A verdant countryside populated by thousand-year-old olive trees. The Itria Valley, in Puglia, is dotted with a string of white towns, perched on their hills. Here are our good addresses to experience an immediate change of scenery.
An hour’s drive from the pretty medieval town of Bari where we land, we head north of the Itria Valley and the village of Alberobello, which looks like a giant mushroom farm, thanks to its thousands of trulli.
Round like cisterns, these white houses with pointed roofs are built with limestone. The oldest date back to the 12th century. To approach these iconic cones, you have to climb 300 m above sea level. While strolling, we stop in the grocery store of the Enoteca Tholos bar (Via Monte San Michele, 20) to savor succulent green olives the size of a walnut shell.
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For lunch, we bet on a tavern in Martina Franca. 14 km away, change of scenery in this baroque city, where you can sit down under the vaults of La Tavernetta to enjoy a hearty seafood risotto (La Tavernetta, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 30, Martina Franca).
We then walk through the alleys of the historic village which lead to the elegant clock tower and the former Ducal Palace. Masterful too, the monumental Basilica of San Martino (18th century) with its dazzling white facade, which sits like queen on the Piazza del Plebiscite. Inside, we admire the sculptures of the Virgin Pastorella who protects the sheep and the shepherds.
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6 km north of Martina Franca, we turn in circles, in Locorotondo. This city looks like an amphitheater. What a pleasure to stroll along the ramparts, and to whirl around in the circular cobbled streets of the very pretty old center, dressed in whitewash, and decorated with a thousand and one flowers. From there, you can see the surrounding vineyards that produce Locorotondo white wine. In the Sapori Mediterranei di Prete Franca shop (Via Madonna della Greca, 20), we pick up some local almonds this time. Bueno!
In ten minutes, you reach the ramparts of Cisternino before seeing its episcopal palace, and very close, its Norman tower near which swarm terraces of bars.
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For dinner ? We trudge to the top of an Aragonese tower in Ostuni. After half an hour’s drive, we settle down at the Porta Nova restaurant (Porta Nova, Via Gaspare Petrarolo, 28, Ostuni). Among the specialties: the trofie (twisted pasta) with squid ink (15 euros) which you can savor while taking advantage of a fabulous view of the olive groves and the Adriatic Sea which border Ostuni.
The winding streets of this Cità Bianca (“white city”) erected on three hills in the Itria Valley climb up to the cathedral. Close to the old town, we sleep at La dame blanche (La dama bianca), this Bed&Breakfast has rooms nestled under whitewashed vaults (Vico Roberto Ardigò 19, Ostuni). Enough to fall asleep comfortably and calmly with Puglia… your head full! From 119 euros per night.
One-way flight Paris (Beauvais)-Bari from 41 euros; return flight Brindisi-Paris from 87 euros with Ryanair. Andiamo!
IN PRACTICE
Information on these sites in the Puglia region of Italy.