Polignano a Mare sits atop cliffs pockmarked with many grottos
Social media sold me on adding Puglia to my bucket list. Puglia is a region in the heel of Italy's boot along its southeast coast. We took a detour from Greece, crossing the Adriatic Sea to visit this land of dramatic scenery and rich culture. It did not disappoint!
The following unique towns are featured in our highlights of Puglia:
Arberobello
Polignano a Mare
Matera
Ostuni
Monopoli
Arberobello
Famous for it's white-washed, conical hobbit-like limestone homes called Trulli. Legend has it that their construction allowed residents to dismantle them before tax collectors arrived.
Charming "downtown" Arberobello
Top: Bird's eye view of Arberobello
Middle: Symbols painted on trulli are religious in nature or meant to ward off bad luck
Bottom: Residential trulli neighborhood. Pinnacles on top of the cone roofs have different shapes/meanings.
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Polignano a Mare
Known for it's beautiful beaches with crystal clear water, jagged cliffs, annual Red Bull Cliff Diving Competition and infamous cave restaurant
Dining at Instagram-famous restaurant, Grotto Pallazzese, sets you back 290 euros per person (wine not included)
Views from our boat:
Top: Outskirts of Old Town
Bottom: Lido Cala Paura Beach tucked in between cliffs just beyond the ancient bridge
Views from land of overcrowded Lido Cala Paura Beach nestled between two cliffs:
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Matera
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the City of Sassi (ancient cave dwellings) is the third oldest city in the world with evidence of civilization dating back over 9,000 years. Primitive cave dwellings were built into a mountain ravine but in the 1950's, residents were evacuated due to shameful sanitation issues. A chase scene from the James Bond movie, "No Time to Die" was filmed in Matera.
Views of Old Town Matera from the surrounding rim of the more modern town
Views looking up from Old Town Matera:
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Ostuni
Also known as "White Town," this walled medieval city is perched on a hilltop. Inhabitants have been dated back to the Stone Age. Hard to believe the buildings were apparently painted with a white limestone mixture in an effort to "blind" enemies. Ironically, the distinctly white-washed town we saw while sailing is what attracted us to seek it out.
Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary caught our attention while sailing the Adriatic
Top: Winding alleyways in Old Town
Middle: Statue of St. Orontius
Bottom: Ostuni Cathedral
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Monopoli
Monopoli was our first stop in the Puglia region after an overnight sail from Corfu, Greece. What a stunning welcome! Loved paddle boarding around the crystalline coves dotted with brightly colored fishing boats, listening to church bells ringing from a walled historic white-washed city backdrop and anchored by the Catello di Carlo V, a 16th century castle in the promontory.
Monopoi's Old Town with its prominent Cathedral
Frustratingly, no access to land, so Dale dropped Megan and me off to get coffee & baked goods.
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