Our 2017 trip began in Polignano a Mare, a charming town on the Adriatic Coast in the region of PUGLIA. The old town is full of nooks and crannies to explore. The views of the sea are breathtaking. The next stop was Alberobello a town made almost entirely of trulli, a traditional Apulian dry stone hut with a conical roof. (click
HERE for a quick description of the trulli dwellings)
It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and quite fascinating to see. The downside is that the small, charming streets are full of tourists. Our B&B just outside the hill town of Locorotondo was in an original trullo. This one was beautifully restored in 2015. It's like living in an elf dwelling! Very cozy and with it's own olive grove in the back. The historic center of Locorotondo itself is a whitewashed, hilltop town where getting lost in its maze of alleyways is part of the fun of exploring both by day and by night. Lecce is one of the larger cities in the Puglia region. The architecture is in the baroque style meaning very ornate, lots of cherubs and curly-cues and dripping with decoration. Ostuni, is called La Città Bianca (The White City) because of its whitewashed buildings perched on top of a hill. With a breathtaking view of the Adriatic Sea, the genuine and charming maze of narrow streets and alleys are a beautiful example of Mediterranean architecture, Ostuni is well worth a visit. We enjoyed it very much. Throughout our travels in PUGLIA we were constantly impressed by the agriculture. Olive trees, tomatoes, vineyards, cherry trees, and even artichoke fields went on as far as the eye could see. The olive oil was the best I have ever tasted. My favorite part of any trip to Italy is spending time with my wonderful family in the hill town of Cautano. The food and the hospitality are fabulous and I am so blessed to call these people "la mia famiglia"! Each trip to Cautano includes a walk down the back streets of the historic center where my grandfather was born in 1894 and the hike to the chapel of San Rocco, patron saint of the town which displays a lovely wooden cross with my grandfather's name carved into it. While visiting my family in Cautano we stayed in Benevento, the capital of the province. Our apartment looked out across the Roman Theatre and church of Santa Maria della Verità. We also visited the Church of Santa Sophia, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, the arch of Traiano and wandered the small streets and back alleys, the beautiful park of the Villa Communale as well as the main pedestrian area of Corso Garibaldi with its fashionable shops and cafes.
