines, or join the locals for a latte di mandorla – iced coffee with almond syrup.

Go in high summer to guarantee a tan or in late spring to see the carpets of flowers.


Where to Stay

Abate Masseria, near Noci

Gnarled oaks and walnut trees, conical roofs peeping over the walls like a row of clown’s hats – you’ll wonder where you are. These round stone buildings are the typical Trulli homes of Puglia. Here they’re part of an ancient farm estate whose country simplicity has been subtly modernised without losing its charm. The bedrooms are rustic chic havens of red tiled floors, white plaster and embroidered bedspreads. Modern trappings – internet access, flat screen TVs – are there but cunningly hidden. Dine on Puglian specialities in either the barrel-vaulted dining room or under the gazebo. Spoil yourself with an essential olive oil massage and sip cocktails by the pool. Pretty magic.


Il Palmento, near Locorotondo

Il Palmento’s cluster of tiny, meringue-topped Trulli look like a forest of dazzling white beehives. More like little houses than conventional suites, the bedroom and bathroom are tucked either side of a central sitting area. Floors are tiled, walls are whitewashed, and ceilings are domed while the furniture is simple and rustic. Il Palmento’s landscapes of rolling vineyards and olive groves make exploring the towns of Locorotondo and Alberobello delightful. There’s a bar in the former wine press, an inviting pool and rose-filled grounds to wander. Stunningly fresh Puglian cooking is served in the rustic-style restaurant and you can work up an appetite play tennis or Italian bowls. Alternatively indulge yourself with a massage or a Turkish bath.


Palazzo Baldi, near Galatina

Now this is grand living; not one 16th century palazzo but four. Tucked behind the Galatina’s cathedral these small but perfectly formed palazzi were once home to local aristocracy. The bedrooms are large, dramatic spaces elegantly furnished with a certain theatricality. Some have balconies, while others overlook the inner courtyard. Galatina is a great base for exploring this unspoilt part of Puglia. Explore lovely Lecce, with its rich baroque architecture, admire the frescoes in Galatina’s Santa Caterina cathedral or head for the beaches. Return to your private palazzo and sip a cool drink in the leafy courtyard, or soak up the rays on the rooftop terrace – a secret suntrap.


Masseria Serra dell’Isola, near Bari

Step through the pillared gateway, under the olive and almond trees and into the arms of this whitewashed masseria where there’s a tangible sense that little has changed here in the last 300 years. Fires still burn in the terracotta stoves in the old olive press – now the living room. Sepia-tinted photographs line the walls and antiques fill the rooms. Bedrooms have an unpretentious, country warmth and are furnished with pretty wrought-iron bedsteads, embroidered bedspreads and charming paintings. Borrow a bicycle to explore the countryside, read a book in the garden and savour homemade specialities such as lamb with seasonal vegetables, chickpeas and calamari and biancomangiare (Puglian almond crème caramel). The masseria’s simple homeliness will wrap you in its warmth.

Getting There
BA flies from London-Gatwick to Bari; Ryanair flies from London-Stansted to Bari and Brindisi.


Feature written for Italy Magazine
Photo by -Zelig-

The Amalfi Coast

With towns tumbling down to the sea, towering cliffs, and views to die for, this is Italy at its most dramatic. Yesterday’s literati and today’s glitterati flock to the Amalfi coast, set in the midst of Campania.

There are enough secluded coves for everyone, Love Heart-coloured villas are proudly poised in precarious positions and only the brave or desperate dare to drive along the white-knuckle Amalfi Drive, a road only just built into the cliffs.

The coastline is Italy’s most spectacular and stretches 50 kilometres from Positano in the west to Vietri Sul Mare in the east. There are numerous gravity-defying towns and villages all worthy of a visit due to their beauty and amazing locations. They include lofty Ravello that hovers at the top of a 1000-foot clifftop, and picture-perfect Positano is also a must-see as the beautiful setting of John Steinbeck’s 1950s novel of the same name.

The Amalfi Coast has also been regularly seen on the silver screen as well as in print. Talented Mr Ripley, Under the Tuscan Sun, Goodbye Mr Chips and Agatha Christie’s Endless Night were all shot here.

The region’s islands Capri and Ischia are glamorous, beautiful and easily accessed by a boat or hydrofoil from Naples. Alternatively float your way across to Mount Vesuvius or Pompeii, both remarkable places.

Sorrento, just outside the region, was believed by the ancients to be home to mythical temptresses who lured mariners towards the islands and cliffs with their beautiful songs. It is still as seductive today thanks to its stunning views over the Bay of Naples. Besides, anywhere that has its regional day on Valentine’s Day has got to be romantic.

Although mid-summer is when the Amalfi Coast is most crowded, it is also the time at which the region is host to a spectacular open-air opera festival, Ravello Festival. It’s the perfect way to spend a romantic summer’s eve.

Naples is the gateway to the region so is the perfect place to begin and end a holiday here. It offers a wealth of art museums, Italianate squares and narrow-laned centro storico. Nearby Cilento national park and Paestum beaches are great places to see as well.

Any visit to Naples is incomplete without a sampling of calzone (stuffed pizza) and of its wealth of seafood including clams, squid and octopus. Great food is certainly not scarce in the depths of the Amalfi Coast region either. The region’s dinner tables are as abundant in citrus fruits, olives and grapes as the landscape is, and wonderful seafood dishes include lobster boiled or in tomatoes, octopus casserole, spider crab soup and shrimp sautéed or lightly fried in breadcrumbs.

Be sure to wash all of that down with limoncello, an alcoholic digestif made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water and sugar that is the region’s most popular tipple.

Your tummies and your eyes certainly won’t go hungry in this beautiful region that will stay in your memories long after you’ve travelled the precarious coast road home (if you dare).

WHERE TO STAY

Costantinopoli 104
This captivating 19th century villa hides its charms behind a peaceful gated courtyard in the heart of old Naples. Outside a jewel-coloured stained glass window sets off the façade’s pretty terrace while inside plump cream sofas and oriental kilims are set off by striking art and fresh flowers.

One room features a wrought iron bed and a marble bathroom stocked with designer toiletries. A fabulous duplex suite showcases bold modern art, a four-poster and a deep mosaic-tiled whirlpool bath for two. After a hard day’s sightseeing and a twilight dip in the guitar-shaped pool we were happy to relax with a glass of the hotel’s home-distilled limoncello.

Mezzatorre
Overlooking the Bay of Naples, film lovers will be inspired by director Luchino Visconti’s five-star former villa. The focal point is a beautifully restored 15th century Saracen watchtower and Moorish archways invite you into elegant sitting rooms and bedrooms with dazzling Med views.

One room is furnished with warm coral tones, cool blues and classic Neapolitan Majolica tiles and marble, while open plan suites have private gardens and whirlpools. Get steamy in the bubbling thermal waters of the spa and beauty centre, indulge in a massage or get messy with the famous volcanic Ischian mud. We loved the warm cliff-edge seawater pool with its private beach below.

Maison La Minervetta
Step inside this 1950s villa on Sorrento’s cliffside and you could have walked into the pages of an interior design magazine. Architect Marco de Luca has created a stunning contemporary address that feels more like a loft apartment than a hotel.

Floor-to-ceiling windows capture views of the stunning Bay of Naples and vibrant colours give visual pizzazz that’s set off by sleek modern furniture and smart lighting. There’s no minimalism here; walls are loaded with flamboyant art and ceramics, retro 60s armchairs and lampshades lend a classic edge and still-lifes fascinate. Every room is a winner here, though number 8 is perhaps the best thanks to its wrap-around window through which only the waves can watch you.

Villa Cimbrone
Arriving at Villa Cimbrone is rather like walking into a living temple of art. Its sublime hilltop location, fabulous gardens, extravaganza of artworks and heart-stopping views sweeping down from Ravello to the sea indicate that you’re somewhere very special. Temples, gazebos, crumbling cloisters, pillars mantled in vines make it a must for anyone passionate about art.

Some rooms have frescoed ceilings, huge stone fireplaces and original Majolica floor tiles and all are strewn with antiques and ample old-time comforts. There’s a terrific pool-terrace framed with cliff-edge views, and you can have the park to yourself at dusk after visitors have gone.

GETTING THERE
Naples airport

BMI Baby fly from London Heathrow

British Airways fly from London Gatwick

Easyjet fly from London Stansted

Thomsonfly fly from Manchester

This feature was written for Italy Magazine
Photo by Alaskan Dude