September 2nd, 2019. Little did I know back then, but as I was boarding the plane, it would be the last time I would be doing this for the foreseeable (or unforeseeable) future. It was at the end of a week spent living La Dolce Vita in the very southern heel of Italy – Puglia. A week full of flavour that came in the form of wandering, wining & dining around rocky towns.
Going in, the whole boarding has maybe been an omen. Being the last ones to board, not knowing whether we’d make it or not put me on an edge I did not need to be on before a week-long vacation. Of course, it wasn’t my first or even worst airport experience, but that’s a story for another time. For this one bit, though, I learned my lesson: always check-in as soon as you’re able to.
Naturally, we made it safe and sound, otherwise, I wouldn’t be writing this article. Puglia was waiting in all its splendor, and I was going to do all the wandering, wining & dining I could. This is Part I: Wandering around the best towns Puglia has to offer.
Sassi di Matera
Upon landing, a white-washed Matera was there to welcome us. Originated some 9,000 years ago, the Sassi di Matera spiral around in a maze-like system of streets, stairs, and alleyways. Most of the old town was off-limits, needing to serve as the latest 007 blockbuster’s background. As such, we were restricted to the upper levels which we explored to our heart’s content to the music of James Bond’s Aston Martin revving around.
As a very basic form of a roller-coaster, the streets take you to vantage points atop the rocky dwellings from which the rest unravels in the valley below. It all culminates with the Santa Maria della Bruna Cathedral dominating the entire landscape, a benevolent protector of the village below.
Then, it’s back down again, the narrow stairs snaking past small, concealed courtyards and locked doors hiding the secrets of the old cave abodes. There are about 1,500 of them, an intricate honeycomb complex. This is where the troglodytes settled down.
The Cave Dwellers
The troglodytes, or cave dwellers, didn’t have much. The rocky terrain was unforgiving and infertile. The Sassi as a whole was a looked-down-upon area throughout the centuries, a place of poverty and famine. There was no other choice than to make do.
A much-needed insight into how life used to be like is provided by the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario. Passing through a small, wooden door, you enter a modest, proportionately small grotta with low ceilings and stone-carved walls. Not much bigger than a minuscule studio apartment, the dwelling is split between two chambers. In a corner, the kitchen consists of a terracotta oven and a plentiful of pans and pots hanging from the walls. The main area is the living space, bedroom and… stables. Chairs, drawers, and other mismatched pieces of furniture crowd the place. In a corner, la piece de resistance is the elevated bed.
This little space would house numerous families, animals included. As you got cosy in the bed, you would fall asleep to the soothing snores of your horse, merely a meter away. And where did the children sleep, you ask? Oh, the drawer would do just fine! What’s that sound under the bed? Not to worry, darling, the chicken are just a bit restless.
Trulli di Alberobello
Rocky hills and cave dwellings are a given in the arid climate of Southern Italy. And yet, Alberobello is the polished, more chic younger brother of Matera. Driving towards this absolutely Instagrammable spot, isolated trulli – conical-shaped lodgings – peak their narrow heads here and there through the olive groves. Alberobello, as a whole, is a conglomerate of all these houses.
Now the main attraction in Puglia, the trulli actually appeared out of practicality. They were the peasants’ response to the property taxes the King charged. In order to avoid paying, they needed their homes to easily disappear during inspections. As such, the trulli were built using local limestone bricks, ingeniously stacked one upon the other, easy to dismantle and put back together again.
Alberobello is as charming a town as charming towns go. Situated on a slight hill, its cobblestone streets form a grid, each one of them boasting dozens of limestone dome-like buildings. The twists and turns of Matera’s alleyways are missing here, and yet, it’s oh-so-easy to get lost in Alberobello. Honestly, though, there are worse places for that. Each trullo is different, whether in size or the decorations adorning its exteriors. Some are simple, some are sporting colourful flowers, or even carved pumpkins… in August.
As with Matera, most of the old dwellings have been transformed into cosy B&Bs, fitted with all the modern amenities, of course. Other than that, the rest are now souvenir shops full to the brim with trinkets and handmade items.
Centro storico di Locorotondo
Can you claim you’ve even been to Puglia without a quick stroll ’round Locorotondo? With this round, all-white town, you feel like to walk straight into the bliss of a pretty postcard. Strolling around – literally – is a breather from the bustle of the daily routine of travelling. A vacation within a vacation, if you will.
For a few hours, there was nothing else other than circular alleys, baroque architecture in a dazzling white, contrasted by splashes of colour in the form of flower-filled balconies. Locorotondo is a nice little breather, especially with the air carrying the smell of freshly-washed clothes hanging from the clothlines. A sleepy serenity with the power to energize you for the rest of the day.
Comune di Bari
After wandering, wining & dining for a week, Bari was the pomodoro on the focaccia. A mixed bag, the city is a blend between the charm of an Italian old town, the bustle of a modern city, the crowds of a tourist spot with splashes of authentic, local life.
A memento of the impoverished past of Puglia, old Bari was a bleak, unattractive port. Just as the swan in the story, however, it grew into the vibrant city it is today. To attest to this, crowds of tourists and locals alike swarm in the main piazza at dusk. The place grows louder, with an energy hard to match. It feels like a neverending carnival, simply celebrating life.
Venturing off the square, the numerous back streets reveal the true, Pugliese life. Here, the residents live unbothered, carrying on with daily life. The alleys are abuzz with locals sitting down on plastic chairs, enjoying their beer after a hard day’s work. It’s all a big living room, and all are welcome.
For a week, home felt centuries away, as the Italian beauty engulfed me. And that’s not even half of it… Stay tuned for Part II: Wining & Dining in Italy’s southernmost region.