This intimate tour of Italy's heel is the best way to see the region
Sandwiched between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea in the heel of Italy, Puglia is one of the country's more under-appreciated regions. Popular with holidaying Italians – it has more coastline than the rest of Italy – the locals flock to its fantastic beaches. As a result, Puglia's verdant hills scattered with medieval villages, grand baroque churches and archaeological ruins, all threaded with abundant olive groves and vineyards, remain delightfully undisturbed by tourists.
AN INTIMATE PUGLIA TOUR
A six-day small-group Puglia tour is an ideal way to get the most out of the 'heel' of Italy, particularly, if your travels are led by your stomach and you're a solo traveller looking to travel with like-minded people.
It's the magic combination of fertile soils, fabulous Mediterranean weather and the proximity to the ocean that makes Puglia so delicious.
Renowned for its rustic dishes like orecchiette con salsiccia e fungi and tiella barese, not to mention the very drinkable wines, over six days you'll get a real taste for the region. Sample heavenly pasticciotto –rich pastries filled with lemon-scented custard – in historic family-run bakeries, visit ancient olive farms and taste the very best olive oil, and meet local winemakers for a vineyard tour and tasting in Locorotondo.
One of most wonderful things to do in Italy is take part in a cooking class. Puglia is famous for its bread and pasta and you can learn the art of crafting orecchiette, the curious ear-shaped pasta which is a staple in the region. And if you take part in the masterclass in rustic cooking in a masseria, you're all but guaranteed to return home with elevated kitchen skills.
Feasting aside, Puglia promises stacks of ancient history, including one of the oldest settlements in Italy. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sassi di Matera is a series of ancient caves carved into limestone cliffs which have been inhabited since the Paleolithic period.
Puglia is also blessed with some of the most beautiful medieval towns in Italy, many which date back to Roman times. At its heart is the capital, Bari, which with its floral-lined boulevards and sweeping views over the Adriatic Sea, is anything but a sprawling metropolis.
It has a gorgeous medieval old town, a bustling harbour and plenty of beaches scalloped around the coastline. It's here you can meet the legendary pasta-making ladies of Arco Basso, who roll and shape Puglia’s famous orecchiette fresh everyday. And don't miss a peek into Basilica di Santa Nicola, the 12th-century church built to house the remains of its eponymous saint (a.k.a Father Christmas).
Finally, you can't come to Puglia and not visit the trulli, the prehistoric-style homes which are unique to the Itria Valley. Built from limestone, these conical white-washed 'beehives' can be found all across the valley but particularly in Alberobello, where the zona dei trulli has more than 1,500 of these quirky dwellings strewn across the hillside.
Taste your way around Puglia on this fantastic six-day small-group tour with Good Housekeeping Holidays.
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