By Carrie Brock
My travel philosophy has always been to stay ahead of the crowds, the over-popularity, and the over-touristed.
Sometimes I’ve succeeded in the endeavor, long ago visiting places like Santorini, Positano and Hvar. Other times I’ve missed the calm before the tourist storm. I have been frustratingly caught in the masses, the madness and, ultimately, the disappointing feeling I’ve traveled across the world to an extension of my own hometown in California.
So let’s talk about a place that exemplifies the calm before the tourist storm. Let’s talk about Puglia, Italy.
I want to keep it to myself. I don’t want anyone else to go. I at least want one more chance to go back before the rest of the world discovers it.
But I can’t be selfish with it forever. So I may as well help you with some guidance, since I had so little while I was planning my trip. There isn’t much advice out there on this Italian region, so I’ll offer what I can, and I truly hope it helps and inspires you.
I loved Puglia (pronounced pool-yuh). Or, Apulia as it’s known locally. I loved its incredible beauty. I loved that I heard close to no English spoken, and that I needed to learn to communicate in another language to get by. I loved the feeling of true exploration of the undiscovered, and of needing to immerse myself in another culture, rather than expect that culture to change for me.
Here are my top reasons for visiting Puglia, along with some hotel and restaurant recommendations and other tips:
1) It’s an Incredible Value
Admittedly, my husband and I are not the adventurous types. We don’t backpack. We like our comfortable hotels. We don’t like to rent tiny cars and share the unknown roads with Italian drivers… we like to be driven. We like the best restaurants, and of course the best wine. But we like saving money too (who doesn’t, really?), and so we look for value.
I’ve seldom experienced more for my money. The dollar was stretching further, and some of the best wines of the region were little more than 20 Euro a bottle at the local restaurants. The bill at each dinner was rarely more than 100 Euro for both of us, including an indulgence of appetizers, entrees and wine. Bringing me to my next point:
2) The Food is Delicious
The cuisine of Puglia is fresh and light, as is typical to all of southern Italy. As it is a coastal region, you’ll find an abundance of fresh seafood pasta dishes, especially using the locally famous orecchiette: small, round and ear-shaped pasta noodle with a central depression, meant to hold sauces nicely in it’s crevice for a perfectly sauce-soaked bite.
There is also no shortage of cheese and charcuterie. Serving cured meats with fresh cheeses and pickled vegetables (like onions) is common.
And let’s not forget about the signature cheese of Puglia – Burrata! Burrata is a fresh cheese made by local artisans in the shape of a soft, round ball using the milk from the buffalo who roam the surrounding countryside. It is filled with luscious curd and cream, but otherwise most closely resembles mozzarella in taste and texture. In the best examples, the local restaurants will inject olive oil into its center, resulting in a savory bite of layered, contrasting and hearty flavors.
3) Great Wines are Produced
As great wine regions go, Puglia is relatively underappreciated and undervalued. For centuries Puglia has produced little more than standard table wine. Yet the landscape is beginning to change.
I pride myself on finding great quality wines at reasonable prices for friends and clients, and I am beginning to see some highly sought-after, more delicate and age-worthy wines coming from Southern Italy.
If you are a Zinfandel lover, try the Primitivo, a cousin/ancestor the the widely known Zinfandel grape of the New World. For a darker, more hearty variety, try the Negroamaro, specifically those from Salice Salentino DOC of the Salento Peninisula. The hearty, thick-skinned grapes give wines that are full bodied, with dark fruit flavors and smooth ripe tannins.
For those hot, dry days, grab a bottle of Rose’ made from 100% Negroamaro. My favorite is called ‘Calafuria’ by the producer Tormaresca. It’s like a basket of fresh, ripe red berries, with a zesty acidity that will knock your socks off.
And lastly, if you’re in the mood for a very unique, light-bodied, slightly sweet red wine, try Susumaniello.
Salice Salentino, Calafuria, Susumaniello and some Primitivo wines are available in the United States. Check your local specialty retailers, and buy a bottle to do some prep-work before your trip!
4) It’s Authentic
I’ve never experienced a place in Italy with fewer tourists, which I found particularly appealing. As the streets lit up at night, the locals emerged to mingle, drink, and watch their children play football in the streets. I never heard much else spoken besides Italian.
On that note, I strongly recommend you brush up on your Italian. At least learn a few key phrases.
5) It’s Beautiful
The beauty of this place is unparalleled. I felt I was in a different world. The crystal blue waters, the untouched coastlines, the white-washed cities… it was absolutely breathtaking.
Where To Stay: Don Ferrante Dimore Di Charme, Monopoli
After agonizing for several weeks over where to stay, I am very glad I decided to stay in the town of Monopoli. The small fishing village is centrally located and a great base for your adventures. It’s about 40 minutes south of Bari, where you’ll find the main train station and airport.
The Don Ferrante Hotel is a 5-Star Hotel, and one of the few we found in a centrally located city in Puglia. They offer a pickup service at the airport or train station, so you don’t need to rent a car. However, they do offer a Smart Car at the hotel itself (automatic, with English-speaking GPS!), so if you need, you can rent it for the day and explore the surrounding areas. As much as we dislike driving, this was not a bad way to go. Nothing is very far from Monopoli. It’s worth doing and you’ll enjoy it!
On a side note, there is only one car available at the hotel. Reserve it one or two days in advance to guarantee its availability.
Exploring the Area:
I recommend exploring the nearby towns, of which there are many, and they are extremely picturesque.
With our day-long rental car, we stopped first in historic Alberobello to walk through the town of Trulli houses (14th Century dome-like structures, designed to be easily dissembled to avoid taxation from the kingdom of Naples).
Driving through the countryside was a pleasure in itself. Seeing the Trulli homes dotting the farmland, and gazing across acres of oak trees, some dating back 1000 years.
The second stop from our tour with the little Smart Car was Martina Franca, a white-washed picturesque village with baroque influence throughout. It is sleepy in the afternoons (the southern Italians do take Siesta or “Pisolino” very seriously), but we had one of the best meals of our trip in the main square here.
Another town I recommend is Polignano A Mare. We did not take the Smart Car here, but rather, because we had reservations at the famous Grotta Palazzese Restaurant (more on that later), we decided to have hotel’s car service drive us to the town. This way we could spend the whole day, and be driven home so we could enjoy wine with dinner without driving.
Polignano A Mare is absolutely stunning. The white-washed village sits atop steep cliffs plunging into crystal clear turquoise water. The small, winding streets were adorned with bougainvillea and perfectly manicured window boxes filled with geraniums. It is more touristed that Monopoli, and a little bit larger of a town. I loved visiting for the day, but preferred Monopoli to stay.
Where To Eat:
There are many wonderful restaurants in Monopoli and the nearby villages. Here were some of our favorites.
Tuttoapposto
Centrally located in Monopoli’s Old Town, or “Centro Storico,” with a view of the bay, this little bar is great for small bites, a good charcuterie plate, a glass of wine, and a friendly atmosphere with great customer service.
Dal Ghiottone
Small, well-appointed restaurant with outdoor seating in Monopoli’s main square. We ate here twice during our trip. The salmon and tuna tartare were excellent. The best part was – they had Gluten Free orecchiette pasta! Being celiac, gluten free is my only option, but on the second night my husband split the dish with me – he said he couldn’t even tell it was gluten free. It was delicious! Highly recommended. Reserve a table here.
18 Gradi
This place was a treat! As is typical for the area, the chef, owner and family all run the restaurant together. We had a delightful young man waiting on us that evening (whose mother cooked our meal), ate a great meat dish and drank Cantele Salice Salentino by the bottle. But the most interesting part about the restaurant? They have a vintage vinyl record player, and you get to choose which records they play. The selection was great, too! I opted for Making Movies by the Dire Straits, while John went with the classic party music, Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Ristorante Don Ferrante
The restaurant at our hotel was also amazing. They are only open for dinner June – August, but we were there in May, so were only able to have lunch. You can, however sit for the entire afternoon if you like, enjoying a bottle of Rose’ and looking out at the ocean from the beautiful terrace. The Eggplant Parmesan was to die for. The service was over-the-top. A magical experience.
Grotta Palazzese, Polignano a Mare
Quite honestly, this was the biggest disappointment we experienced. But I must include this famous restaurant, to at least alert you about what you’re getting into. Because despite everything, it is one of the most beautiful places in which I’ve ever dined. The food was sub-par, yet very pricey. The service was also a bit lacking.
Still, if you still decide to eat in the beautiful caves overlooking the water (it is pretty spectacular), make reservations ahead of time. Additionally, seating is first come-first serve for each reservation time slot. You may want to arrive early to get the coveted seat by the water.
Transfers and Other Necessities:
One company I wholeheartedly recommend for your trip is Apulia Slow Travel. We used them for a transfer from Puglia to Matera, then on to the Amalfi Coast. At the time of our travels, there were no direct trains connecting the areas of Southern Italy. So other than renting a car, opting for a private transfer was the only comfortable option. Both options ended up being around the same price.
The company was very professional, and we were in a clean, air-conditioned private Mercedes van. We had the flexibility to stop when we needed, and the privacy to quietly enjoy the views of the Italian countryside during our drive.
One last piece of advice… I mentioned Southern Italians take Pisolino (their mid-afternoon break) very seriously. Restaurants and shops are usually not open between the hours of 3-7pm. However, you will find small cafes in the central squares open for wine, cheese and maybe an appetizer. So be prepared to eat a decently sized lunch, and to wait until after 7-7:30pm for dinner, when the restaurants reopen.
In Conclusion:
If you’re reading this, it may be that you need inspiration, or that you’ve made a commitment to explore something new, and need advice on your trip.
I asked my husband the other day, “Why on earth, do you think it is, that Puglia has not yet been discovered?” It made little sense to me. A cultural and topographical mixture of Greece and Italy. A seemingly perfect combination of physical beauty, lovely people, great food, wine, and value.
He answered me with a spontaneous, but obvious reply, “Well, because it’s not Rome, Florence or Venice.”
So branch out. Explore the unexpected. You never know when you’ll have the most moving and thrilling trip of your life.
If you’d like to contact me with questions, feel free to email me directly at travelerandoenophile@gmail.com
And be sure to visit my wine-centric Instagram page, @20dollarwinesnob for great value wine recommendations!
Cheers, and Happy Travels!
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