Puglia 2012 - The Itria Valley, the Murge and the Salento

Having arrived in Bari around 8.00, we rented the car and headed to Altamura to taste its famous bread, then we headed to Matera, where we arrived in the early afternoon. Just the time to leave our suitcases at the B&B and we began our visit, from the cave houses to the numerous churches, among glimpses of breathtaking views that took us back in time. The next day we headed to Martina Franca, where we stayed in a beautiful masseria, and from there we visited Cisternino, Locorotondo and Ostuni, all small centres full of charm, with all-white houses and many churches and monuments. The next day we visited Alberobello, unique in the world for its trulli, and then the Grotte di Castellana, truly impressive for beauty and size. On the following day we moved to Lecce and visited this city famous for its Baroque and its very numerous churches.

From Lecce we reached Otranto, where we spent 2 nights: the village is really very pretty, rich in history, and above all the signs of the Turkish invasion are evident. We also spent a bit of time at the sea, at the famous Baia dei Turchi near the Laghi Alimini; moreover we went down as far as Santa Maria di Leuca and visited capo d'Otranto and the Grotta Zinzalusa. Finally we stayed 3 nights in Presicce, spending some time at the beach at Torre Mozza, a spot in the Ugento area, with a fantastic sea, also paying a visit to Gallipoli. And then we returned home from Brindisi.