The heel of Italy, Puglia is fast becoming as popular with tourists as Tuscany or Sicily — and with stunning coastline and a rich history, it easily rivals its northern counterparts. We’ve compiled some of the most interesting things about this spectacular area.
Trulli
A trullo is a traditional dry stone hut, famous for its conical roof. These dry stone houses date back to the Middle Ages, and were originally used to house farm workers. Head to Alberobello (pictured below) — a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996 — which has more than a thousand trulli lining the streets.
Many have been renovated to provide luxury accommodation — we’ve curated a handful of our trullo properties below, all of which are trulli spectacular (ahem, sorry).
Masserias
Trulli aren’t the only architecture unique to this area; Masserias are ancient fortified farmhouses which are also only found in Puglia. They were traditionally built as rustic homes for country workers, but many have now been redeveloped as modern homes or even boutique hotels.
Food
The region provides around 40% of Italy’s olive oil production — approximately 300,000 tonnes per year. Puglia has a rich farming heritage, and has traditionally been known as the ‘bread basket of Italy’ due to the mass production of breads and pasta. Combined with its fantastic coastline, we highly recommend sampling the food at every opportunity — from local markets to traditional restaurants.
…and Wine
Puglia produces more wine than any other Italian region, accounting for around 17% of the total of wine produced by the country. Within the past thirty years, Puglia has developed a reputation for its own red wine — famed for its fruity flavours and full-bodied nature. Whilst white wines aren’t produced in such high quantities in Puglia, they are also growing.
Shipwrecks
Just off the coastline of Puglia near Torre Renaldo lies the sunken wreckage of a WWII Naval ship. Destroyed by the British Navy in 1941, the shipwreck is close enough to the surface for snorkelers to explore.