All roads lead to Puglia
I adore Tuscany. I studied Italian in Florence and have returned few times to hit the country roads in search of wine and food and views. I don’t care what anyone says, I find Milan totally wonderful. I’ve yet to make it to Sicily, but desperately want to go (to eat and find a long lost relative or two). But… If money’s no object, I’m buying a rambling villa in Puglia.
For all the well-known and well-loved foods that originate there, Puglia is relatively less-trodden by travelers. It’s an enormous region, home to that dreamy version of Italy where orecchiette is made at small, foldout tables by a handful of nonnas with their daily view of the sea. Seasonally, sweet and briny riccio di mare (sea urchins) are caught fresh and eaten not as a delicacy but by the dozen, often on the beach, with an aperitivo. Much of the country’s olive oil production happens here, with gnarled olive trees on expansive farms that dot the coastline and the hills that stretch inland. And I haven’t even mentioned the gorgeous Puglian wine. Look. If you’re hungry, thirsty, and have already opened Google flights in a new tab…read on.
STAY
Borgo Egnazia — This hotel was built to be a sprawling, “traditional” Puglian village with rustic buildings set around a piazza with a church, tennis courts and pools, lovely restaurants, bicycle rentals, and so on. It might sound like an inauthentic experience, but it’s done impeccably well and you will not want to leave. The food on property is second to none.
Masseria Cervarolo — A small masseria in the hilly town of Ostuni where days take on a slow and relaxing pace. Bungalows are shaded by olive trees, breakfasts and dinners, which bookend dips in the pool and quick jaunts into town, are taken in an intimate dining room.
Masseria Potenti — This family run farmhouse-turned-hotel is simple, chic, and sophisticated with a heavy focus on food and community. Seasonal, home-cooked dinners are shared at a communal table each evening and guests are invited to help harvest grapes from the vineyard and olives from the trees.
EAT
The food here is categorically insane. I ate one mediocre meal in the entire region, and the name of that restaurant was promptly forgotten so it’s omitted here. From traditional breakfasts (local breads with freshly made jams, heaps of burrata, light plum tarts) and gorgeous dinners of polpette di melanzane (fried eggplant balls), Gallipolli-style fish stew, and pasta with bright red tomatoes and ricotta forte, here are some highlights…
Osteria del Porto — in Savelletri. It’s not as well-known as a few beachfront restaurants in this tiny town, but it’s far better. The pastas are perfect, the fish is impeccably fresh, and the setting (and local wine) invites you to stay a while.
Tuccino — in Polignano a Mare. Near that Instagram-famous beach nestled between the rocky cliffs is da Tuccino, a classic and fantastic joint that’s been around since the ’60s and for good reason.
Il Cortiletto — in Speziale. Charming and rustic, with its inviting courtyard, this restaurant is small town Italy at its best. The pastas are divine, as are the secondi.
Da Zio Pietro — in Cisternino. A butcher’s shop and deli with a few small dining areas, this place is worth the wait (and wait you will). Pick your cut(s) of meat ahead, specify how you’d like them cooked, order a bottle of wine, and settle in.
Cielo — in Ostuni. The splurge-y, romantic choice on this list is inside the stunning La Sommita hotel in the hillside “white city” of Ostuni.
TIPS
- Rent a car and drive. Puglia is road trip heaven.
2. The vibe here is wonderfully slow but the region is absolutely huge. Don’t try to see every town or view in one trip (unless you have, like, a month). Just make a plan to return.
3. Take a cooking class, either at your hotel or arranged by them elsewhere.
4. Arrive hungry and curious, be willing to try new things, ask locals for suggestions as often as you can, walk and poke your head in places and see (and taste) what you find. I highly doubt you’ll regret it.
