Italy Less Traveled: Puglia

Limestone dwellings known as “trulli,” constructed without mortar, are found throughout Puglia. Takashi Images/Shutterstock

The crowds of Italy’s massive rebound of tourism this year coincided with some sweltering summer weather. Even when I worked a year there 20 years ago, I knew that August was absolutely a no-go, as the entire nation goes on holiday. So I’ve adapted by visiting as late in the season as possible. Tourists are still there, of course, but at a much more tolerable density, and if you get off the beaten path, even better. Italy, in any region, is just as fascinating, enjoyable, and delicious in its unique way.

This year, I headed south in early November, which also assured milder weather as temps started to chill up in the north. My destination? “The Heel of the Boot”—Puglia (POO-li-ah), or Apulia in English.

Heading South

We landed at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport early in the morning and took the express train to Rome’s Termini Station for a high-speed train south to Bari, Puglia’s capital.

Of all the mainland regions of Italy, Puglia has the longest coastline, with shores on the Adriatic Sea and a Mediterranean climate to go with them. It has the highest production of wine and a good portion of the nation’s olive oil. Human settlement dates to Neolithic times, and Greek colonists moved in during the eighth century B.C., part of Magna Graecia, before the Roman Empire absorbed it. Puglia’s greatest wealth and prestige came in the 17th and 18th centuries, however, in more modern times, it has long been associated with poverty. It’s a fascinating rise-and-fall-and-rise-again story, with a history worth learning about.

Bari

The regional capital, Bari offers a beautiful seaside promenade, several historical landmarks—including a couple of theaters—and the labyrinthine Bari Vecchia, the old city, which was our focus.

For me, the first appeal is the food. The local regional cuisine offers plentiful meat entrees and products, but traditional dishes also include delightfully simple vegetarian meals. The focaccia barese is simple and amazing, a crisp olive-oil soaked crust with crushed tomatoes on top and, perhaps, a few olives. Places such as Panificio Fiore and Panificio Santa Rita have lines of locals down the cobblestone streets and may sell out before their closing times. Spice fans should try the spaghetti all'assassina, first cooked dry in a hot iron pan to give it a char and some crunch, with garlic, olive oil, chili pepper, and finished in tomato sauce. Try the fresh octopus sandwiches at Mastro Ciccio; Peroni is on tap.

Don’t miss the local dish Spaghetti all'assassina. kamadon/Shutterstock

Shop for handmade pasta in Strada delle Orecchiette in Bari. Kevin Revolinski

Go to the Strada delle Orecchiette (the street of “little-ears” pasta), where the grannies (le nonne) make this traditional pasta by hand and dry it right there on the streets of Arco Alto and Arco Basso. Buy the thumbnail-sized variety—not the large, multicolored clamshell creations that are heavy (sold by the kilo) and aimed at tourists. (These aren’t sufficiently dried and may develop mold in a plastic bag, despite claims that they’ll last a month! Ask me how I know.) Don’t just take photos; try to engage and get a chat going. It isn’t a zoo, after all. Each maker is someone’s grandma! If nothing else, be sure to order orecchiette con le cime di rapa (pasta with broccoli rabe) at a local trattoria.

Every church has a story. The 11th-century Basilica of Saint Nicholas in Bari is important to pilgrims both from the Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Nicholas served as a bishop during the late years of the Roman Empire, and when he died, his remains were kept in a church found in what would become part of the Byzantine Empire. As the Seljuk Turks took over the region, which is now Turkey, crusaders from Bari essentially stole some bones that ended up here in the crypt.

Side Trips From Bari 

Alberobello has the highest concentration of trulli. Kevin Revolinski

A must-see that’s just an hour by bus from Bari, Alberobello is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the 14th century to 1797, feudal landlords let peasants work their land and demanded a percentage of their harvests, but the King of Naples taxed the landlords for the houses constructed on their land. So the shrewd lords instructed peasants not to use mortar so that the houses could be quickly taken apart before a tax collector’s visit. The result are the trulli, whitewashed stone houses with stacked-stone conical roofs. This town has the largest concentration of them. Some are rented out to guests, but unless you really want that experience, a couple hours there wandering through them may be sufficient. It’s part of the Valle d'Itria, a fertile region that features scenic drives among the olive trees and vineyards.

Just under two hours south of Bari by train, Lecce is the “Florence of the South,” a Baroque city in the Salento area (referred to as the “spike of the heel”). But its history runs much deeper than that, as seen at the Faggiano Museum. A family bought a house to open a restaurant in the old city, but a search for a leaky pipe opened up a can of archaeological worms. Ruins and artifacts lay right under the floor and as deep as 20 feet (so far). It’s now a museum, and you can explore the subterranean levels. The family also offers weekly cooking lessons, the occasional dance event, and more.

Exploring the subterranean world beneath Lecce. Kevin Revolinski

Lecce’s churches are stunners, especially the central cathedral—rebuilt in 1659—with its prominent bell tower. The Basilica of Santa Croce (Holy Cross) features an intricately detailed façade that invites one to stare in amazement for a very long time, day or night. A combined, multi-day ticket at LeccEcclesiae in the cathedral plaza gets you into four churches, a seminary, and a museum. A Roman outdoor theater and part of an amphitheater are both visible without tickets and reveal another layer to the city right in the midst of the Baroque period’s buildings.

The Baroque Basilica di Santa Croce is known for its richly decorated ornamental façade. DeltaOFF/Shutterstock

The Roman amphitheater in Lecce. Kevin Revolinski

Dusk descends on the Basilica di Santa Croce. Kevin Revolinski

The bakeries in town are divine. Try the little bathtub-shaped pasticciotto, a shortbread made with lard and filled with cream, and sip a caffè leccese, an espresso over ice that’s sweetened with almond milk syrup. For smart regional wine recommendations and good prices, go see Gianluca at Enoteca Nocco Lecce Dal 1950. The best meals we had were at 63 Osteria Contemporanea, which serves up traditional dishes and flavors but with delicious and unpretentious modern adjustments. Get reservations, or be there right when it opens, when only foreigners eat so early (before 8 p.m.).

Beyond Puglia: Matera  

Looking over at Matera from across a valley. Kevin Revolinski

Just over the Puglia border, into neighboring Basilicata, is this positively fantastical city that dates back to the Paleolithic age and is considered one of the longest continuously occupied places in Europe. Residents lived in caves and built atop of each other’s homes along a cliff overlooking the Gravina, a steep river valley. Matera rose to prominence during the Baroque period, but when the fall came, it came hard.

At the end of the day in Matera. Kevin Revolinski

A political prisoner of the fascists in 1935, Carlo Levi stayed a year in the region, and the descriptions of the poverty in his book “Christ Stopped at Eboli: The Story of a Year” helped to make Matera infamous as “the shame of Italy.” The story of its rise and fall and eventual return is told in museums here, and the cave churches are extraordinary. Stay in the Sassi (the old city). Start with visits to Casa Noha and Vicinato a Pozzo, which provide short video introductions in historical settings. They help you to appreciate the depth of Matera’s story and the experience of those who lived there. Then, let yourself get lost in its narrow alleys and zigzagging staircases. Enjoy brilliant sunsets against rapidly changing skies from various viewpoints in the city or even along the opposite cliff.

When You Go

When to Go: When tourism slows in late October, and even into November, the region becomes more relaxed. While the hot temperatures up north are behind us, the south can still be quite seasonable while the north starts to get chilly (the beaches are more for viewing than swimming). Another downside includes some seasonal public bus system shutdowns.

Getting Around: We used buses and local trains, even arriving in Bari from Rome on a high-speed train (a more than four-hour trip). When going between places such as Bari and Lecce, regional lines work well, as do buses. For smaller tourist sites such as Alberobello or Matera, a bus might be the only viable option. FlixBus connects places on longer routes and offers affordable and reliable routes, such as Mantera–Bari or Lecce–Taranto, etc.

Rental cars are great for getting out into the scenic countryside and small towns along the coast. The drawback is parking if you are staying in a city. Know before you go: Check if your hotel or Airbnb has parking options.