Puglia

Puglia is the heel of Italy, flat, hot, and blessed with some of the country's most photogenic architecture including the trulli of Alberobello, the white hilltop towns of Ostuni and Locorotondo, and the baroque capital of Lecce. Our Puglia writing covers the full region from the Gargano peninsula in the north through the Itria Valley to the Salento in the south.

The Itria Valley between Bari and Lecce is the most-photographed part of Puglia. A trullo rental here is the signature Puglian experience: a small, dry-stone conical-roofed hut converted into a boutique stay with a pool. These are almost exclusively direct-booking operations run by families who restored them in the last fifteen years. Prices range from 90 euros per night in spring to 250 euros per night in August, with huge savings in May, early June, September, and October.

Lecce is the cultural capital of the south with its honey-coloured baroque architecture and a laid-back student atmosphere. A Lecce base gets you access to both Adriatic and Ionian coastlines within 40 minutes, including the Grotta della Poesia, Gallipoli's walled old town, Otranto's Norman cathedral, and the quiet beaches of the Salento. Our Salento driving guide covers the full coast route with recommended lunch stops and the best swimming coves.

For food, expect orecchiette with cime di rapa as the signature pasta, tiella (baked rice with mussels and potatoes) as the signature baked dish, and burrata served as an antipasto almost everywhere. Puglian olive oil is among the best in Italy. Local wines include Primitivo and Negroamaro, both heavy reds suited to the hot climate. Budget 10 to 20 euros per person at a trattoria lunch, 20 to 35 for dinner with wine.