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2024-2025 Copyright Dolcevia.com ShareSaveLifestyle TravelHow To Celebrate Christmas In Italy’s Most Beautiful VillagesByLivia Hengel Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Livia Hengel is a travel journalist covering Italy 09:00am ESTShareSaveThis article is more than 5 years old.Italy may be considered one of the world’s best summertime escapes but there are many advantages in visiting during the winter months optimal skiing conditions in the north with mild temperatures in the south and a festive spirit around the holidays Not to mention, Italy’s most beautiful villages, or its Borghi Più Belli d’Italia are especially picturesque at Christmas when their small alleys and piazzas are decked with decorations and host seasonal events From the beginning of December until La Befana on January 6th the borghi come to resemble real-life nativity scenes Here are some of the prettiest towns to visit this season Atrani is illuminated in bright colors over the Christmas holidays creates a “Casa Bergamasca di Babbo Natale” each year For the thirteenth year in a row, Gromo, a small town near Bergamo in the Lombardy region, is hosting events at the “Casa Bergamasca di Babbo Natale” Santa moves into the town’s 14th century Palazzo Cattaneo where children can stop by for visits and to hand-deliver their written Christmas letter Workshops are also held inside the Ginami castle and the nearby Fattoria Ariete brings animals from its farm for a seasonal petting zoo Visit Palazzolo Acreide in southeastern Sicily to see the island's tallest Christmas tree The town of Gubbio in Umbria may be home to the largest Christmas tree in the world, with lights projected on the slopes of Mount Ingino, but in Sicily that honor goes to Palazzolo Acreide which boasts the tallest Christmas tree on the island Each year the town sets up hundreds of lights on the Baroque facade of the Basilica of San Sebastiano in the town's main square in Piazza del Popolo The Museo del Presepe also hosts a number of artisanal nativity scenes and a living nativity scene is recreated in the San Michele neighborhood The 12th century Castle of Gradara is the most visited cultural sight in Le Marche The Castle of Gradara, an impressive medieval fortress that towers over the village of Gradara, is the most visited monument in Le Marche and hosts a series of Christmas events each year From immersive theatrical performances and robot light shows to bubble demonstrations there are a number of activities in store for this year Children can visit Santa Claus on December 22nd and have lunch with characters from Alice In Wonderland on December 24th Guided visits of the castle are hosted on weekday mornings and you can also shop at artisan markets around the holidays a white-washed town located in Puglia's Valle d'Itria giving you the sensation of wandering around a real-life snow globe Guests can participate in free guided walks of the town attend concerts with musicians dressed as elves and other characters or the Night of the Candle which marks Santa Lucia on December 13th when an evocative procession takes place in town with locals holding candles hosts artistic light shows in a nativity .. Tucked within Sicily’s spectacular Parco delle Madonie mountain range, Petralia Soprana is another one of the island’s most beautiful small towns and comes alive each Christmas with its “Presepe D’Incanto” Videos and light shows with Biblical themes are projected on a nativity scene created by the local artist Trapani Pierluca turning Petralia Soprana into a place for reflection and meditation Shows are ongoing throughout the day and tickets can be booked online in advance Stop by Sottoguda during the holidays for a taste of local products like honey organic wine and hand-stitched scarves and berets The markets are open every afternoon from December 22nd - 30th The charming town of Castiglione del Lago in Umbria is hosting “Luci sul Trasimeno” this year which sees the world’s largest Christmas tree projected on a body of water Made up of 2,400 lights and one kilometer long visitors are invited to “adopt” a light for €20 that will be used to plant a tree in the town in 2020 there will also be a series of light projections in town Rock n Roll on December 31st and Classical Music on January 1st Ryan GrayPublished: Invalid Date EVER wanted to jump from your bed to the pool A man has shown how in a viral video in which he shared his incredible stay at Leonardo Trulli Resort in Locorotondo, Italy Stefano Dioni stayed in the Leonardo Suite, an underground bedroom that used to be a 300-year-old wine cellar What made his stay even more special was an entrance to his very own pool inside his room – with a cellar door opening up to reveal steps leading into the cool Stefano’s video clip, shared on Instagram (@stfno) with users mesmerised by the accommodation “As I arrived I immediately felt at home,” Stefano, 33, a tour leader from Brescia, Italy, told Need to Know “It was also at a very pleasant temperature around 35 degrees.” The entrance to the pool is located at the foot of the bed, with just a square in the floor and steps into the ground. There is also a water feature at the end of the pool, as well as seats built under the water. He said: “I was lucky to have the Leonardo Suite all by myself it's the only one with the underground pool “I’ve never stayed at such a special place before, and I’ll definitely be back before Christmas.” The room itself is decorated with natural tones and still features the original brick walls with wooden furniture and colourful flooring Stefano can be seen jumping out of bed and swinging himself into the pool below The camera follows him as he swims through, showing the clear water and amazing architecture His post has more than 15,900 likes and comments from his followers Another commented: “You go to the bathroom at night and find yourself in water A third added: “I suffer from claustrophobia “I get anxiety just thinking about it,” added one Stays start at £500 a night in Leonardo Suite in the Cellar which can be booked directly through the resort's website Leonardo Trulli also has its own spa, garden and magnesium salt swimming pool heated to 32 degrees Stefano added: “Being able to swim in Puglia in October was wonderful and unexpected “I practiced yoga, took part in a cooking class to prepare typical pasta and focaccia Meanwhile, this Airbnb in Greece has a secret door leading to a hidden pool. And these guests found a hidden games room in their Airbnb Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ a soon to be two-year-old boy went missing this morning in Locorotondo although Italian media outlets have reported that he appears to be in a good state of health Searches for the little boy started after his mother realised that he had not returned The municipality of Locorotondo immediately requested the public’s assistance through its social media **COMUNICATO UFFICIALE****Oggetto: Avviso alla cittadinanza – Bambino disperso**Cari concittadini,Vi informiamo… around four kilometers away from his family home The search for the boy involved several forces Visit Campus Find Your Degree or Program Volunteer & Service Programs Make a Gift Now COVID-19 Information We could not find the page that you requested Host a conference In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), predictors of subclinical dysfunction of remote myocardium are unknown. We prospectively aimed at identifying clinical and biochemical correlates of remote subclinical dysfunction and its impact on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). In optimally treated STEMI, dysfunction of remote myocardium assessed by LS: (1) is predicted by elevated NT-proBNP; (2) could be independent of CAD extent and infarct size; (3) is associated to worse LV morphological and functional indexes at follow-up. Volume 9 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.997821 Background: In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) predictors of subclinical dysfunction of remote myocardium are unknown We prospectively aimed at identifying clinical and biochemical correlates of remote subclinical dysfunction and its impact on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) Methods: One-hundred thirty-three patients (63.9 ± 12.1 years 68% male) with first successfully treated (54% anterior p = 0.19) STEMI underwent echocardiography at 5 ± 2 days after onset and at 8 ± 2-month follow-up and were compared to 13 age and sex-matched (63.3 ± 11.4) healthy controls All 16 left ventricular (LV) segments were grouped into ischemic and remote myocardium: mean value of longitudinal strain (LS) within grouped segments were expressed as iLS end-systolic (ESV) volumes indexed for body surface area (EDVi admission level of NT-pro-brain-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and troponin peaks were considered for the analysis rLS (15.5 ± 4.4) was better than iLS (12.9 ± 4.8 but lower than that in controls (19.1 ± 2.7 p < 0.001) and similar to bLS (15 ± 5.4 and did not differ between patients with single or multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) only admission NT-proBNP levels but not peak Tn levels independently predicted rLS (β = −0.58 rLS correlated to LVEF similarly to iLS and bLS (p < 0.001 for all) Median value of rLS at baseline was 15%: compared to patients with rLS ≥ 15% at baseline patients with rLS < 15% showed lower LVEF (52.3 ± 9.4 vs p < 0.001) and GLS (16.3 ± 3.9 vs p = 0.009) and ESVi (30.6 ± 15.5 vs dysfunction of remote myocardium assessed by LS: (1) is predicted by elevated NT-proBNP; (2) could be independent of CAD extent and infarct size; (3) is associated to worse LV morphological and functional indexes at follow-up Biochemical predictors of subtle contractile dysfunction of remote myocardium as well as its functional impact in comparison with infarct and borderline myocardium have not been investigated before in large cohorts of STEMI patients we aimed at: (1) detecting predictors of LS in remote myocardium as compared to infarct and borderline myocardium during the sub-acute phase of first successfully treated STEMI; (2) verifying its impact on LVEF; (3) assessing echocardiographic data at 6-month follow-up stratified by value of baseline LS in remote myocardium we elected to exclude patients with achievement of TIMI flow grade ≤ 2 on culprit and non-culprit coronary arteries Other exclusion criteria were: (1) a concomitant moderate/severe mitral and/or aortic valve disease; (2) cardiogenic shock endotracheal intubation; (3) a history of concomitant cardiomyopathy; (4) previous percutaneous or surgical myocardial revascularization; (5) residual significant coronary artery stenosis A group of 13 age and sex matched subjects without previous overt cardiovascular disease undergoing echocardiography at our Outpatient Cardiology Clinic as screening tool The study protocol was conducted in agreement with the Declaration of Helsinki for Humans Rights Each enrolled patient gave written informed consent to participate in the study Blood samples for the dosage of high sensitivity Tn NT-pro-brain-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and creatinine serum levels were obtained upon arrival of the patient in the emergency room at 6 and 12 h and then daily until normalization of values or discharge Although it is weak to assess the infarct size peak values of Tn was considered for the analysis while value of NT-proBNP and creatinine at admission were taken into account in order to avoid effect of treatment on serum level of biomarkers Transthoracic echocardiography was performed by using last generation ultrasound machines (Epiq 7C and CVX Italy) equipped with a two-dimensional X3 probe prior to discharge) and at 6-month follow-up LV end-diastolic (EDV) and end-systolic (ESV) volumes were obtained from 4- and 2-chamber apical views using the modified Simpson’s biplane method and were indexed for body surface area (EDVi and ESVi LVEF was calculated as [(EDV-ESV)/EDV] × 100 For regional contractile function assessment, a 16-segment myocardial model was used, according to the recommendations of the American Heart Association (18). All myocardial segments were grouped into infarcted, border and remote myocardial zones, according to a standardized coronary artery territory scheme (18, 19) by an investigator (GL) blinded to echocardiographic data taking into account results of coronary angiography: particularly LV segments were divided basing on the culprit coronary artery (with its distribution territory) and the relative dominance of coronary circulation seen at coronary angiography the ischemic myocardium was labeled as myocardial territory supplied by culprit coronary artery considering dominance of coronary circulation at angiography while remote myocardium was identified as the myocardium opposite of 180° to the ischemic region Myocardial segments between ischemic and remote myocardium were considered as border zone Analysis of LS was automatically performed off-line Global LS (GLS) was obtained as mean value of the three views and LS values in each myocardial segment were considered and remote zones was taken into account for the analysis and expressed as iLS Patients with suboptimal images were excluded from the analysis Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 statistical software (SPSS Inc. After checking for normality distribution by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) if parametric and as logarithmic transformation if non-parametric Categorical variables were expressed as percentage Differences were assessed by Student t-test or one-way ANOVA for continuous variables or by Chi-square test for categorical variables Multiple comparisons were corrected by Bonferroni method Correlations were tested by Pearson test and compared by z-statistics Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed: predictors with p ≤ 0.10 at univariate analysis entered multivariate analysis Within-group differences between baseline and follow-up were analyzed by two-way ANOVA for repeated measures all patients were stratified into 2 groups basing on median value of rLS at baseline: differences between the two groups in clinical biological and echocardiographic data were assessed both at baseline and at follow-up A p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistical significance for all analyses Out of 180 patients enrolled at baseline, 47 patients were subsequently excluded (Figure 1). Thus, 133 patients (63.9 ± 12.1 years, 85% male) formed our patient population. Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of patients are summarized in Table 1 together with clinical findings of healthy control subjects while 42 (32%) had two-vessel and 14 (10%) three-vessel CAD (overall p = 0.01) Seventy-two (54%) patients presented with anterior STEMI while 61 (46%) patients with non-anterior STEMI (p = 0.19) ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction Clinical and echocardiographic data in patients and in controls at baseline Baseline echocardiography was performed at 5 ± 2 days from STEMI onset. LS significantly differed among the three myocardial zones (overall p < 0.001), with rLS being higher than iLS (p < 0.001), but similar to bLS (p = 0.99) and lower than controls (p < 0.001). ILS also differed from bLS (p = 0.003) (Table 1) Multi-vessel CAD did not affect LS more than single-vessel CAD: nor rLS (p = 0.66), neither iLS (p = 0.76), or bLS (p = 0.22) differed between patients with single-vessel and multi-vessel CAD (Figure 2) no difference was found in GLS and LVEF between patients with single- and remote myocardium between patients with single-vessel Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed separately for rLS, iLS, and bLS. Results of univariate analysis are reported in Table 2 cardiovascular risk factors and presence of pre-infarctual angina only NT-proBNP values at admission independently predicted rLS (β = −0.58 whereas iLS was predicted by NT-proBNP (β = −0.52 p = 0.001) and creatinine values (β = −0.34 and bLS by non-anterior location of STEMI (β = −0.45 for anterior STEMI Results of univariate linear regression analysis for regional LS In the overall study population, rLS correlated with LVEF at baseline, similarly to iLS and bLS (z-Test −0.166, p = 0.43 for comparison of correlation coefficients) (Figure 3) and remote myocardium and LVEF at baseline and biological data between patients stratified by median values of rLS and remote myocardium and LVEF at follow-up Evolution over time of LV volumes and regional and global LV function in patients with rLS < 15% and ≥ 15% at baseline border and infarct longitudinal strain; EDVi and ESVi end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes indexed for body surface area; GLS Differences in follow-up data between patients stratified by median values of rLS at baseline In a consecutive series of patients with first optimally treated STEMI and prospectively followed-up by echocardiography we found that: (1) in the sub-acute phase of STEMI iLS and bLS are independent of extent of CAD and are associated to LVEF; (2) NT-proBNP level at admission is an independent predictor of rLS; (3) despite an overall improvement of contractile function over time patients with more impaired rLS at baseline show worse LV morphological and functional indexes also at follow-up this is the first study attempting to characterize remote myocardium after ischemic injury by biochemical and imaging approach: our results suggest that impaired remote myocardial function as assessed by LS is associated to a worse LVEF at follow up which may eventually lead to heart failure (HF) probably can be justified by different completion of revascularization at the time of baseline echocardiography We can suppose that NT-proBNP may have an adjunctive role in prediction myocardial dysfunction extending beyond infarct area: with the same extension of the infarct different patients may present different functional impairment Our findings underlie the concept that impaired LS is a marker of HF: the lower rLS we can speculate that reduced rLS might be the mechanistic link between LV remodeling and function: remote myocardium contributes to LV remodeling for long time every effort in the setting of STEMI was made in the attempt to reduce the ischemic wavefront as infarct size was considered one of the main determinants of adverse LV remodeling and outcome patients with STEMI and high level of NT-proBNP since admission may have impairment of contractile function spreading beyond infarct area Contribution of remote myocardium to global LV contractile function would explain why patients with similar extent of infarct area have different LVEF evolutions If confirmed in further large cohorts of STEMI patients the present findings may open the road toward treatments in the acute and sub-acute phase of STEMI aiming not only to limit the ischemic wavefront but also to preserve structural and functional integrity of myocardium surrounding necrosis by decreasing the maladaptive response to the ischemic injury Even patients with limited infarct size may need a careful follow-up in order to timely detect and prevent adverse remodeling Future studies should be encouraged in order to test efficacy of a more aggressive pharmacological treatment employing advanced HF therapy since the sub-acute phase of STEMI because outpatient blood withdrawal was not initially planned at the time of follow-up echocardiography Although relationship between NT-proBNP and GLS is widely documented in literature such similar correlation could be predictable our purpose was just trying to unbundle remote from ischemic and border zones in order to differentially characterize it independence of remote strain by infarct size and CAD extent was not predictable and represents the core of our work differences between our and previous studies relies on completeness of myocardial revascularization although the only observational nature of our study may represent a limitation pathophysiological mechanisms explaining our results may be supposed by previous findings we can demonstrate how an automatic imaging tool The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article/supplementary material further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author GD collected the data and designed the analysis All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version We thank Italian Minister of Health RC 2022 The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher end-diastolic volume indexed for body surface area; EF end-systolic volume indexed for body surface area; iLS ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction; TIMI Short- and long-term cause of death in patients treated with primary PCI for STEMI Reperfusion therapy for ST elevation acute myocardial infarction 2010/2011: current status in 37 ESC countries Acute myocardial infarction: changes in patient characteristics and 6-month outcomes over a period of 20 years in the FAST-MI program (french registry of acute ST-elevation or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction) 1995 to 2015 Cardiac magnetic resonance myocardial feature tracking for optimized prediction of cardiovascular events following myocardial infarction T lymphocytes and innate-adaptive immunity crosstalk: role in cardiovascular disease and therapeutic perspectives Native T 1 value in the remote myocardium is independently associated with left ventricular dysfunction in patients with prior myocardial infarction Prognostic significance of remote myocardium alterations assessed by quantitative noncontrast T1 mapping in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction Global and regional longitudinal strain assessed by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography identifies early myocardial dysfunction and transmural extent of myocardial scar in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction and relatively preserved LV function Echocardiographic assessment of myocardial strain PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Early prediction of infarct size by strain doppler echocardiography after coronary reperfusion longitudinal and circumferential strain rate Remote non-infarcted region dysfunction soon after first anterior myocardial infarction Regional myocardial strain by 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scintigraphic myocardial infarct size and one-year prognosis in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction Massetti M and Crea F (2022) Subclinical dysfunction of remote myocardium is related to high NT-proBNP and affects global contractility at follow-up Copyright © 2022 Diana, Locorotondo, Manfredonia, Graziani, Lombardo, Lanza, Pedicino, Liuzzo, Massetti and Crea. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Gabriella Locorotondo, ✉ Z2Ficnlsb2NAaG90bWFpbC5pdA==, ✉ Z2FicmllbGxhLmxvY29yb3RvbmRvQHBvbGljbGluaWNvZ2VtZWxsaS5pdA== †These authors have contributed equally to this work and share first authorship Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher. 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish. (ANS – Cisternino) – Several events were organised for the anniversary of the death of the Venerable Fr Francesco Convertini, SDB, which took place in Krishnagar, India, on 11 February 1976, and which sees the involvement and collaboration of the civil and church communities of Locorotondo and Cisternino each year, with the Pro-Marinelli Association animated by Giuseppe Convertini. Also on the morning of Friday the 9th at the shrine of Our Lady Mother of Peace in Jaddico, the Postulator presented the figure and profile of the Venerable to the priests of the Diocese of Brindisi-Ostuni gathered for the monthly recollection with diocesan Bishop Giovanni Intini. On Saturday, 10 February, Fr Cameroni, accompanied by Fr Gabriel Cruz, SDB, met with the Pastoral Council in Locorotondo offering ideas and suggestions to promote the Cause of Fr Convertini, underlining the value of prayer and explaining the necessity and meaning of miracles in the Causes of Beatification and Canonisation. ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007. This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes. By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements, you consent to the use of cookies. To learn more or to opt out, click "Further Information". Down in the heel of Italy's boot, Mark C O'Flaherty tucks into some of the country's best and least-pretentious cooking The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers When you purchase through links on our site Mark C O'Flaherty tucks into some of the country's best and least-pretentious cooking I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice who speaks as little English as I speak Italian Everyone at the table breathes a sigh of relief and tucks into the salumi and cheese and the first of what will be many €12 bottles of house red We are here in Martina Franca to eat whatever Puglia has to throw at us because magnitude is core to Pugliese dining It’s not that portions are necessarily excessive more that the amount of plates that hit the table – from crudités We’ve come – a group of six close friends incorporating a Londoner an Irishman and two Greek Cypriot sisters – to stay in whitewashed conical-roofed Hobbit-like trulli and ancient masseria but southern Italian food is our common denominator If we see some of the area’s Baroque splendour in between bites On our first night in residence at Trullo Rosmarino we decide that we’ll start to take turns with the cooking – tomorrow and eating lobster with spaghetti and absurdly beautiful plates of raw fish whilst being surrounded by absurdly beautiful people at the Coccaro Beach Club We sit at a concrete banquet table in the herb garden and dig into panzerotti Pugliese (miniature cheesy pastries) We stop the Annas from putting trays of white fish and olives into the oven because we can’t manage another mouthful drinking wine and watching the stars from the edge of the pool we shop – we head to Cisternino for the Monday market We stop for lunch on the way back – gorging on parcels of pasta stuffed with burrata and scallop ragu at Bell’Italia one of the most consistently excellent restaurants any of us have ever visited in Italy The prices are a fraction of what they would be in Tuscany “I’d just like to point out that the wine list is per bottle gearing up to brandish a few suggestions to accompany a saffron and vegetable dish Trullo Rosmarino is a dream project for its owner who brought it back from the brink of decrepitude to create a beautiful holiday home We arrived to our pre-ordered and ample €100 hamper of groceries and a wine cellar full of primitivo for €17 a bottle (for emergencies) albeit with an occasionally leaky roof in the oldest part of the trullo It takes two days before we realise that we aren’t doomed by this state of affairs – we are free giant tomatoes and braciole (rolls of meat stuffed with cheese and repeatedly fail to recreate an orecchiete dish with ham and figs that we had all loved so much at Coccaro We spend days swimming and going for long walks around the local farmland impoverished landscape compared to the soft but it’s got a character actor’s charm: olive trees abound far heavier in vermouth than they’d be in London in a variety of pretty town squares before various dinners The donkey dish at Taverna del Duca in Locorotondo turns out to be most adventurous thing we encounter over 10 days The tiramisu that we eat after Winnie the Pooh’s gloomy chum is the best ever: light on coffee Another night we order horsemeat involtini at Cibus where the restaurant’s own-brand olive oil comes in a fancy bottle that Chanel might get litigious over There’s piglet with onion and a pudding of walnut ice cream – a first for all of us On another night we have lush sourdough pizza at Doppio Zero with spicy salumi – straightforward and excellent almost every restaurant is overlit to provide all the ambience of a traffic accident The area around Martina Franca – between Bari and Brindisi airports – is full of restored pieces of rural architecture that you can self-cater in but it has an infinity pool that would be impressive for a resort with 20 rooms makes you want to get married beside it and it’s all ours Much peach nectar and prosecco is imbibed in the sunshine and in the evening we go to Taranto – a fantastically industrial counterpoint to the rest of Puglia and apparently one of the most polluted places in Europe Gatto Rosso is the reason we go: a landmark trattoria renowned for seafood risotto various other things freshly plucked from the Ionian Sea and one of my favourite things in the whole world: raw shrimp – like super sweet slivers of butter We round off our trip with a night at Masseria Torre Coccaro the hotel sibling to the beach club of the same name Torre Coccaro is another crumbling masseria that has been turned into something luxe Several Puglia regulars that we meet hail it as their favourite hotel in the country The breakfast buffet alone has about 20 different full-sized cakes on it while the cookery class offers a dummies’ guide to handmaking spaghetti (as well as orecchiete – shaped with a smudge of a knife and the dent of a thumb) We knead bread and bake fish as well as panzerotti with mozzarella and tomatoes but doesn’t do enough to build up the appetite to actually eat all of it a couple of hours later in the dining room we set off early from Torre Coccaro to go on a cycling tour of the local countryside stopping at a cheesemaker to see him making stracciatella Locals pop in every couple of minutes to make a purchase while the cheesemaker works the burrata by hand filling it with the creamy stracciatella into perfect It’s as pleasing to watch the process as it is to eat the result even though we’re all full of cake from the buffet we all get stuck in as if we haven’t eaten a thing in days The writer travelled with easyJet (0843 104 5000; easyjet.com) twice a week between Gatwick and Brindisi from 28 May to 29 October Ryanair flies from Stansted and Manchester Trullo Rosmarino sleeps up to 10 and rates start from €4,010 per week (for up to six people) Lo Iazzu sleeps up to 10 and rates start at €3,530 (for up to six people) Masseria Torre Coccaro, Savelletri di Fasano, Brindisi (00 39 080 482 9310; masseriatorrecoccaro.com) has doubles from £180 per night Coccaro Beach Club, Savelletri (00 39 080 412 3467; coccarobeachclub.it) Piazza Pellegrino Rossi (00 39 080 444 4151) Ristorante La Taverna Del Duca Scatigna Antonella, Locorontodo (00 39 080 431 3007; tavernadelducascatigna.it) Trattoria Gatto Rosso di Bartoli Alfieri, Taranto (00 39 099 452 9875; ristorantegattorosso.com) viaggiareinpuglia.it italiantouristboard.co.uk Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies narrow roads in the centre are lined with trulli that have been made over as restaurants and sweet stores selling trinkets this town has winding streets leading to centuries-old churches and chalky houses covered with climbing vines and cacti clusters of buzzing aperitivo bars are packed with locals on their passeggiata Don’t miss the famous coffee from Bar Turismo easily identifiable thanks to the customers sitting on the steps outside with its signature pour: made with a shot of amaretto head into the old town and find La Balconata sul Mare The best beaches in Italy to visit this summer this hilltop town has olive groves stretching to the Adriatic Sea about 40 minutes down the coast from Polignano a Mare Get lost in the narrow streets that climb up to restaurant La Piazzetta Cattedrale before stopping in one of the bars serving perfect Negronis that line the cobbled alleys the quiet medieval port town of Monopoli has a sandy beach and plenty of authentic pizzerias There’s a promenade to stroll along while admiring the traditional blue fishing boats bobbing in the Porto Vecchio harbour laundry hangs from balconies and local nonnas handcraft regional orecchiette pasta on the doorsteps of family-run restaurants where yachts dock in the harbour and a beautiful Romanesque duomo is set right over the sea This little village is about an hour’s drive north of Bari with a web of streets that make up the old town and a thrumming Jewish quarter Nearly all of its many churches – there are more than 40 dotted across the city – were built in the 17th century which gives the place a real sense of architectural symmetry The relaxed feel stems from the fact that this is a university town and the surrounding area is greener and more wild than elsewhere in Puglia – the Parco Nazionale del Gargano is brilliant for hiking this is the biggest village in Valle d’Itria The pretty old town is separated from the new town by baroque gates which when Martina Franca was a completely walled fortress The piazzas are home to grand duomos and palazzos: don’t miss Basilica di San Martino Keep scrolling to see more photos of the prettiest towns in Puglia 104 beautiful pictures of Italy The prettiest small towns in Italy The best villages in and around Cinque Terre, Italy The magic of the winter season is in the air. Get ready to discover the most beautiful Christmas markets in Apulia. Live them to the fullest. It is no coincidence that the trend of Christmas markets in Apulia for the winter vacations is increasingly popular among travelers' searches, who wish to visit this beautiful region during the end-of-year festive season. With our portal we want to provide you with constant and detailed travel advice so that you can plan your Christmas trip in the best possible way. So we wish you a good reading to discover the most beautiful Christmas markets in Apulia! It will be a great opportunity to merrily experience together the tradition of Christmas markets in Apulia. Would you like to explore the neighbourhoods of Bari's historic centre to admire its masterpieces and most evocative corners before heading towards the more modern French-style part? Take advantage of the ticket made available by Visit Italy to undertake an engaging walking or bike tour. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @chiacchiere.it Among the various Christmas markets in Apulia to choose from, Alberobello certainly represents one of the most desirable and characteristic destinations. Would you like to visit the picturesque trulli districts, traditional and fairy-tale buildings with a unique charm, by participating in an exciting guided tour? Seize this fantastic opportunity by purchasing the ticket offered by Visit Italy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicola Pinto Florovivaistica (@pinto_florovivaistica) Also not to be missed is the Night of the Candles, an atmospheric event in which the lights in the historic center will be turned off to illuminate the streets with thousands of candles, in processions reminiscent of northern European traditions dating back to the 16th century. Tourists can also book guided tours at the town's landmarks, including the belvedere over the Itria Valley, the Palazzo Morelli, and the Church of St. George with a living nativity scene inside. Visualizza questo post su Instagram Un post condiviso da monica (@_monicagreco_) End-of-year magic will blanket the ancient heart of the city of Lecce with the installation of illuminations and garlands of rare beauty which return to invade the historic center a magnificent 15-meter Christmas tree in Piazza Sant'Oronzo will indicate to visitors the start of the route through the ancient streets in search of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Puglia Piazza Mazzini will be the center of Christmas celebrations with the traditional toy fair that will make you want to buy gifts and quality handicrafts Strolling among the little wooden houses will make you relive that long-awaited feeling of euphoria throughout the year where you can enjoy the magical atmosphere and the most intense colors perhaps tasting the delicacies of typical Apulian cuisine together with your loved ones A wonderful horse carousel will help you evoke the enchantment of yesteryear Best Christmas markets in Puglia: knowing them is important to know how to choose our next travel destination. · Lecce Christmas Market: the traditional fair of handcrafted "puppets" the horse carousel and Christmas markets in Mazzini Square illuminations and the Christmas tree in Sant'Oronzo Square I love Italy's wonders and the way people from abroad go nuts for our Bel Paese My mission in Visit Italy is to show everyone all the cultural riches our country can offer Subscribe to our weekly Newsletter dedicated to the Italian culture Check your email to confirm your subscription and receive special offers Top Attractions Colosseum Santa Maria Maggiore Vatican Museum Uffizi Gallery Pompeii Ruins Milan Cathedral Pantheon Vesuvius Florence Cathedral Sant'Angelo Castle Doge Palace Verona Arena Experiences Positano,Sorrento&Pompeii Tour Chianti Tour& San Gimignano Lake Como from Milan Romantic Sunset Boat Tour in Naples Capri Private Motorboat Tour Private Electric Cart Tour in Rome Abruzzo Basilicata Calabria Campania Emilia Romagna Friuli Venezia Giulia Lazio Liguria Lombardy Marche Molise Piedmont Apulia Sardinia Sicily Tuscany Trentino-Alto Adige Umbria Aosta Valley Veneto Italy like a local Hidden gems How to go to Attractions and Tours Unesco sites Latest news Best Tours and Experiences Art and culture Food and Flavours Best Places to Visit in Italy Places and Tours Exhibitions, events and shows History and Traditions About us Advertise with us Contact us Work with us To purchase photos visit http://photos.newtownbee.com Botsford Fire Rescue will be led into action by Wayne Ciaccia for another year Chief Ciaccia was recently reelected as chief of the volunteer fire company whose district includes much of the southern portion of Newtown Also serving as line officers are Patrick Keough second assistant engineer; and Pete Blomberg and Eddie Powers The company's administrative officers for 2016-17 are President Nezvesky You must be logged in to post a comment Italy- In the framework of the“ Development Production and Multiplication of Certified Citrus Propagation Materials” project the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a study tour in Italy for two Omani staff from the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Water Resources in collaboration with the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (CIHEAM Bari) in order to exchange the best practices on the production and propagation of citrus plants free from diseases. The training course and technical visits were coordinated by CIHEAM Bari experts Khaled Djelouah the Scientific Administrator of the Integrated Pest Management Sector to strengthen the knowledge and skills of the Omani trainees on citrus certification programs. the trainees visited the Conservation center Martucci Plant and Food Sciences at the University of Bari the pre-multiplication center in the Centre of Research Experimentation and Training Center in Agriculture (CRSFA) Basile Caramia in Locorotondo the Mother plant plots of the nursery’s consortium in Palagiano the Nurseries of Milone and Serratore located in Lamezia Terme and the experimental germplasm plot of the Research Centre for Olive Fruit and Citrus Crops in Acireale (CREA). FAO and the Sultanate of Oman launched the “Development Production and Multiplication of Certified Citrus Propagation Materials” project in 2018 to strengthen the already existing facilities of the previous certification programme and to review and assess the required updates the project aims to support nurserymen organizations and raise awareness for the use of true-to-type and healthy planting material through a certification scheme to secure higher quality nursery planting materials. the project goals include evaluating the facilities needed for mass production and distribution of the certified plants originating from primary sources and mother plants The project also works on identifying governmental and private sector actors to be involved directly and indirectly in implementing the legislating process for the citrus certification programme and relative protocols for inspections the traditional "March for Peace - Along the Steps of Venerable Francesco Convertini" was held The communities of Locorotondo and Cisternino met around the large oak tree in the contrada Marinelli neighborhood to live a moment of reflection and sharing together this event inspired by Pope Francis' message for World Day of Peace 2023: "No one can be saved alone Several appointments were scheduled to honor the memory of Fr Postulator General for the Causes of the Saints of the Salesian Family: there was a meeting with the students of the First Grade Secondary School on Friday and school groups from Locorotondo and Cisternino produced several papers in tune with the theme of the peace march a conference-debate was held entitled "Tales of War Pathways to Peace," organized in collaboration with students from the Liceo Polivalente "don Quirico Punzi" secondary school in Cisternino It was a panel discussion on war and its consequences and possible paths for the daily construction of a possible peace who has always been on the front lines on the hot fronts of a tormented world; Dino Alberto Mangialardi who for "Amnesty International" deals with human rights and their violations in times and contexts of war; Maria Ancona president of "Associazione SUD," committed to international cooperation through the implementation of youth policies and cultural exchanges at the European level; and finally Fr Francesco Convertini as a sower of peace and reconciliation in a multi-religious context such as the one in which he lived his mission in Bengal the Dies Natalis of Venerable Francesco Convertini there was a Marian vigil "Take Care of Him" in the liturgical memory of Our Lord of Lourdes animated by the Unitalsi of Locorotondo and Cisternino Cameroni recalled that this year marks the centenary of Francesco Convertini's decision to be a Salesian missionary In 1923 on the day the departing missionaries received the crucifix in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin the young Convertini was very touched by the event and when asked by his spiritual guide Fr if he would like to be a missionary himself entering the missionary aspirantate in Ivrea a few months later The march is intended to remember this missionary Salesian figure and "attacks" on the dignity of men and women are persistent and visible it served to renew commitment on the path of Peace and harmonious sharing among peoples ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries causing headaches for residents and visitors alike While we shouldn’t avoid those spots because of the crowds – they’re popular for a reason, and there are ways to visit them conscientiously – another option is simply to go somewhere else Beyond the famed cities and sights flavors and communities that continue to draw eager visitors to Italy You’ll never replicate a place – there’s only one Colosseum after all – but when you focus on the particular attractions of a famous locale you can often discover a comparable town with its own twist Check out these suggestions and cruise canals in Treviso linger on beaches in Lerici and find other alter egos for Italy's top destinations Treviso’s walkable centro storico (historic center) is woven with cobbled lanes and crossed by canals, which date back to the 15th century and give the city its Little Venice moniker. You won’t be getting a gondola or vaporetto in this inland city, but you can get a taste of the food, culture and history of the Veneto housed in the deconsecrated church of Santa Margherita. While meandering through an alley or across the dramatic Piazza dei Signori or a spritz – and some cicchetti (Venetian tapas) And don’t leave without gobbling a tiramisu; the world-famous dessert was invented right here Planning tip: Treviso is well placed for day trips to Padua, prosecco country, or Venice itself Renaissance architecture and Tuscan cuisine To step inside Lucca’s Renaissance-era walls is to be thrust almost immediately back in time Built as the fortified capital of the medieval Republic of Lucca the city makes for perfect strolling territory today Take in all 360 degrees of the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro; the Roman amphitheater after which it’s named is no more, but the piazza has retained its elliptical shape. After a coffee at one of the bars here, head to the Cattedrale di San Martino Lucca’s cathedral was built between the 13th and 15th centuries and is home to the Volto Santo di Lucca (Holy Face of Lucca) This wooden carving of Christ has been dated to the 8th or 9th century making it the oldest wooden sculpture in the Western world look for tordelli lucchese: this extra meaty pasta is filled with beef or pork make sure to park outside the city walls to avoid hefty fines – and consider a trip to the hills around Lucca Book ahead for tastings at the many wineries The island and verdant hills fringing Lago d’Iseo are rich in opportunities for hiking traversing via ferrata (mountain trails with cables and ladders) and hang gliding while the waters themselves allow for swimming The southern end of the lake backs into the Franciacorta wine region which produces some of Italy’s most prestigious sparkling wine Franciacorta uses the same traditional bottle-fermentation method as champagne Planning tip: You’ll need to narrow down your accommodation and activity options – head to visitlakeiseo.info to get your bearings Lerici is on the so-called Golfo dei Poeti (Gulf of the Poets), a horseshoe running from here to Porto Venere near the southern tip of the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre Take in the views as you walk along the waterfront from San Terenzo you have the lush Ligurian hills behind the town; on the other the shimmering Mediterranean; and up ahead Lerici’s San Giorgio castle looks down on its main piazza and out to sea While there is a long stretch of public and fee-paying beaches along Lerici’s main frontage Sneak through the pedestrian tunnel underneath to arrive at La Caletta a small cove fringed by a string of pretty sands Planning tip: From the jetty at the piazza, you can take boat trips around the gulf, across to Porto Venere and Palmaria, or around the promontory to Cinque Terre which fuses late baroque and neoclassical styles Beyond the church lies the cave-dwelling complex of Chiafura, occupied until the 1950s, when the residents were relocated due to the miserable living conditions in the caves. While their former homes can be seen from various vantage points around town, the cave system forms an archaeological site not usually open to the public. However, those interested can visit A Rutta ri Ron Carmelo While Scicli is not on the coast, a short drive brings you to beaches at Donnalucata or Sampieri. The latter, just 10 minutes away, is a glorious 2km (1.25-mile) sweep of golden sand. If you have a spare day, visit nearby Modica and try cioccolato di Modica an unusual chocolate made using a traditional method that renders the sweet grainy rather than smooth wander the evocative cobbled streets of the pedestrianized center explore the frescoed churches and climb to the Fortezza Albornoz for views over the city and the landscape beyond the crumbly filled flatbread typical of Urbino Planning tip: Time your trip for the first weekend of September to witness the intriguing Festa dell’Aquilone (Kite Festival) The team kite-flying contest is held in a park outside of town but it’s accompanied by parades and events in the city center Its tiny circular centro storico ("Locorotondo" means "round place") stands guard over the surrounding plains the cupola and bell tower of its Chiesa Madre di San Giorgio Martire unmistakable against the sky And the center feels every bit as compact as it looks from the outside narrow alleyways forming capillaries between the whitewashed townhouses Locorotondo is distinguished by its denominazione di origine controllata (controlled denomination of origin, or DOC) white wine. It pairs wonderfully with a Puglian classic like orecchiette con cime di rapa (ear-shaped pasta with turnip tops), to be enjoyed at the leisurely pace befitting southern Italy Planning tip: While Locorotondo’s town doesn’t offer the jumbled trulli zone that has made Alberobello Insta-famous you can still stay in any number of trullo accommodations around the outskirts Pick one and use it as a base to explore the region Cetara is best known across Italy for its food Perhaps the most curious innovation with these ingredients is colatura di alici (anchovy drippings) a sauce whose name pretty much explains the production process whiskey-colored liquid is commonly used as an umami dressing for spaghetti For active days, hit the hiking routes that snake up into the hills and along the coast. For lazing, head to the town’s beaches. Much of the main beach is occupied by lidi (beach resorts) that charge for entry and an umbrella; if you don’t want to pay, get to the free areas early in the day. Planning tip: As the beaches are pebbled rather than sandy, a pair of swim shoes is a good idea – especially for children – to prevent slips and bruises. The TimesItaly is a country crammed with beautiful accommodation choices from rustic farmhouses with pools to converted palaces But perhaps the most distinctive — and memorable — option is the trullo conical-roofed huts that you’ll see within seconds of searching #Puglia These hobbit house-esque homes are often found in the Valle d’Itria a fertile plain in Puglia’s agricultural heartland Historically it was an area of high taxation and extreme rural poverty; the huts were built as temporary homes that could be dismantled when the taxman visited these trulli houses are some of Puglia’s most sought-after stays — beautiful conversions that are the perfect partner to the heel’s white-washed hilltop towns and sun-dappled vineyards Read on for our pick of the best you can rent for your next getaway Best for local walksThere’s no shortage of trulli-turned-holiday homes to rent in Puglia but a good number of them tend to be rather rustic and old-fashioned in style with modern bathrooms and natural fabrics giving them the vibe of a boutique hotel The garden and outside hot tub is shared by the apartments and you can glimpse the rooftops of Locorotondo through fig almond and cherry trees — a glorious sight at sunset but the location can be tricky to find by GPS so ask ahead for directions if you’re unsure Ceglie MessapicaBest for a family holidayThis renovated trullo near Ceglie Messapica has been transformed into a plush two kitchens and a magnificent private pool It’s a great option for staying with friends or the extended family and owners Stefano and Olivia are fonts of local knowledge always on hand with recommendations for local restaurants with a cooking school and some excellent restaurants to try including the much-lauded Cibus: reservations essential CisterninoBest for design flairThe passion project of local architects Aldo Flore and Rosanna Venezia this restored rural village (the borgo) is between Ostuni — known as the White City — and chic Cisternino It’s home to 14 elegant rooms and suites within its 42 trulli — simple Once the lodgings of a community of farmer-monks today the borgo sits pretty in 15 acres of olive groves with the sexiest of swimming pools at the centre Olive oil and wine tasting — check out the sweet trullo wine bar — are available on site along with cookery classes (using produce from the abundant kitchen garden) Martina FrancaBest for poolside mealsEight slate-topped cones rise up like pointy hats beside the pool at this attractive trullo stay Set in a pleasant garden filled with olive trees and summer blossoms with four bedrooms and a big veranda area for al fresco meals The trullo’s interior stonework has been impeccably restored and while the decor is old-fashioned in places The garden is a delightful place to enjoy a bottle of Martina’s renowned white wine: it comes in still and spumante style AlberobelloBest for escaping the crowdsIn high summer Alberobello can feel a little like Disney central: 1,600 trulliin a hilltop Unesco world heritage site bursting at the seams with visitors curious to explore Trulli Anti is a refuge from the crowds — a group of six carefully restored structures hidden in the narrow lanes otherwise crammed with trattorias with access to outdoor space and a shared pool — unusual in Alberobello The town is well worth a stop (out of season) the skill employed in its ancient building techniques and its unfailingly warm welcome OstuniBest for rustic relaxationDespite the position of this fortified farmhouse at the foot of the White City’s hill Masseria Le Carrube is a world away from the bustle of metropolitan Ostuni Once a frantoio producing top-notch olive oil the masseria still retains much of its rustic charm — though its 14 rooms and suites (plus one tiny trullo) are modern in design and slick in execution Bougainvillea weaves throughout the courtyards while lemon trees and cacti frame the house This riot of vegetation reminds you of the plant-based message here and Massimo Santoro’s vegetarian restaurant is one of the best in the region super-luxe sister property Borgo Egnazia is a 30-minute drive away Best for age-old romanceBang in the middle of the trulli of Alberobello Each of its six conical rooms is named for an ancient profession — the poet the midwife and the knight — and though simple (the obligatory white walls Touches of luxury such as four-poster beds underfloor cooling and flamboyant Grottaglie ceramics add to the sense of a refuge out of time And it’s close enough to the celebrated two-storey Trullo Sovrano museum to allow visitors a glimpse of what real trullo living must once have been like OstuniBest for understated luxuryThis 16th-century fortified farmhouse is that rare thing in Puglia: a luxury hotel that has a combination of restored trulli and boutique-style rooms that feel properly The frescoed chapel here was once a place of pilgrimage and that sense of stillness pervades the estate: whitewashed courtyards populated with bottle-green cacti and bright bunches of bougainvillea; shady communal areas with generous daybeds; and a sparkling pool in a repurposed sinkhole Patrizia Avellino has reimagined Cervarolo with infinite care recycling old farm objects throughout the 18 rooms and suites to create an earthy atmosphere Chunky wooden doors are now bedheads and tables; yokes for beasts of yore make lamps and racks Weekly cooking classes and wine-tasting sessions are free for guests AlberobelloBest for hotel servicesThere are tiny trulli — and then there’s the four-star five minutes from the centre of Alberobello surrounded by impossibly green lawns and acres of cherry the hotel also has its own dry-stone trulli village a handful of turreted rooms complete with air conditioning you can make use of all the 21st-century hotel services: Nobis restaurant and free summertime shuttles to the nearest beach clubs Best for a hotel-style stay “The kind of beauty that infiltrates slowly” is what matters most at Leonardo — and hotelier Rosalba Cardone has put Nietzsche’s idea into practice with a collection of joyful rooms and suites divided between the carefully restored trulli and neighbouring villino decorated in the bright colours and powerful prints of the northern Salento region believe not just in living well — massage treatments a saltwater swimming pool and mountain bikes are all available — but in eating well tours and tastings to local vineyards (the Negroamaro here is exceptional) Leonardo Trulli Resort (Gianni Buonsante)11 AlberobelloBest for making an entranceA helicopter parked on the lawn is the last thing you’d expect to find in front of your average hobbit house is taking its service culture to sophisticated new heights It’s the closest you’ll get to a boutique hotel around here The Hermes and Zeus suites are top of the range: perfectly appointed stonework cream chesterfields and white linens a pristine backdrop for the fashion-forward objets d’art that decorate the rooms An infinity pool surrounded by elegant planting looks out across the village rooftops and the spa offers massages and treatments The resort can arrange day trips to Ostuni as well as the opportunity for messing about in boats MonopoliBest for natureIt’s easy to get back to nature at Nina Trulli Resort The 11 trullo rooms and suites are filled with recycled furniture made by skilled local craftsmen Pugliese ceramics and a bunch of quirky objects found in a variety of barns and outhouses has hearty food sourced from the garden and orchard while breakfast is served in the rustic splendour of the old farmyard yoga and cookery courses are just a few of the activities available — along with trips led by local expert Marialuisa TritoBest for simple pleasuresTruddhi is the dialect term for Puglia’s traditional trulli and this cluster of ten charming apartments deep in the green heart of the Valle d’Itria Accommodation ranges from double studios (check out the sweet Corbezzolo) to the eight-bed Trullo della Nonna: all simple but well equipped open fireplaces and private patios with sun loungers plums and apples from the walled garden and olives straight from the trees There’s a communal alfresco kitchen with a pizza oven you can hang out with new friends and share a glass of the local Negroamaro Truddhi• Best things to do in Puglia• Italy’s most amazing ancient sites — and what to see there Inspired to visit Puglia but yet to book your trip? Here are the best packages from Tui and BA Holidays Sign up for the Times Travel Newsletter here The 2014 World Cup starts on June 12 in Brazil and fans around the globe are gearing up for the big tournament But soccer lovers are not only preparing to watch the world’s best professional players battle it out on the pitch; they are also out there kicking a ball about themselves Reuters photographers in countries from China to the Czech Republic went out to capture images of goalposts used to practice the 'beautiful game' People play soccer at dusk on a field in Bucharest A cow stands in front of soccer goalposts in Monickendam Sheep graze in front of a soccer goal in Shuto Orizari shantytown A man leaps for a ball at a public soccer pitch in Berlin A man trains in the town of Divnogorsk outside Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk A soccer field is flooded by the waters of the Paraguay River in Asuncion A cathedral is seen through the netting of a goal in Locorotondo Bedouin children play soccer at the village of al-Sira one of many ramshackle Bedouin Arab communities in the Negev desert A boy gestures while playing cricket near a soccer goalpost in the slums of Karachi Children practice their soccer skills in front of goalposts at Tunks Park A kite flies above a goal at a playing field on the outskirts of Sao Paulo A woman walking with her dog is seen through a goal by the Arakawa River in Tokyo A boy jumps to save a goal at Shivaji Park in Mumbai A man plays soccer with migrant workers from Bangladesh and India A soccer goal stands in a sports field in Somerville A teenager plays football in front of a goal at a defunct garbage dump in Tondo City Players for "The Tuesdays" pose in a soccer goal at a training ground in south London A goal is pictured in the village of Sasek The Casa de las Americas building rises up behind a soccer goal in the Vedado neighbourhood of Havana A goal stands amid overgrown grass in Zagreb's downtown A religious sculpture is seen through a goal in Derquie A Swiss International Air Lines jet flies over a pitch on its way to land at Zurich Airport Goalposts are pictured in a prison in Bellechasse A goal is seen at Luwan sport centre in downtown Shanghai A goal stands in an abandoned soccer field on the outskirts of Prague a goal is illuminated by a flashlight at the Harpur's Hill housing estate in the town of Coleraine A goal stands at the Pescadores beach in Chorrillos A goal is seen in front of tower blocks in Moscow's Konkovo district The Toronto skyline is seen through a goal Goalposts are seen at night on the outskirts of Ronda A goal is left half buried after a major flood in Bosnia A goal stands in the Independencia neighbourhood of Monterrey Dogs walk past goals on a foggy morning in Lipjljan A goal is seen by the old Metropolitan Cathedral of Managua which was damaged by an earthquake in 1972 Photography by Reuters photographers; Editing by Marika Kochiashvili Sometimes the best ideas are also the simplest ones especially when you have the support of the world’s biggest news agency behind you Inspired by the energy generated by a Wider Image workshop with our photographers in South America I wanted to work on a global story about the Brazil 2014 World Cup So many superlatives are used to describe it: the world’s greatest show I needed a big idea that could demonstrate the worldwide reach of football (or soccer readers) and I wanted to include our global team of busy photographers I once heard that the rules of football are among the most universally recognised codes in the world Maybe it should have been a goal and was disallowed maybe it shouldn’t have been but was counted anyway Goals can signify millions of dollars won or lost or invested in the business of football but simple: “The distance between the posts is 7.32 m (8 yds) and the distance from the lower edge of the crossbar to the ground is 2.44 m (8 ft)… Both goalposts and the crossbar have the same width and depth Imagine the world viewed through the single constant of a goalpost: the green grass and cloudy skies of Manchester I checked with a colleague to see that this was not a daft idea I knew that to get what I was looking for I needed to apply some structure tend to follow their own ideas better than they follow those of others (no disrespect team I set some guidelines: a 24mm lens should be used the pictures should be shot from the distance of the penalty spot (FIFA rules) and the camera should be at a height of 2 feet My “goal” was to ensure that the position of the goalposts in the picture frame was a constant I even shot a picture myself to explain what I wanted Some followed the instructions to the letter and an elite handful completely made up their own rules An independent platform for contemporary culture Design and build by Plinth the olive trees swaying in the gentle summer breeze sun-bleached streets; it is the stuff holiday brochures are made of courtesy of the folks behind Turin’s Club To Club and you have what may be the perfect way to spend a long weekend While its sister festival in Turin is bustling and reflective of northern Italy’s metropolitan sensibilities Festival is a decidedly more southern affair or more accurately at the foot of the hill on which the historical town sits so there’s plenty of time for dinner beforehand Powder and Jon Hopkins were charged with opening proceedings on Thursday night Inspired by the laidback surroundings of Locorotondo Powder’s set was a largely chilled affair building up organic grooves and layers of guitar solos before reaching a rapturous conclusion with the Ex Voto remix of Enzo Avitabile’s Neapolitan anthem Jon Hopkins meanwhile opted to debut a new audiovisual show with trademark melodrama with custom animations and cinematic clips projected behind the producer who wielded flashing light sticks like semaphore flags Hopkins filled the Puglian hills with his gargantuan electro until the small hours of Friday morning finely balanced line-up than previous editions Where last year saw crowds thinly stretched between stages especially at the smaller Masseria Aprile stage However, not every artist felt the benefit of this new set-up. Despite bringing one of the most energetic sets of the festival, Yves Tumor couldn’t entice audience members away from Nicola Conte Determined not to let a lacklustre crowd affect his performance Tumor dialled the intensity up leaping into the crowd and doing his best to avoid the overly aggressive security guards attempting to chase him out of the pit theatrical face paint and their pounding acid-meets-batucada sound To close the final hours of the festival, VIVA! gave both stages over to showcases of Italian nostalgia. Filling in for Jayda G, whose set was cancelled due to an emergency landing in Belgium, Napoli Segreta provided the deepest cuts of Neapolitan-language disco on the mainstage, while amidst the dry ice Ciao, Discoteca Italiana had the crowds in full voice with a set of the finest 60s-80s Italian pop and ballads. For this week’s Sunday Mix Heith takes us on a journey through the music he’s been listening to recently, featuring tracks from Maria Somerville, k2dj, Tujiko Noriko and more. On their highly anticipated second album ‘Pirouette’, Model/Actriz are bringing confrontation and charisma to the dancefloor. Blending honeyed melodies with walls of guitar fuzz and waves of fuzzy distortion, New York-based artist sweet93 is crafting a new dream-pop sound. Taking over this week’s Sunday Mix, Italian electronic artist Ciro Vitiello creates an immersive ambient soundscape built around his own field recordings and recent collaborations. Moonchild Sanelly, by her own admission, was born to stand out. Now, in the wake of third album, ‘Full Moon’, and a run of high-profile features for the likes of Little Simz, it seems the self-made prophecy is coming true. Welcome back to Selections, a series of exclusive artist-curated playlists from those in the know. My NewsSign Out Sign InCreate your free profileSections news Alerts two of which made a beeline south to key ports at the stiletto heel of Italy’s boot pilgrims and Crusaders used the roads on treks to the Holy Land most travelers head to the region known as Apulia (Puglia only to hop a ferry bound for the Greek Isles By scurrying straight along to sun and fun in Greece they’re missing out on the most wonderfully weird corner of Italy sun-soaked landscapes is a wild mix of architecture: cone-shaped roofs and a city of baroque treasures adorned with dragons And although it may seem like the stuff of fairy tales Apulia remains authentic and overlooked by the crowds The Valle d’Itria is a storybook Italian landscape—stone walls dividing lush farmland into patchwork fields many buildings are trulli: cylindrical homes of whitewashed limestone with conical roofs of stacked Some say trulli were built that way so that peasants could pluck out a stone—and cave in the roof—whenever they saw the king’s men coming because “unfinished” structures couldn’t be taxed Others maintain that this was simply one of the easiest ways to put a roof over your head without using mortar they keep their owners cozy in the winter and cool during the baking summers charming interior of aLorenzo PesceSo what do you do in your trullo open the shutters on the deep-set window to let some light in on the stone floors though that’s usually blocked off by a ceiling of wooden planks Bathrooms and kitchens are tiny but usable and shops are never more than a few blocks away crafting toy trulli for their sons’ souvenir shops—while chatting with their neighbors traditionally congregate in public places—at the local bar or in the piazza.) Follow the ladies’ lead and drag a cane-bottom chair into your own doorway Your only chore is to while away the afternoon Although trulli are still sprinkled throughout the Valle d’Itria the majority of architecture outside Alberobello is modern in a boring way An exception is the area along an unnamed back road linking Alberobello with the town of Martina Franca though: Do not follow the signs toward Martina Franca from Alberobello’s center look on the right for a white sign pointing to Agriturismo Greek Park fenced in by stone walls—scary when you meet the rare oncoming car—and it cuts right through the hidden heart of the Valle d’Itria A standard table wine in Apulia costs less than $3 head to Locorotondo’s Cantina Sociale (Via Madonna della Catena 99 011-39/080-431-1644) a wine cooperative made up of more than 1,000 local vintners The raw earthiness of even Apulia’s younger reds partners perfectly with the strong flavors of local cooking try Giovanni Loparco’s homey Trattoria Centro Storico (Via Eroi di Dogali 6 011-39/ 080-431-5473) the locals’ preferred lunch spot kept cool by thick stone walls (important when southern Italy’s powerful sun is out) a quill-shaped pasta in a hearty tomato sauce spiked with hot peppers or Giovanni’s signature portafoglio—a “wallet” of lamb chops stuffed with cheese Candlelit dining inside a cave at Ostuni's Osteria del Tempo PersoLorenzo PesceFor an even more memorable meal Ostuni is a spiral of buildings layered with so much whitewash that they look sculpted from meringue Inside one is Osteria del Tempo Perso (Via G 011-39/0831-304-819.) The front room is decorated with watercolors of Ostuni scenes past pendulums of cured meats and garlands of garlic and red peppers is a candlelit dining room in a cave that was carved out of bedrock 500 years ago Stacks of colorful fruits and vegetables surround a central column; the chef occasionally pops out of the kitchen to pluck a few for his recipes the waiter drops off a dozen tiny plates laden with antipasti: stuffed mushroom caps and frittata wedges try Apulia’s Frisbee-shaped orecchiette pasta under a tomato sauce speckled with salty cacioricotta cheese or topped with bitter turnip greens laced with spicy pepperoncini Work off the feast by wandering through the White City’s maze of alleys which are too narrow even for Italy’s minuscule cars Peek between buildings for views over terraced vineyards and olive groves to the Adriatic Sea a “cliff civilization” that inhabits the instep of Italy’s boot they carved cities directly into ravines and gullies made of tufa then quickly hardens upon exposure to the air the people of la civiltà rupestre have slapped front-room facades onto their cave entrances turning the tightly packed city centers into jumbles of houses stacked willy-nilly atop one another When Italy drew up its regional boundaries 140 years ago Apulia’s border sliced through this ancient culture lies five miles across the border in Basilicata some 15,000 people lived without electricity or running water in cave homes in Matera a city built into two parallel ravines separated by a high ridge the population was relocated en masse to a modern town on a plateau abandoned by all save a handful of the most destitute squatters—who caught rainwater in discarded washing machines and planted meager gardens in old bathtubs—became known as La Città Fantasma The Phantom City has risen from the dead: Revitalization efforts over the past decade have brought electricity, plumbing, and, slowly, the people into the old cave neighborhoods, known as i sassi (“the rocks”). In 1998, Raffaele and Carmela Cristallo bought a string of homes in the part of town known as Sasso Barisano and converted them into the Hotel Sassi (Via S. Giovanni Vecchio 89, Matera, 011-39/0835-331-009, hotelsassi.it $95–$110.) You can’t go wrong with any of the 22 rooms The rooms with only modern walls have balconies blessed with panoramas of the Barisano when warm yellow floodlights shine on the city took a vast cavern underneath the modern town and started serving pizza and Apulian dishes to hungry crowds They called the joint Il Terrazzino (Vico S 011-39/0835-332-503) because of its narrow terrace with views of the Barisano Over the ridge from Sasso Barisano is Sasso Caveoso the more rugged and untouched of the two cave-riddled ravines Matera’s town fathers left the far southeast end of the Sasso Caveoso alone This decision paid off in 2003: Mel Gibson chose Matera—and this neighborhood in particular—as the perfect stand-in for ancient Jerusalem in The Passion of the Christ Many people spend an entire day wandering the Caveoso in part because they keep getting lost in the maze of alleys or four for $6) scattered throughout the neighborhood are a big draw you needed to find someone with the keys and a flashlight for a look at the complex of a half-dozen churches known as the Convicino di San Antonio These days the doors are thrown open and there are wooden walkways to guide you through the tiny It’s still an eerie experience—you walk down steep tunnels into dark sunlight streams through windows bored through the rock Even more dramatic is the church of Santa Maria de Idris carved into a huge rock pinnacle jutting from the lip of a gorge Cave homes barnacle the lower reaches of the pinnacle and a broad staircase continues above them to a terrace in front of the blank masonry facade of the church Lecce is a town of traditional craftsmen and virtuoso chefs and its university lends the place a youthful cultural edge that’s missing from other Apulian cities throngs stroll past baroque churches and palazzi crowd the sidewalk tables that spill out of every café and pass the time in animated conversation until the 9 p.m A rosy bedroom at the Centro Storico B&BLorenzo PesceNot everyone is out and about A community of Benedictine nuns—locals simply call them Le Suore (“the sisters”)—lives a cloistered existence in the 12th-century convent of San Giovanni Evangelista on Via Manfredi Although you’re never allowed to see the sisters or meander around their convent you can play a kind of culinary Russian roulette with them Le Suore are almost always selling something to eat Ring the bell at the door and a feathery old woman’s voice crackles over the intercom The bare front room looks like a bank counter but with a solid wall instead of bullet-proof glass and a lazy Susan in place of a teller’s window Ask whether they have biscotti di pasta di mandorle—soft marzipan cookies with pear jelly in the center they may be selling raw fish that day; you never know (That the sisters speak only Italian makes the game even more interesting.) If you’d rather know what you’re buying up front visit the Mostra Permanente dell’Artigianato (Via Rubichi 21 011-39/0832-246-758,) a showcase for artisans from across the region The sole craft in short supply at the Mostra Permanente is the one that Lecce has been famous for since the 17th century: cartapesta Lecce’s workshops do a brisk business cranking out life-size saints they mold wet sheets of paper around giant featureless mannequins made of wire and straw then they stand the rough statues in the street next to a coal-stoked brazier Iron rods are shoved into the coals until they glow at which point the maestro plucks one out and uses it to burn delicate details into the clothing and faces Every time he touches the red-hot iron to the figure it sends up licks of flames and billows of smoke not unlike scenes of hell so popular in medieval mosaics The charred bodies begin to look holy only after thick layers of paint have been applied a trattoria in what's clearly a converted family dining roomLorenzo PesceSince a six-foot St visit the tiny studio of Maurizio Cianfano (Via C 011-39/333-799-3906) who specializes in foot-high figurines of 19th-century peasants Constantly grinning under his close-cropped hair Maurizio wears surgical gloves and a white lab coat spattered with the gray of papier-mâché and regiments of unfinished straw bodies wrapped with thread and attaches the peasant’s burden: a bundle of sticks across the back Lecce has its share of artists in the kitchen as well Concettina Cantoro presides over a trattoria so unassuming that it’s named Casareccia (Italian for “home cookin’”) It’s clearly a converted family dining room but along the walls are magazine clippings of Concettina demonstrating Lecce cooking to chefs in Boston and New York She’s a bit of a surrogate mamma to the workers who lunch here and groups who come for celebratory dinners She hates impersonal menus and instead offers suggestions: “Would you like a potato with pureed fava beans and wild chicory on the side?” By the time she’s back in the kitchen Mamma knows best—unless she’s suggesting an after-dinner shot of the digestivo d’alloro nuclear-green liqueur made from laurel leaves Lecce is celebrated for its architectural quirks which meshes the curves and curlicues of that period with the iconography and mythological beasts associated with the Middle Ages The facade of Lecce’s Santa Croce is a perfect example of the style: The building itself is curvy and baroque but decorated with a mix of pagan references and Christian symbols Atop one column is an ancient symbol of Christ’s Passion: a mother pelican pecking at her breast the blood flowing down to feed her fledglings follow the coastal road south for 30 miles to Òtranto an ancient city of twisting flagstone streets girded by a mighty wall The mosaic floor of Òtranto’s cathedral is a phantasmagoria of fantastical creatures: elephants Near the cathedral is Ristorante Da Sergio (Corso Garibaldi 9 011-39/0836-801-408,) a good place to digest the wild assortment of images as well as heaping plates of linguine with shrimp He proudly presents an oversize plate piled with the day’s catch he’ll insist it needs a couple of giant prawns “to keep the fish company on the plate.” As with Concettina it’s best to go with whatever Sergio suggests You’re guaranteed yet another happy ending Where to stay in Lecce? Centro Storico B&B: Via A. Vignes 2b, Lecce, 011-39/338-588-1265 or 011-39/0832-242-828, bedandbreakfast.lecce.it, $63–$85 (ANS – Cisternino) – From February 5th to 12th the towns of Locorotondo (Bari) and Cisternino (Brindisi) lived a week of celebrations with great attendance of people on the occasion of the declaration on behalf of Pope Francis of the Venerability of Fr a Salesian missionary in India (1898-1976) with the march for peace and ended at Pala Convertini in Cisternino with a solemn concelebration of thanksgiving Rector of the Lateran Pontifical University particularly from the towns of Cisternino and Locorotondo with the respective parish priests and mayors the General Postulator of the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family and the Salesian Provincial of Southern Italy with several representatives of the Salesian Family It is also worth mentioning that initiatives were promoted by associations on the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the death of the Salesian missionary the community of Locorotondo celebrated the Venerability of their fellow citizen with a thanksgiving Mass presided over by Fr where little Francesco was baptized in 1898 in the parish churches of Cisternino and Locorotondo Cameroni presented the new publication “Il Venerabile Francesco Convertini missionario della misericordia” (Venerable Francesco Convertini which illustrates the spiritual and virtuous traits of the new venerable with a transparent face and a heart rich in goodness and empathy Convertini is highly topical with reference to the ministry of families towards whom the great missionary had an apostolic openness; with reference to inter-religious dialogue with his testimony of being capable to meet Hindus and Muslims; and with reference to reconciliation and peace of which he was a great worker and an untiring messenger Categories Latest news Strong Adriatic-effect snowfall is ongoing along the E half of the Apennine peninsula and on some Adriatic islands on December 30-31 The Adriatic-effect snowfall is analogous to the lake-effect snow well known from the US Great lakes The mechanism is the same: as cold Bora/Bura winds advect cold air across the warm Adriatic sea it picks up water vapor and is deposits is as snow on the leeward shore of the Apennine peninsula Temperatures along the Adriatic islands and the E Italian coast today are in the -2 to 3 °C range while the surface temperature of the central Adriatic is still around 14-16 °C providing a very large temperature difference highly favourable for Adriatic-effect snow Additional lake-effect clouds are well visible in the satellite imagery over the Tyyrhenian sea Snowfall is also being reported from the N coast of Sicily – see reports below A very rare event of snowfall was also reported in Malta today Very significant snowfall is also reported from northern parts of Algeria EUMETSAT satellite view of the Adriatic-effect clouds Note the same phenomenon ongoing also across the Tyyrhenian sea Today’s surface temperatures across the Adriatic sea. Image: Adriatic forecasting system One of the beaches in Bari, Puglia, SE Italy this morning. Image: Mariella Quintavalle via Meteopuglia Peschici in Puglia, SE Italy covered in snow. Image: Parco Nazionale del Gargano via Meteopuglia Torre a Mare in Puglia, SE Italy today. Image: Gianni Laera via Meteopuglia Martina Franca in Puglia, SE Italy in thick snow cover after intense Adriatic-effect snow today. Image: Lorenzo Lacarbonara via Meteopuglia Locorotondo in Puglia, SE Italy in thick snow cover during intense Adriatic-effect last night. Image: Gianluigi D’Onofrio and Silvio Maggi via Meteopuglia Locorotondo in Puglia, SE Italy. Image: Meteonetwork Puglia e Basilicata ONLUS Monte sant’Angelo in Puglia, SE Italy in blizzard conditions during intense Adriatic-effect last night. Image: Paolo Pastore via Meteopuglia Adriatic-effect snow band as seen on the coast of E Italy. Photo: Antonio Iero MeteoWeb.eu Amazing altocumulus lenticularis display over the Croatian coast – Jan 1 RSS Feed Any time.” © Severe Weather Europe 2023 in southern Italy8 December 2018Getty ImagesAll products are independently selected by our editors whose northern shore is on the same latitude as Rome left behind when two geological plates separated to form the Adriatic The Gargano is a world apart: a place of dark coastal watchtowers and intricate fishing villages The creation of the Parco Nazionale del Gargano in 1991 attracts some tourists BARI Explore the labyrinthine old town and the Basilica di San Nicola TRANI AND BARLETTAMolfetta is the first of a trio of port towns north of Bari whose present-day sprawl radiates from a tight a third-century bronze colossus stares into space with a stolid See the frescoes in the Palazzo Ducale and the baroque Chiesa di San Martino Martina FrancaGetty ImagesLOCOROTONDOThis circular whitewashed town has views over the trulli-peppered Valle d'Itria A limestone plateau scored by deep ravines (gravine) and sudden sinkholes (pule) Olives and vines on the lower slopes give way to scrubby Alta Murgia is the perfect setting for the castle of an enlightened philosopher-king Under Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, between 1220 and 1250, the region became a crossroads between the Roman Catholic Byzantine and Arab worlds. The emperor himself was a poet, a philosopher, and the author of a treatise on falconry. During his reign, castles were built, or repaired, all over southern Italy to defend the Kingdom of Sicily from its many enemies Nobody ever lived here and there is no town or strategic crossroads nearby Castel del MonteGetty ImagesBASSA MURGIA AND THE VALLE D'ITRIAThe Trulli are strange cylindrical peasant houses with beehive roofs which are still in use today between the towns of Putignano and Martina Franca If there is no evidence of trulli older than the 16th century this may be because they are easier to rebuild than to restore the fanciful trullo served an eminently practical function: it was a way of using up all the stones that peasants cleared from their difficult It was easily made and easily knocked down again Only here have trulli strayed from country to town In the quartieri known as Monti and Aia Piccola there are whole streets of them The fabric of the trulli is now protected by UNESCO or they window-shop along corso Vittorio Emanuele LecceGetty ImagesTHE SALENTINE PENINSULASouth of Lecce, the landscape flattens and the sky opens out. Stony olive groves extend between dry-stone walls bordered with oleander. Around Capo d'Otranto, Italy's easternmost point, crumpled red cliffs fall to the sea from an upland plain. If it weren't for the blue-green sea and the view across to Albania, this could be Cornwall In the villages here you may witness a festa di paese a village festival where men with tambourines and accordions beat out a tarantella and women sing with a wonderful set of Renaissance frescoes in the 1392 church of Santa Caterina is also worth a visit The cathedral has a 12th-century mosaic floor of the 'tree of life', intertwining Norman, Greek and Byzantine ideas of fate OtrantoGetty ImagesGALATINAVisit Galatina for the frescoes in the Basilica di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria Italy-expert Lee Marshall on the best beaches in Puglia relaxed family resort with one super-cool beach bar veggie-friendly lunch menu and the sunset aperitivo scene when well-mixed Mojitos are served to a DJ set A map of PugliaHannah GeorgeHow to get to PugliaAIRPORTThere are airports in both Bari and Brindisi Bari's airport is about 9km west of the city at Palese Brindisi's Casale airport is 4km north of the city The first village you absolutely must visit is Alberobello, a true Apulian jewel. Park your camper atCamper Parking Area In The Greenery This area offers complete services for campers you can easily explore the narrow streets of Alberobello and admire the unique trulli up close Ostuni will enchant you with its white houses that shine in the sun Park your camper atCamper Parking Area “Masseria Ferri” or the Camper Parking Area “Lido Morelli” Both areas offer essential services for campers and are an ideal starting point for exploring the historic center of Ostuni This circular village is one of Puglia's hidden treasures Park your camper atCamper Parking Area “Trulli Pietra Lecce” located a short distance from the center of Locorotondo This area offers basic services and allows you to immerse yourself in the suggestive atmosphere of this unique village The village of Cisternino will enchant you with its medieval charm Park your camper atCamper Parking Area “Cisternino Historic Center” This area offers basic services and allows you to easily explore the historic center of Cisternino with its cobbled streets and characteristic restaurants Located on a cliff overlooking the Adriatic Sea Polignano a Mare offers breathtaking views and a romantic atmosphere Park your camper atCamper Parking Area “Polignano a Mare” located a few steps from the historic center This area offers complete services and allows you to comfortably explore the beauties of Polignano a Mare including the famous Lama Monachile beach and the restaurants along the coast Martina Franca is another enchanting village to visit in Puglia Park your camper atCamper Parking Area “Martina Franca Center” This area offers basic services and allows you to easily explore the center of Martina Franca with its baroque churches and charming squares Puglia is a region full of enchanting villages that deserve to be visited during a camper trip The villages to see in Puglia offer an authentic experience where you can immerse yourself in the local culture admire the characteristic architecture and savor the delicious Apulian cuisine and let yourself be fascinated by their unique beauty Park your camper at the recommended parking areas which offer the necessary services for a pleasant stop Enjoy the freedom of traveling by camper and discover Puglia in all its splendor ________________________________________________________ weekends and travel diaries on the digital magazine from smartphone For the registered with the PLEINAIRCLUB Access to the digital magazine is included With thesubscription to PleinAir (11 print issues) receive the magazine and special inserts comfortably at home and save Search other results... Search More results... the 1969 crime caper starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward What made it memorable more than anything perhaps was one of the most celebrated getaway sequences in cinema history It all looked so easy: the thieves bouncing down the steps of the historic centre of Turin in their Minis But as an Australian family on holiday in the south-eastern region of Puglia discovered taking the most direct route through an Italian town is not always the best solution Driving a hire car fitted with a GPS navigator they were reportedly on their way to the town of Locorotondo Following the instructions of the satnav on their way through Bari they turned into a street only to find – rather too late – that it ended in a steep flight of steps Movie buffs will recall that The Italian Job ends with the bus into which the robbers transferred their ill-gotten gold ingots tantalisingly balanced on the brink of a lethal The Australians found themselves in a not dissimilar position mother and daughter managed to extract themselves gingerly from the car without sending it careering down the steps – at the end of which runs a busy road The fire brigade was summoned and set about the delicate task of removing the car But that was for a rather different reason. A woman living in the area saw the car and presumed it was yet another example of the inventive parking for which motorists in the southern half of Italy are renowned the commander of the municipal police in Bari told the daily newspaper La Repubblica that the woman had sent them two photographs of the precariously balanced vehicle attached to an email saying: "It's a disgrace 2024 was the year Europe sent a clear message—tourists weren't always welcome We all saw clips of locals in Barcelona dousing tourists with water guns and now even the iconic Trevi Fountain is on the verge of becoming a pay-to-see attraction Without diving too deep into the politics, it's easy to understand why. Earlier this year, my fiancé and I moved to Florence drawn by its Renaissance charm and the artistic energy that has inspired so many But the reality was far from the romantic vision we had in mind Watch: How the horoscopes are like at the airport We were constantly navigating through swarms of people it often felt more like a college town than the Florence we dreamed about We'd both been through the American college experience before we decided to pick a random spot on the map and ended up in Monopoli We'd start our mornings with a swim in the Adriatic we'd buy fresh seafood straight from the boats Our local butcher even helped us practice our Italian The truth is, there are plenty of places like Monopoli in Italy—equally charming, equally authentic, but often overlooked. If more travellers ventured two So, here are the parts of Italy I wish more travellers would explore Bari, the heart of Puglia, is the perfect jumping-off point for the region. From here, you can get a train to Polignano a Mare, the cliffside beach town all over Instagram, or head to Monopoli, a further 10 minutes south. A bit further down, you'll find Ostuni, the "white city," with streets that feel straight out of Santorini Bari's old town is definitely worth a day or two of your time On Strada delle Orecchiette (search Strada Arco Basso in Google Maps) you can meet the pasta nonnas who make orecchiette right on the street treat yourself to a Focaccia Barese at Panificio Fiore a type of focaccia where boiled potatoes are folded into the dough The gods knew what they were doing when they chose Tropea as a beach paradise—or so the legend goes. The small town on Calabria's Coast of the Gods is home to sandy beaches and the iconic 'Calabrian Blue' waters which I can only describe as a gorgeous greenish-blue mostly drawing German and Italian visitors with strings of chillis and the famous Tropea red onions hanging outside storefronts But the showstopper here is the Santa Maria dell'Isola a church roosted on its own sandstone island Although Lecce doesn't share Florence's Renaissance fame it's often called the "Florence of the South" for good reason The whole city feels like an open-air museum where you can stroll in and out of grand churches hop on a short train ride to the nearby beach towns of Otranto or Gallipoli where you can enjoy gin-clear waters and fresh seafood Locorotondo is its own highlight—no need for museums or castles here Named one of Italy's most beautiful villages ("Borghi più belli d'Italia") With its hilltop setting and vineyards all around best enjoyed from Pavì Wine Bar as the sun sets Don't miss the chance to try the local Bianco Locorotondo DOC a sparkling white wine unique to this region where you can relax on a beanbag while enjoying a wine tasting among the vines—a perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon It baffles me when people say they're going to Italy for the food but then head to places like Positano or Venice—places where you really shouldn't eat. Instead, hop on a train from Rome to Bologna you'll find yourself in one of Italy's true food capitals Bologna is a smorgasbord of mortadella paninos and the iconic green lasagna—all regional classics The best place to experience it all is at Trattoria di Via Serra Ever since White Lotus Season 2 dropped on HBO If you're looking for a quieter experience a pretty port town wedged under a towering mountain The view back at the town from the marina will make you reach for your camera you can hop on a guided boat tour or rent your own to explore the beautiful Gulf of Castellammare There are plenty of small coves and swimming spots along the coast Did you know Tuscany has its own beaches? In fact, there are several, and Livorno has some fantastic stretches along the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas. Just a heads-up—Livorno is a port town, so you will see cruise ships but most passengers head straight to Florence There's no shortage of things to do in town Wander through the stalls at Mercato Central or head over to the New Fortress (Fortezza Nuova) You can also take in the canals lined with Renaissance and Baroque buildings and make sure to visit Terrazza Mascagni a gorgeous black-and-white checkered piazza with stunning sea views I've seen many people get emotional watching the sunset there—I've teared up myself TAKE SURVEY ➤ among Italy’s most celebrated music photographers returns to the Locus festival in Locorotondo (Bari) following the success of the Sonica exhibition in 2020 which will showcase a selection of famous female portraits from Harari’s impressive photographic archive until August 31.The exhibition organized by Bass Culture srl and theAssociazione Il Tre Ruote Ebbro in collaboration with the Locorotondo City Council will be inaugurated in the presence of the author at a public meeting on July 31 at 6 p.m in Locorotondo’s Piazza Aldo Moro and will continue for the duration of the festival until Aug Marianne Faithfull are just a few of the 40 or so images that will be on display printed in a special red-gold color scheme along a route through the beautiful historic center of Locorotondo on the characteristic whitewashed walls of traditional houses Guido Harari himself will also lead a photography workshop entitled SEEING THE MUSIC LISTENING TO THE IMAGES - What and how to communicate through music portraits Many works will be juxtaposed with a QR code which through users’ digital devices will allow listening to stories and music related to the artist portrayed in a podcast produced for MUSE by Guido Harari with the narrating voice of actress Licia Lanera Guido Harari established himself in the early 1970s as a photographer and music journalist Over time he also explored and deepened reportage Numerous record covers signed for international artists such as Kate Bush he has collaborated mainly with Claudio Baglioni Numerous illustrated books and exhibitions to his credit He was among the curators of the major multimedia exhibition on Fabrizio De André Visionary for the Galleria civica in Modena and Made in Cloister in Naples In 2011 he opened a photography gallery(Wall Of Sound Gallery) and a publishing house of catalogs and limited edition volumes(Wall Of Sound Editions) in Alba both entirely dedicated to the imagery of music For all information you can visit the official Locus Festival website. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. unskilled female labourers and migrants are working in often illegal conditions Paola Clemente, a 49-year-old mother of three, rose at 2am, on 13 July as she usually did. She took the coach from her little town of San Giorgio Jonico to arrive at the vineyard near Andria after 5am. But she never came home. Despite complaining that she felt unwell on the way to work, the man who hired her reportedly told her that discomfort would pass. In fact she died that day, her heart apparently giving out in the fields where she picked grapes in 38C heat for £1.50 per hour. Her death has put the spotlight on the plight of southern Italy’s fruit pickers, with tens of thousands of poor, unskilled female labourers and migrants working in often illegal conditions, and doing punishing hours for a pittance. In Puglia, the beautiful heel of the Italian boot where five-star hotels and luxury villas cater to northern Europe’s middle classes, something akin to modern slavery is supplying the holidaymakers with the wine and food they enjoy at their dinner table. And many of the fruits of the region make their way as far as the British supermarkets. Another Italian worker from Ms Clemente’s home town suffered a heart attack in the same fields at the end of July. A week after Ms Clemente’s death, a 47-year-old Sudanese man, Mohammed, died near Lecce, in similar circumstances, and not longer after him a Tunisian worker perished. “To die working in a field of grapes is to immediately become a phantasm, with no news emerging for weeks,” said Peppino Deleonardis, the regional secretary of the Flai-Cgil farm workers union. “Paola would not have expected to die like that, after 15 years of working in the fields from dawn until after dark.” On Wednesday last week Ciro Grassi, from Taranto, who is understood to have recruited Ms Clemente and the other workers and took them to the fields to pick grapes, was placed under investigation by magistrates, suspected of homicide and failure to come to the aid of a sick person. Prosecutors have ordered Ms Clemente’s body be exhumed and an autopsy is due to take place this week. Ms Clemente’s son Marco was still too upset to speak about her death. But Vito Miccolis, one of the high-powered legal team paid for by the Flai-Cgil union, told The Independent that her family was determined to find out the truth about how she died. Details are sketchy so far. “The biggest challenge is changing people’s attitudes here,” said Mr Miccolis. “People here working for this sort of money in these sort of conditions is normal. “Many of the pickers are union members. The problem is that people are frightened about losing their jobs. They need this money. Some places in Puglia use Romanians and Albanians – and they’re treated even worse,” he said. The chief prosecutor of Trani, Carlo Maria Capristo, said he aimed to bring justice to the victims and their families, but he added: “On the phenomenon of illegal hiring there is a wall of silence. People prefer to earn a little money instead of collaborating with our inquiries aimed at eradicating the problem.” Ms Clemente’s husband, Stefano Arcuri, explained why his wife worked in such conditions when a journalist from La Repubblica last week suggested to him that they amounted to “slavery”. “It was secure money,” Mr Arcuri said. “Given the way things are in Italy, it was vital income for Paola and us. It enabled us to survive.” Ms Clemente was working via an intermediary contractor for the Ortofrutta Meridionale company, which has 250 employers and a turnover of €12m (£8.7m). The owner of Ortofrutta Meridionale was not available to talk when The Independent called. He has been called in for questioning by prosecutors although he has not been charged with any offence. Mr Miccolis said there were doubts over where the relative ethical and legal responsibilities of the proprietor and the intermediary firm lay, and that a degree of buck-passing was not uncommon. He said, though, that Ms Clemente’s employment may not have broken any national laws. Mr Deleonardis of the Flai-Cgil union, on the other hand, thought hers could be “a terrible example of illegal hiring”. It is known, however, that Ms Clemente and her fellow workers were taking home €27, for what were 12 to 13-hour days including the long round trips – despite provincial guidelines that called for a minimum day rate of €52. Mr Grassi did have legitimate work documents for Ms Clemente. But unions say the existence of three or four layers of sub-contracting dissipates corporate responsibility and accounts for the doubts over the legality of he operation – and the pitifully small pay packet that workers such as Ms Clemente take home. Usually the landowner uses a temporary work agency, which itself employs a transport firm that hires a driver. The Flai-Cgil union estimates that over 40,000 female fruit pickers in Puglia alone are victims of labour sub-contracting, illegal hiring and contract violations. Thousands more work in the black economy harvesting the region’s tomatoes. In an investigation four years ago for website The Ecologist, Conserve Italia, which makes the Cirio brand of tinned tomatoes that supplies British supermarkets, admitted it uses migrant workers, but said they had strict codes of conduct to prevent abuse. Mr Deleonardis claimed some of the sick or dead fruit pickers had maybe been exposed to “dangerous pesticides that made workers feel ill”. The Agriculture Minister, Maurizio Martina, likened the activity of those who organised fruit-picking labour to the Mafia. He said that, starting from next month, there would be a new system of checks and accreditation that would allow consumers to know whether the produce they were buying came from farms with ethical employment practices. Too late, though, for Paola Clemente and dozens of others like her, who were worked, without mercy, into early graves. The episode featured the final decision that was to be made between Kuki and Cuta Rhythm + Flow is a music reality TV series and was first based in the USA first Netflix expanded the concept to various countries such as Italy This is the first show that the platform has created in the music competition category we witness major artists from the country reviewing and mentoring rappers from all across the country who are competing to win a cash prize the main judges are joined by guest judges who provide their opinions on the talent's performance The Rhythm + Flow episode started backstage at Nuova Scene where Cuta and Kiki just had a rap battle and they talked about the performance of the artists Fabri claimed that "they made the audience have fun," and that's the whole point of rap Kiki was furious at Fabri Fibra and started swearing loudly outside the venue loud enough for the judges to hear He dropped the F-bomb for the rap star as well as his entire family whose music is inspired by Southern Italy and the culture around the region was happy to be recruiting artists from there which indicated authenticity to the judges moved ahead towards a freestyle rap battle announced that Amon would be moving to Milan Rhythm + Flow Italy Season 2 episodes are available to watch on Netflix right now with a subscription Your perspective matters!Start the conversation Last Updated on 16th September 2024 by Sophie Nadeau The ‘heel’ of the boot is the delightful region of Puglia which is known in English as ‘Apulia’ and in French as ‘Pouilles’ Home to stretches of azure-blue coastline and larger cacti than you’ve ever seen in your life and regions that Puglia has to offer are simply charming Here’s your guide to the best and most beautiful towns in Puglia it’s worth noting that many of the Puglian towns and cities share similar characteristics; a pedestrianised ‘centro storico’ (which you’ll likely get a large fine for if you drive through) a maze of local eateries serving traditional Apulia cuisine a central square known as a ‘Piazza’ and countless ecclesiastical buildings some notable exceptions to the rule and there are some towns in Puglia which are entirely different from anything else out there These towns also tend to be the most popular tourism destinations but you should still add them to your Puglia itinerary Town of note include the Baroque architecture of Lecce, the trulli of Alberobello, and the whitewashed houses of old town Ostuni. In short, there is no shortage of amazing things to do in Puglia. If you’re looking for even more inspiration about the boot-shaped country, then be sure to check out our best travel quotes about Italy. And if you need to know more information before heading to the South of Europe, check out our top Italy travel tips. Best-known for its breathtaking Baroque architecture the city of Lecce is one of the largest cities in the South of Puglia As it’s one of the only Puglian settlements for miles around people flock from far and wide on a nightly basis in order to dine in the maze that is the ‘centro storico’ (historic centre) Some of the best things to see and do in Lecce include the Duomo and dining in one of the restaurants and cafés in town of particular note are Pizza and Co (pizza slices as large as your head for around €4) and Osteria Degli Spiriti for well-cooked traditional dishes (just be sure to reserve several days ahead of time) A sunny city on Salento’s sunny coastline, the town of Otranto boasts a population of around 6000 residents Located along the Southern coastline of Apulia on the Eastern coast of the Solento peninsula Some of the most famed attractions that Otranto has to offer include the 15th-century Aragonese Castle (now a cultural centre and museum) there are plenty of breathtaking coastal walks to be taken Known as the ‘white city’ (città bianca in Italian) on account of its whitewashed old town which sits perched high above the rest of the city Ostuni is a must-visit on any trip to Puglia Constructed on a high hill so as to protect the city from invaders in centuries gone by today the magnificent Duomo (cathedral) can be found at the highest point in Ostuni One of the very best things to do in Ostuni is to simply allow yourself to get lost in the maze of streets which meander their way in higgeldy piggeldy patterns across the centro storico Other highlights of Ostuni include enjoying an ice cream at Cremeria La Scala and admiring Ostuni’s cathedral One of the most famous of all Puglian settlements is that of Alberobello which is iconic thanks to its old town which is formed of traditional trulli (trullo in the singular) countless visitors head to the town from all over Europe and beyond to catch a glimpse of the traditional houses By far this was the busiest place we visited during our road trip in Puglia and I highly recommend arriving in the town as early as possible so as to get there before the tour buses I would go so far as to say that I found the town of Alberobello to be even busier than Santorini and so be sure to visit as early in the day as possible so as to avoid disappointment (and having too many people in your photos!) Somewhat of a hidden gem of a town, the town of Specchia is a speck of a town in the province of Lecce we hadn’t seen this town recommended in many travel guides but after visiting it was clear that it should be A small settlement boasting a population of just around four and a half thousand residents much of the more interesting things to do in town are centred around the main piazza This is where you’ll find tourist information which serves up some of the freshest glasses of white wine I’ve ever enjoyed in my life As there is little by way of tourist attractions in Specchia you’ll need little more than a few hours to enjoy this tiny town in Puglia Less than a half hour drive away from Specchia the equally charming Puglian town of Presicce is centred around a Piazza that boasts one of the most beautiful Baroque churches I’ve been lucky enough to see The city is actually famous for its many underground mills though visitors to Presicce today should head there in order to see its traditional Puglia architecture and to enjoy Pressice’s laid back vibe this is another town in Puglia that you’ll only need a couple of hours to wander through Yet another tiny town that is worthy of a short stop off but has too few attractions to fill an entire day’s worth of exploring is that of San Vito dei Normanni the town is home to a handful of beautiful churches including the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria and the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista The sun-soaked town of Polignano a Mare clings to the cliff face above the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic sea The town dates back well over two thousand years and is characterised by its sheer cliff faces Some other highlights of Polignano a Mare include heading to the contemporary art museum of Fondazione Museo Pino Pascali and enjoying an Aperol Spritz or glass of local wine (the rosés are particularly lovely) on the main square While in Polignano, you must definitely head to Pescaria. This seafood restaurant has both dine in and takeaway options Consideringt the queue for dining in the Polignano eatery I personally got the vegetable tempura and fries The delightful town of Martina Franca is one of a trifecta of delightful towns in central Puglia; Martina Franca and Cisternino are all a stone’s throw away from one another (and are quite literally all within 10 km or one another) Martina Franca is the largest of the three towns and Pick up a tourist map for free from the tourist office (Piazza XX Settembre n 74015 Martina Franca Italy) and you’ll soon discover that there are several self-guided routes to follow When it comes to eating in the Puglia town We personally loved our meal at the well-reviewed La Tavernatta The dishes were well-cooked simple and local Italian cuisine such as pasta dishes served with local wine One of the more unexpected towns that we chanced upon during our stay in Puglia was the charming settlement of Mesagne This quaint town was a little less touristic than some of the other places we frequented and is most famous for its grape and olive production Highlights of Mesagne include a Norman castle and a maze of streets that form the ‘centro storico’ we reserved a table at Osteria Braceria Tigelleria Antico Forno There we ate exceptionally well-cooked traditional cuisine under the twinkling lights of a charming terrace Home to a population of around eleven and a half thousand residents Cisternino is a tiny Puglia settlement that offers unparalleled views over the Itria Valley visitors need simply to head to Cremeria History Vignola which serves light snacks If you are looking for a central location in which to base yourself for several nights during any stay in Puglia then you should consider making Locorotondo which is so beautiful that it is considered to be one of Italy’s most beautiful villages Trullo Marziolla (the oldest documented trullo in Italy) and relaxing with a view in the Locorotondo Lungomare Though somewhat of a tourist trap (and I highly recommend you don’t eat there) Gallipoli still merits a place on this guide to the best towns in Puglia on account of its charming old town The little streets are cobbled lanes of delightful shutters, wandering cats, and beautifully planted cacti. Gallipoli is also home to a sandy beach that’s particularly popular in the summer. For more inspiration, check out our guide to the best things to do in Gallipoli Truth be told, one of the more off the beaten path towns in Puglia that certainly doesn’t get as much press as it deserves is the charming settlement of Monopoli Located on the Adriatic coastline and just a half hour drive or so from Polignano this is one town you should most certainly add to your itinerary many visitors make the mistake of passing by Monopoli but on a Puglia trip this would be your first mistake As well as the traditional maze of streets and historic port you can swim in some of the clearest waters Puglia has to offer Conversano is a sleepy little Apulian town that is well worth a visit if only to taste a little of life in Puglia outside of the main tourist attractions One of the most striking places in town is the beautiful Monastero di San Benedetto San Vito is centred around a little fishing harbour (known in Italian as the porto antico) and the town itself remains somewhat of a hidden gem of the Puglian coastline Everything in town gives views onto the Torre de San Vito, which is featured in the Italian language movie Jumping From High Places Another highlights of San Vito is the abbey Enjoyed reading about the best towns in Puglia Sophie Nadeau is a full time travel writer and photographer focused on cultural experiences in Europe and beyond When she's not chasing after the sunset (or cute dogs she sees on her travels) she can be found reading and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. I started this site back in 2015 with one mission in mind: I wanted to create useful travel guides with a historical and cultural focus Today it has blossomed into my full time job and together with a small team of writers (including my husband and sister) we craft articles to help you travel better throughout Europe © 2015- 2025 Sophie Nadeau. Nadeau Pasquier LTD. All Rights Reserved. solosophie participates in various affiliate marketing programs. solosophie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy