Welcome to Puglia - the sun-drenched heel of Italy’s boot. Arguably the most authentic part of Italy, this land of olive trees, meticulously restored small towns, and crystalline seas is still wonderfully rooted in tradition.

This is not a list of Puglia’s most instagramed places. You won’t find the usual suspects here, Alberobello, Ostuni, Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, but if you want to go deeper, slower, quieter and more authentic, here is where locals go when they want good food, a quiet and refreshing swim, and a life lived close to the land.

Where to Go

Martina Franca

Elegant, yes - but more than just a baroque postcard. This town still works, still breathes. Locals gather for a passagiata, an evening stroll, around the piazza, under the soaring facades.

At its heart is the Basilica di San Martino, one of the finest cathedrals in Italy - not just in Puglia, a theatrical sweep of Baroque stonework with an interior full of quiet grandeur.

Martina is well-known in Italy for its tradition of fine tailoring - a legacy that still lives in the workshops tucked behind heavy wooden doors and in the elegant shops lining Via Cavour and the historical centre.

You also eat well here. There is the Capocollo di Martina Franca - a local delicacy that tells the story of the terroir. Made from the meat of local black pigs that roam freely through the surrounding forests, feeding on wild herbs and roots, this capocollo is seasoned simply, smoked gently over almond wood and aged in the dry, aromatic mountain air. The flavour is clean, rich and local.

Noci

Image by Meraki Living

It is a town that has layers: ancient Messapian roots, a noble palazzo, and a rough-around-the-edges honesty. It is quietly one of the food capitals in Puglia. There are numerous rustic trattorias where antipasti is the main event. Here, antipasti isn’t an appetizer, it is a parade of small plates. There isn’t a printed list for this. The kitchen decides.

Also, don’t miss the local biscotti cegliesi, the almond cookies. They are soft, fragrant and unlike anything else in Italy. They are so special that they now have a protected status. It is a PAT (Prodotto Agroalimentare Tradizionale), a recognized traditional food product of Italy. Bakers follow a strict, centuries-old recipe using native almond varieties that grow in the surrounding countryside.

Tucked between trulli country and forested hills, Noci is a town that doesn’t try to impress. This is quiet, green Puglia - where cows graze under oak trees, cheese is made fresh every morning, and people take pride in good produces.

Noci’s historical centre is a maze of stone and soft light, peaceful, lived-in and effortlessly elegant. What set Noci apart is its food culture. The town is known for its exceptional cheeses, and produces some of the best mozzarella and burrata in the region. In recent years, there is a growing community of young chefs and winemakers returning to the land, bringing fresh energy.

Image by Giardini Pistola

Image by Meraki Living

Just down the road from Casa Cali, Giardini Pistola is a stunning Landscape Society Award Winning garden designed by Chelsea Flower Show Winners Urquhart Hunt. Designed with deep sensitivity to the land, the 4 hectares terrace garden is a celebration of native Mediterranean plants: wild thyme, rosemary, oaks, and ornamental grasses. It is a reminder that beauty here comes from resilience, not perfection. To book a visit here.

Ceglie Messapica

Image by Meraki Living

Giardini Pistola

The Beaches for the locals

Although there are many posh lidos (beach clubs) in Puglia, we the locals have our own secret spots for a quieter and more refreshing swim.

Torre Canne is one of our favorite: miles of sandy, calm beaches, and still (kind of) under the radar. The sand here is soft and light, and the sea shallow and warm. Parts of it are taken up by low-key lidos, but walk just a bit further, and you will find wild stretches with nothing but sand dunes, sea breeze and silence.

Torre Guaceto is one of the few protected marine reserves in Puglia. No cars, no buildings, no clubs - just coastal scrub, sand and vast stretch of sea. You park here and take the shuttle in.

Punta Prosciutto, the “Caribbean”of Puglia, is no secret. Locals and Italians from all over come to Punta Prosciutto for its crystal-clear, turquoise water and fine white sand. But it is still worth it, especially on a weekday to early/late in the season.

The Rhythm of Puglia

Time works differently in Puglia. Shops close at midday, and the streets in towns go quiet. It may not be the best time for sightseeing, however, this is a great time for a long lunch, and maybe a nap.

Towns come back to life in late afternoon. They are most lively from 5PM to 8PM, when it is aperitivo hour(s). This is the time to visit alfresco bars, people watching.

Please be aware that dinner never starts before 8PM, even later in summer. It is definitely a different rhythm, but you will enjoy your time in Puglia more if you adapt to it.

Wineries Worth a Visit

Puglia is one of the major wine producers in Italy, but was known more for quantity than quality. Most of the local produce used to be sent to the northern wine region, mainly for distillation and bulk blending. Over the last two decades,, however, Puglia has made enormous strides in improving the quality of local wines. The red wines here are rich, earthy and strong. Red grapes are primitivo (zinfandel), negroamaro, and susumaniello. The white and rosé wines are more elegant. They are fresh, aromatic and mineral.

Around Casa Cali grow some of the best white wine grapes in Puglia. The white wines are usually not heavily oaked, often fresh, aromatic and mineral.

Among all the wineries in the area, Giovanni Aiello is our favorite and one of the best wineries in Puglia. After worked in wine countries in California and Australia, Giovanni Aiello, enologo per amore (enologist by love), returned to Puglia to create small-batch, terrier-driven wines. His signature Chakra wines have been featured on the wine list of Geranium in Copenhagen, one of the top 50 restaurants in the world. You can book your wine tasting here.

In the neighbouring hills of Alberobello, Cantina Pietro Tauro produces some of the best value wines in Puglia. Their Chardonnay 2020 vintage won a Silver medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. Though a cooperative, Pietro Tauro wines are solid, approachable and of great value. Wine tastings can be arranged at Cantina Sociale Cooperativa Tauro.