The Puglian Secret: Lecce to Ostuni

Arrival at Brindisi apt, transfer, by private car, to Lecce “the Florence of Southern Italy”, a town where losing oneself is more than an accident on the way. It is a duty of intellect. Lecce, home of the Baroque, is more than an architectural style, a way to relive the past. Time in Lecce passes through its tortuous streets, through places that you would never recognize, because the streets change perspective continuously. Those who see it are dazzled at first glance. The white that pervades Lecce, unusual and exotic, fills the eyes with wonder. All thanks to the typical Lecce stone, also called “gentle stone”, like the tuff that has constituted the soul and heart of the Baroque in Lecce.

Otranto, off the beaten track, is the easternmost town in Italy, where turquoise, crystalline waters embrace ancient history, showing all its unique splendor. The town is a treasure chest full of priceless treasures such as the wonderful small scenic squares, the Aragonese castle and the churches that house are of great value. The imposing Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata, built on an early Christian temple, contains one of the most representative works of art of the Apulian culture of the Middle Ages: the large floor mosaic created by a group of artists led by the Basilian monk Pantaleo. Scenes from the Old Testament, chivalric cycles, medieval bestiaries and scenes from the Romance of Alexander are arranged along the development of the Tree of Life, retracing the human experience from original sin to salvation.

Transfer, by private car, to Ostuni, wonderful village known as the “White City”, due to the white walls of the houses, so light that they are almost blinding. The town appears with its white sparkle even from afar. In fact, as you approach you can immediately glimpse its whitewashed defensive walls. Inside the old city you will be struck by the winding streets, the splendidly maintained steps, with windows and doors colored in blue and green. Starting from the central square under the column of San Oronzo you can lose yourself in a white labyrinth of steep streets where you can find artisan workshops.

Alberobello, UNESCO World Heritage site, famous for its unique trulli houses – traditional Apulian dry stone huts with distinctive conical roofs. These peculiar, whitewashed structures, found throughout the Valle d’Itria, will transport participants back in time and feel like stepping into a fairytale. Wandering through the old town of Alberobello offers a magical experience, with clusters of Trulli creating a truly unique architectural landscape.

Bari, the capital of Puglia bathed by the Adriatic Sea and famous throughout the world for the relics of Saint Nicholas preserved in the Basilica of the same name; legend has it that this important place of worship was built to hide the Holy Grail. Walking through the “Citta’ Vecchia” (old Town) visitors discover its most authentic character, with signs of its past scattered through the local alleyways. At the doors of an alley stand the women who prepare the famous “orecchiette” (handmade pasta) on the pastry boards armed only with water, semolina and knives. The houses lean against each other and at every corner there are churches, monuments and views to photograph. Here visitors can breathe an atmosphere frozen in time, in a place where everyone knows each other and the smells of the kitchens mix with the sea breeze. Polignano a Mare, a medieval village, enclosed by high walls and boasting magnificent cliff drops over the sea, has always represented the history, culture and the soul of its local people. Visiting the old town is like walking around a postcard. Every corner seems made on purpose to take hundreds and hundreds of photographs. It has prehistoric origins and the cliff on which it is built was coveted land even in Roman times. Now it is made of white houses, narrow streets, caves full of charm, and magnificent panoramic balconies overlooking the sea, from the top of an empty 24-meter drop.