PUGLIA

Puglia, the heel of the boot, is one of 20 Italian regions that offers its visitors a variety of nature, history and tradition all year round. Puglia is an enchanting strip of land by the sea with a wide range of beautiful coastlines. From the sandy beaches of Torre dell'Orso and Porto Cesareo to the rocky shores of Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca, where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet. But also the 'beautiful city' of Gallipoli, the 'pearl of Salento' or the spur of the Italian boot, the Gargano, faced by the beautiful Tremiti Islands, offer unique landscapes. Unspoilt natural landscapes can be found in the Murge and Gargano national parks, the Foresta Umbra or the Porto Selvaggio nature park. Also worth a visit are the Torre Guaceto nature reserve, where turtles are being reintroduced, the deep gorges of Laterza and the wide dolines of Altamura, whose natural beauty characterises the landscape of the entire region. For those who want to immerse themselves in the past, Apulia offers a multitude of historical sites that tell of its ancient culture: from prehistory, Magna Graecia and the Roman Empire to the Renaissance and the splendour of the Baroque, visible in the architecture of Lecce and the Salento in general. The trulli, for example, found in large numbers in the Valle d'Itria, offer impressive evidence of rural life. While the numerous castles, fortresses and towers dotted along the southern coasts evoke the region's past, when the sea was rich in adventure. If you want to learn about and experience the culture and musical tradition, you cannot miss the numerous festivals and events that take place in the various villages during the summer period, focusing on traditional music.