Holidaymakers to Italy often opt for the well-trod destinations of Rome and Venice, with those want a coastal getaway jetting off to the stunning Amalfi Coast or Capri. Unless you look further afield, you may miss out on plenty of other holiday-worthy places, including Apulia, or Puglia in Italian, the region that forms the stiletto heel on Italy’s boot.
This beautiful region has everything you could want from an Italian getaway, from amazing food and groves upon groves of olive trees, to ancient towns and extravagant churches. There are a number of direct flights to this region from the UK, all of which are typically three to four hours. One flight, departing from either Stansted or Gatwick, will take to straight to Lecce, the city that has been dubbed the ‘Florence of the South’.
Lecce is known for its Baroque-style architecture and its Roman amphitheatre, which can be seen in all their glory in the city’s Centro Storico.
Taking to Tripadvisor, one visitor to Lecce wrote: “The historic center of Lecce is a delight: an interweaving of paved alleys, elegant palaces and Baroque churches that tell centuries of history.
“Walking between Piazza Duomo and Santa Croce you can breathe a unique atmosphere, between art, culture and tradition. Every corner surprises with details carved in Lecce stone. Lively by day, evocative by night, it is the perfect place to get lost and be fascinated.”
The region of Puglia is particularly known for the UNESCO listed Trulli Houses, and while these aren’t typically found in Lecce, there are over 1500 of these conical houses in Alberobello, less than two hours away.
These deceptive buildings look like small huts on the outside, but are actually much bigger on the inside.
These dry stone wall houses are believed to have been first built in the mid-14th century, and reached their ‘golden age’ hundreds of years later in the 19th century. Those that still stand today date from as early as the 18th century.
Legend claims that the Trulli were originally built like this so they would be easy to dismantle when tax inspectors were in the area, given the high level of property taxation at the time.
And then, as if the unqiue history and architecture of Puglia isn’t enough, this region is also full of stunning beaches with the Baia dei Turchi proving the most popular, according to TripAdvisor.
Other beautiful beaches on this stretch of the Italian cost, include Porto Selvaggio, Spiaggia di Punta Prosciuto, and Bahia Porto Cesareo.