You’ve arrived in Puglia and now you have had some downtime and are ready to explore. Where should you begin? There are many interesting Puglia cities and towns waiting to be explored and discovered by you.
Most Puglia cities and towns have at least two things in common. From the outskirts, they look suburban and uninspiring. At the centre is the original old town or city, the historic centre or “centro storico” in Italian. What a difference, from the modern, less than beautiful urban areas, through a gate into the walled centre.
It feels like you are stepping back into a different time. The architecture is fantastic, the atmosphere is amazing, churches and cathedrals abound. It’s not just the cities, many of the smaller towns and villages in Puglia have wonderful historic centres where you can wander around just soaking up the ambience. Take time out to sit at a pavement cafe and watch the world go by.
The most well known of all the Puglia Cities are probably Lecce, Ostuni, and Otranto; there are others as well. However, you should not miss the often overlooked Brindisi and Bari. They have hidden gems within the big city environment. Our personal favourites are those located on the coast getting the best of the stunning historic centres with the Adriatic or Ionian sea close by. Consider Monopoli on the Adriatic and Gallipoli on the Ionian. It’s easy to combine a visit to one of these cities in the morning with an afternoon on the beach.
Don’t miss the small local towns, they will give you a feel for the real Puglia. Close to our Puglia villas are the small towns of Torchiarolo and Squinzano which we have come to know and love. Sometimes it feels like we have gone back 50 years in time and life is definitely moving at a slower pace. Read this article on a Day in the Life of a Puglia town It describes exactly the small towns near us and particularly reminds me of our town, Torchiarolo.
Enjoy!
If you are visiting Puglia, don’t miss out on a visit to Lecce. Voted one of the top ten cities to visit in 2010 by MSN Travel and Lonely Planet, Lecce should be on the top of your must-do list for your Puglia vacation. The first time we visited Puglia, back in 1999, we drove…
Brindisi is one of my favourite cities to visit. I love to be near water, preferably the sea and Brinidsi has a lovely esplanade, perfect for a stroll along the harbour edge. Even on the hottest days in July and August, it is a pleasant city ramble. There are plenty of coffee shops, bars and…
At the center of the two seas that bathe the Puglia, a majestic ancient and hospitable city where art, legends and traditions are woven into a history spanning three thousand years Oria, a small town, nestling in the hills between the Adriatic and Ionian seas, more than three thousand years old – a town with…
The first week of December 2011 saw the sixth anniversary of our arrival in Puglia. Definitely a cause for celebration. It was a bright, sunny and warm December day as we set off for Mesagne. Why Mesagne? It does not feature very heavily in Puglia guides and is completely missing from the Lonely Planet’s “Puglia…
Bari should not be missed out when exploring Puglia, whether on vacation or if you are living in Puglia. In our early years of living in Puglia our experiences of Bari were extremely limited, just travelling between the main railway station and the airport either by bus or taxi. Either way, the views are not…
Gallipoli is a great place to visit, stroll along the island town walls and find a fabulous place for lunch. Not to be confused with Gallipoli in Turkey where the Battle of Gallipoli took place during the first Wold War, the Gallipoli in Salento used to be an island and retains some of its faded…
Discover the White City of Ostuni, perched across three hills, shining out like a beacon over the Adriatic seal
Come and explore Monopoli, a beautiful medieval city on the Adriatic sea, soak up the history and charm and find one of the best restaurants for lunch
Arrive in Torchiarolo at the wrong time of day and you could be forgiven for thinking that it’s a ghost town. A maze of one-way streets, the houses appear to be closed up and there’s little life on the streets. But come back late in the afternoon and the streets will be full, mainly with the locals
We love this description of small towns in Puglia. It describes exactly the small towns near us and particularly reminds me of our town, Torchiarolo. Small towns are often overlooked by visitors. They shouldn’t be!
If you would like to learn more about the history of Puglia consider taking a guided tour.
Ylenia of Yltour organises personalised guided tours but also some fascinating experiences from Italian Picnics, Papier Maché demos, Olive Oil tastings, Cheese Tastings and all sorts of other things. Ylenia speaks English, French and Italian.
email info@yltourcongressi.com
The Association of Tour Guides in Puglia can also provide guided tours for Bari, Brindisi, Lecce and other areas. Details of the Tour Guides can be found on the website www.assoguidepuglia.it.
Get Your Guide offer guided walking tours from € 20 per person.
