Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Laurie Werner is a New York-based writer covering travel and food.Follow AuthorFeb 27 12:28pm ESTShareSaveComment@font-face{font-family: "Schnyder"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Merriweather"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/merriweather/merriweather-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/merriweather/merriweather-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Euclid"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/euclidcircularb/euclidcircularb-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/euclidcircularb/euclidcircularb-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); 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500 years later it was transformed by Sister Maria Raimonda Fuentes to shelter and provide education for underprivileged girls In the early 20th century it transitioned to the Manifattura Tabacchi a tobacco-processing factory employing around 600 female cigar rollers at its peak The building has been vacant since then but now 28 rooms for guests will be created in this historic structure located just outside of the city’s center close enough to walk over to explore but just out of the main routes of visitors to the city The design by Milanese architect Roberto Murgia of RMA Studio will incorporate Apulian style the history of the building and the beauty of the surroundings plus modern benefitting from soaring ceilings including a glass ceiling that will fill the building with natural light the pool is surrounded by olive trees and the landscaping will be designed by Belgian landscape designer Erik Dhont known for his special touch working with native vegetation The vivid cuisine of Puglia is famous throughout Italy; the dining options here will be designed by Andrea Berton Berton al Vista will be the hotel’s fine dining restaurant the casual daytime restaurant located in the garden; two bars will be located in the library and on the rooftop affording views over the countryside and of the streets of the White City Given its proximity to other places of note in Puglia hotel staff will also coordinate transfers and guides to see the Baroque city of Lecce the terraced city of Matera and the stone trullis of Alberobello curating bespoke experiences according to guests’ interests And if that interest is lazing by the beach transfers to local beach clubs will be offered as well One of Ostuni's most significant historic buildings is set to open as a a 28-room luxury retreat, converting a long-abandoned 14th-century palazzo into Vista Ostuni represents the third property from the Vista hospitality group led by third and fourth generation hoteliers Bianca and Luigi Passera already established with properties in Lake Como and Verona has undertaken a sensitive restoration of the historic structure which has remained vacant for nearly six decades the building's charm spoke to us," says Bianca Passera "We have honoured the rich heritage of both the property and the town of Ostuni by incorporating sustainable Italian materials and resources underscoring our commitment to environmental stewardship." Independent hospitality group Vista is set to open its latest property in Puglia in Summer 2025 The project marks the revival of a local landmark reopening its doors after being abandoned for nearly 60 years The vision for the property is courtesy of Bianca and Luigi Passera – third and fourth generations of a longstanding hotelier family Set within a restored 14th-century palazzo Vista Ostuni is located in the ‘White City’ of Ostuni Originally built in the foothills of Ostuni as a convent and later home to a tobacco-processing factory the transformed palazzo will comprise 28 rooms and suites designed by Milanese Roberto Murgia Architetto The design scheme will reflect the property’s history and the surrounding Apulian environment More than 6,000m² have been delicately restored to enhance traces of the building’s history to a surprising cloister on the first floor with its geometric design and glass ceiling chosen by the Passera family for his appreciation of native vegetation and his ability to craft landscapes that tell stories deeply rooted in the local region Vista Ostuni is a tribute to Mediterranean vitality with amenities that include a spacious spa and a sun-drenched pool terrace The culinary offering will be led by Andrea Berton a lively garden restaurant; an intimate Library Bar; and a rooftop bar the building’s charm spoke to us,” says Bianca Passera “We have honoured the rich heritage of both the property and the town of Ostuni by incorporating sustainable Italian materials and resources underscoring our commitment to environmental stewardship Collaborating with skilled Italian artisans we have preserved the essence of the space while working alongside visionary architects to create a fresh perspective – one that invites our guests to experience the property at its fullest potential.”  adds: “We are a proud member of Leading Hotels of the World which is a testament to the level of service and quality at Vista Ostuni our objective has been to introduce the concept of luxury to new destinations and Vista Ostuni represents the third and most significant chapter for our brand This inauguration is a significant milestone for both our company and our family following our openings on Lake Como and in Verona Ostuni reaffirms our mission to offer travellers a new perspective on smaller jewel towns of Italy.”  Registered in England and Wales with Company Number 06637145 We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again More information about our Cookie Policy Puglia is always a good idea in April. Sure, you might catch a breezy day or two, but temperatures are generally warmer than the rest of Italy That’s exactly what drew me south: a few days of spring serenity to escape Milan’s grey skies since public transport in southern Italy is still Villa AmuréeAntonio e Roberto TartaglioneThe drive to Villa Amurée already sets the tone Muretti a secco (dry-stone walls) frame narrow separating them from centuries-old olive trees the villa offers the perfect balance: close enough to civilisation not to feel isolated This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Massachusetts passed away peacefully on Monday daughter of Francesco and Rose (Granata) D’Ostuni Diana Gillet (Errede) and her husband Bill and Patricia Cicero (Errede); eleven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren; as well as several nieces and nephews Leonard and Salvatore D’Ostuni and her sister Lucia Giovanucci (D'Ostuni).  Clara was a graduate of David Hale Fanning Girls Trade High school and as a young woman made a living as a skilled seamstress They loved being near the water with their young family Clara and Freddie spent winter months in Florida and summer getaways at Cape Cod Clara loved to cook for her family as much as she loved to eat With simple ingredients she always created homemade meals that she proudly shared at the family table Fond memories include her children’s helping hands making handmade pasta and savoring warm bread from the oven.  Clara had boundless energy and yoga classes nutrition and fitness became an important part of her routine over the years She found solace in the outdoors where she could often be found tending her beautiful flowers and rock garden or walking in her neighborhood She loved music and ballroom dancing with Freddie who always had a twinkle in his eye when he was with her Our mother will be missed but from her heart to many hands she leaves the gifts of memory making A special thanks to Robin who shared her home her food and her family with mom and dad for many years when they resided next door Our family would like to recognize the kindness and compassion of the people at Shrewsbury Nursing Home and Notre Dame Hospice who cared for or came in contact with our mother as she resided there There will be a celebration of life at a later date the family requests that you plant a garden take a long walk or dance and sing under the stars This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors EMERSON—Mayor Danielle DiPaola surprised those attending the borough’s Jan 7 council reorganization meeting with a hot take on the Block 419 situation: a pre-trial settlement of the borough’s long-delayed case against the downtown redeveloper is a possibility.  The annual meeting also featured the installation of new councilors Ashley Sayers and Megan Ciolino DiPaola swore the women in after both handily won election in the Nov Sayers was selected to fill former councilwoman Kelly Moore’s seat after she resigned last summer Nicole Argenzia was unanimously elected council president She succeeds Michael Timmerman in the role While the swearing in ceremonies drew a crowd to Borough Hall DiPaola broke the news that the borough’s court case to recoup $500,000 in lost construction services might possibly be resolved out of court by retired judge Harry Carroll the affordable implementation monitor appointed by the court in 2021 DiPaola told residents that construction workers were seen recently at the long-delayed 147-unit Emerson Station mixed-use housing project she told residents that just before the case was due to go to trial Dec Judge Nicholas Ostuni asked the sides to meet with the retired judge to try to work out issues regarding affordable housing and other related issues before heading to trial DiPaola said Block 419’s status was “the most asked about issue in town” and that it was now in the hands of Judge Carroll adding that she and council were “eager to see” the project completed.  She said Ostuni ordered the parties to meet with their affordable implementation monitor to discuss resolution of “all outstanding issues” relating to Block 419 and the seven proposed off-site affordable units She said the council’s Litigation Committee (Nicole Argenzia and DiPaola) were “eagerly awaiting word” from Carroll “so that he may successfully guide us to global resolution of this matter.”  No timetable for a possible resolution was made public.  It was unclear whether Emerson Redevelopers Urban Renewal or the borough might decide to challenge Judge Carroll’s proposed settlement All of Carroll’s efforts would be in hopes of reaching a pre-trial settlement DiPaola also told us most judges prefer opposing parties to settle out of court if possible DiPaola said the “good news” is that workers are on site again and officials are being told that work is continuing inside the building with about 15,000 square feet of ground-level retail space have been at odds since Emerson filed suit in June 2020 to recoup $500,000 in construction services originally promised in exchange for former ambulance property deeded to the redeveloper The 29 affordable units planned as part of the 147-unit complex include 22 onsite units and seven offsite units The units comprise the bulk of the borough’s third round Mount Laurel obligations who replaced former councilwoman Kelly Moore in August after she resigned Ciolino fills the seat vacated by Brian Gordon Sayers said her election to council and swearing in “is the culmination of not just my dedication but also the unwavering support of my family and the residents who place their trust in me,” she said Sayers said being part of the council means “being part of the solution and making thoughtful decisions that strengthen our town,” she said She said having a husband that serves as a municipal employee in a neighboring town has given her a “unique perspective” to how “instrumental” a governing body can be to the success and morale of town employees Ciolino said she has been a lifelong resident and continues to live in and raise her family in town She thanked Emerson residents for their “trust and support.” She said and work tirelessly to ensure that Emerson remains a place that we can all be proud to call home.” She thanked her husband and her three boys “His commitment to public service and community engagement has always inspired me thank you for instilling in me the values of hard work integrity and the importance of giving back,” she said DiPaola said she campaigned door to door with Sayers and Ciolino and I can’t wait to actually work with them,” said the mayor.  She said both councilwomen “exceeded” all of her expectations In a short year-end recap and 2025 preview DiPaola said the borough was glad to provide programs that promoted community well-being; 2024’s summer concert series that promoted local artists; and hopes to resume walks with the mayor and coffee with the mayor in 2025.  She praised the recreation commission for its summer and fall programs She highlighted new raised planting beds in the community garden and ongoing library programs that offer free educational programs She said more community events are being planned in 2025.  She said seniors over 55 should consider joining the senior group due to trips and parties offered She urged residents to consider joining the volunteer ambulance corps and fire department The mayor said the borough purchased a tree trimming truck to enable the DPW to trim and maintain trees borough-wide She said the street sweeping shared service with Washington Township has been successful in cutting costs and a new fire truck was acquired by the volunteer fire department at a “substantial discount” off the vehicle’s listed price And she said a shared service with the school district for upgrading tennis courts and adding pickleball courts at the Junior-Senior High School would open this year and Ackerman basketball courts were upgraded and would be officially opened this spring Mayor DiPaola said nearly $2 million in federal funds was obtained to help “mitigate” stormwater and drainage issues that often leads to flooding on Forest Avenue and Jordan Road as well as Vivian Avenue and Dorchester Road And she said the “long-awaited” streetscape project on Kinderkamack Road between Etna Avenue and the Oradell border She said the second phase of a veterans’ homes project should break ground in spring The new facility will serve as meeting space for American Legion Post 269 veterans DiPaola said PSEG expects to complete upgrading of gas lines in the spring and repave roads sometime after finishing She said to increase pedestrian and roadway safety additional stop signs have been added and audible devices will be added to traffic signals at Van Wagner Avenue and at the Old Hook Road and Main Street intersection She added that a full website redesign will be coming this year.  officials held a small party with refreshments at Emerson Hotel to celebrate the new councilors along with scores of other volunteers and citizens appointed to committees 16 Years Later: Remembering the Miracle on the Hudson All content on this website is the property of The Press Group and is protected by copyright. Reproduction, distribution, or use of any material without prior written permission is strictly prohibited, unless otherwise stated. To report any misuse, please contact us at PascackPress@ThePressGroup.net. Volume 9 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.1070497 This article is part of the Research TopicTargeted Alpha Particle Therapy in OncologyView all 17 articles Radioligand therapy (RLT) is gaining traction as a safe and effective targeted approach for the treatment of many cancer types reflected by a substantial and growing commercial market (valued at $7.78 billion in 2021 with a projected value of $13.07 billion by 2030) Beta-emitting RLTs have a long history of clinical success dating back to the approval of Zevalin and Bexxar in the early 2000s Alpha radioligand therapeutics (ARTs) offer the potential for even greater success Driven by ground-breaking clinical results in early trials and better understanding of isotope and disease characteristics the global market for alpha emitters was estimated at $672.3 million for the year 2020 with projected growth to $5.2 billion by 2027 and progression for many radioligand therapy products Future growth will be fueled by further efficacy and safety data from ART clinical trials and real-world results and distribution are key obstacles for growth of the field along with cross-disciplinary training of specialized practitioners to ensure patient access and avoid challenges faced by early RLT candidates such as Zevalin and Bexxar Understanding of the history of radiation medicine is critical to inform what may be important to the success of ART–most past projections were inaccurate and it is important to analyze the reasons for this Practical considerations in how radiation medicine is delivered and administered are important to understand in order to inform future approaches Alpha radioligand therapeutics (ARTs) have been gaining increasing attention as a rapidly advancing experimental modality that holds promise for delivering high doses of lethal radioactivity specifically to cancer cells The combination of the high energy and short tissue range typical of alpha-emitting isotopes enables effective killing of the targeted tumor while sparing the surrounding normal tissue ARTs offer the potential to overcome resistance to beta-emitting radioligand therapies The promise of alpha has led to growth in new clinical trials and new company formations fueled by risk-tolerant investors we explore the history of the targeted radioligand therapy commercial landscape including the approval and performance of key drug candidates that have shaped the current and future directions of the field We provide an overview of the current market and its potential as well as challenges faced in therapeutic and isotope availabilities and barriers for the delivery of ARTs at commercial scale Early in its development, X-ray based radiation medicine struggled against its limits: directionality and localization, collateral damage. Therefore, many cancer physicians instead turned their attention to surgical techniques and other approaches (4) ongoing innovation in external beam radiation and brachytherapy has been a hugely important development in cancer treatment While the physics and applications of radiation were being investigated researchers remained intrigued by the concept of a molecular “magic bullet”–a term coined by Paul Erlich–to selectively deplete cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue An array of approaches to achieve this effect has since been deployed in oncology building on huge advances in cell and molecular biology over the past 50 years This culminated many years later with the exciting possibility of being able to selectively direct a radioactive warhead to a target highly expressed uniquely on a cancer cell to engender selective cell killing The targeted therapeutics market has also grown substantially, valued at $67.7 billion in 2020 and projected to reach $87 billion by 2030 (7) with multiple targeted agents now approved for diseases such as cancer EBRT used to deliver high-energy X-ray or electron beams to a patient’s tumor These results supported the global brachytherapy market valuation of $788.5 million in 2020 with an expected compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% from 2021 to 2028 (13) Despite the evidence supporting brachytherapy as an effective treatment modality for a wide range of malignancies, its use to treat patients with localized prostate cancer in the US and Europe saw a steady decline in recent years (19); the percentage of prostate cancer patients receiving brachytherapy dropped from 17% in 2002 to 8% in 2010 (20, 21) Figure 1. Radiation modality by stage and diagnosis year for prostate cancer based on NCDB data for the period 2004–2016. Figure adapted with permission from (23) an engineered peptide (or antibody) aimed at a specific marker found in abundance on cancer cells would carry a radioactive atom capable of delivering a lethal dose of radiation to the tumor–creating a magic bullet against cancer Further developments in antibody conjugate technologies led to the launch of monocloncal antibody (mAb)-targeted radiotherapeutics in the early 2000s Zevalin (yttrium-90-labeled anti-CD20 mAb) and its competitor Bexxar (iodine-131-labeled anti-CD20 mAb) were the first pioneers to appear on the market within this new class approved for treatment-resistant slow-growing lymphoma 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (later marketed as Zevalin) is a radioactive drug product comprised of the beta-emitting isotope yttrium-90 linked to the mAb ibritumomab in conjunction with the chelator tiuxetan, and was designed to target the already validated cancer protein marker CD20 (30) Developed by IDEC Pharmaceuticals, now part of Biogen Idec, 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan was the first radioimmunotherapy drug approved by the FDA to treat cancer. The drug had a superior response rate in patients who did not respond to rituximab (marketed as Rituxan by Genentech/Biogen Idec) (31–33) 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan was approved by the FDA (2002) and EMA (2004) for treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory low-grade including patients who were refractory to rituximab and as consolidation therapy in follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in patients who achieved a partial or complete response to first-line chemotherapy Annual revenue for Zevalin over the period 2002–2018 reflecting a steady decline and failure to meet forecasts Source: Biogen and Spectrum financial reports Reasons cited for the commercial challenges of Zevalin and Bexxar highlighting market-driven forces that contributed to declining sales and discontinuation of the drugs 131I-tositumomab (later marketed as Bexxar) was a radio-immunotherapeutic composed of the mAb tositumomab covalently bound to the radioisotope iodine-131 The compound was also targeted at the CD20 antigen and delivered a powerful local dose of gamma and beta radiation The drug was granted orphan drug designation in 1994 and fast-track designation was added in 1998 131I-tositumomab was first approved by the FDA and EMA in 2003 for patients refractory to rituximab or that had relapsed following chemotherapy; in 2004 the indication was expanded to include patients who had not been treated with rituximab by a series of FDA requests for information and was granted 4 years after the new drug application was filed in June 1999 the competing combination of Rituxan and chemotherapy established itself as the standard of care in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Zevalin and Bexxar, as first-in-class targeted radiotherapeutics, shared some common commercial penetration issues (Table 1) Both drugs faced competition from Genentech and Biogen Idec’s blockbuster drug Rituxan which was the leading treatment at the time and were considered expensive at around $25,000 per treatment the cost of the drugs was actually similar to a full 4-months regimen of chemotherapy and Rituxan The radioactivity of the treatments made some oncologists worry that it might prevent them from giving other treatments later Prescribing the drugs also requires oncologists to coordinate care with the hospitals that administer it–to get either drug patients first receive a low-radiation diagnostic dose Other more familiar and thoroughly tested drugs were also preferred as first-line treatment leading physicians to prescribe such drugs even when Zevalin and Bexxar might have worked better Financial incentives were also at play–as Zevalin and Bexxar were radioactive they were administered in hospitals by nuclear medicine experts following a referral by hematologists who were likely to lose revenue in some markets referral rates were lower than they could have been based on the product labels This led to the use of Zevalin and Bexxar as last resort treatments only. In 2007, it was estimated that fewer than 10% of lymphoma patients who were candidates for Zevalin and Bexxar ever received the therapies (39). Despite the potential and clinical data of the two drugs, the positive sales forecasts, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma being a common cancer in Europe and the US that accounts for around 4% of all cases (40) the commercial challenges reflect the market-driven forces and the lack of coordination among physicians that can distort medical decisions While beta-emitters Zevalin and Bexxar traversed along their respective journeys the development of targeted radionuclide therapies using different alpha-emitters was also in progress The first alpha emitter to appear on the market was metabolically targeted 223Ra-dichloride (later marketed as Xofigo) was the first alpha-emitter to enter the market its active moiety radium-223 mimics calcium and selectively targets bone due to natural tropism with high specificity for areas of bone metastases First developed by Algeta and later by Bayer following a $2.9 billion acquisition, 223Ra-dichloride was designed to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). In its pivotal ALSYMPCA Phase III trial, the compound resulted in a 30% reduction in the risk of death compared with placebo, and extended patient lives by a median of 14 months compared to 11.2 months (41, 42) Use of 223Ra-dichloride was approved by the FDA in 2013 for mCRPC patients with symptomatic bone metastases This was more than 3 months ahead of schedule due to the FDA’s priority review program with the trial ending early due to the drug’s strong performance–reasons cited included the drug’s precise targeting and strong risk–benefit profile Approval was also received from the EMA in 2018 The resulting negative perceptions of the drug the challenges to extend its use to earlier stages of prostate cancer and the difficulties in combining with other emerging important prostate cancer medicines made Xofigo subject to the increasing competition provided by new therapies Xofigo may face additional commercial threats from the recently approved targeted radioligand therapy Lu-177-PSMA-617 (Pluvicto) which has the potential for utility in a broader population of metastatic prostate cancer patients; unlike Xofigo Lu-177-PSMA-617 use is not restricted to patients with metastases predominantly in bone Annual revenue for Xofigo over the period 2013–2021 Promising proof-of-concept signals from small compassionate-use case series and improvements in tumor-targeting technologies resulted in more refined and optimized targeted RLTs The next pivotal step in the evolution of the field came in the form of two major commercial transactions Novartis’ acquisitions of Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA) and Endocyte in 2018 Novartis announced the completion of its $3.9 billion ($41 per share) acquisition of radiopharmaceutical specialist AAA and its RLT candidate 177Lu-DOTATATE (later named Lutathera) These results led to authorization by the EMA (2017) and the FDA (2018) for the treatment of SSTR-positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors The drug has also show potential in off-label use in other neuroendocrine tumors (e.g. 177Lu-PSMA-617 became the first RLT to be approved by the FDA and EMA for mCRPC receiving authorization from both agencies in 2022 alongside 68Ga gozetotid (Locametz)–a PSMA-targeted positron emission tomography imaging tracer that is used to identify patients suitable for treatment with the radioligand Novartis have initiated additional early stage development programs for 177Lu-PSMA-617 in earlier lines of prostate cancer therapy with two other Phase III studies for mCRPC now ongoing these trials could significantly increase the patient pool eligible for 177Lu-PSMA-617 Lutathera revenue and estimated number of doses and treatments for the period 2018–2021 Figure 4. Lutathera sales and projected sales for the period 2018–2030. Source: (51) Figure 5. Pluvicto sales projections. Projections include estimates for both pre- and post-taxane markets assuming ∼20% penetration in the US and ∼15% elsewhere. If Pluvicto is approved for the pre-taxane market, it is estimated that this would lead to an additional ∼$2 billion on top of current projections for the post-taxane market. Based on estimates from (51) In 2022, Novartis forecast annual sales up to or exceeding $1 billion for both Pluvicto and Lutathera, which together represent a major opportunity for Novartis in nuclear medicine (53) The company has also continued to increase its exposure to radiopharmaceuticals–for example by participation in the Series A financing of Aktis Oncology and the in-licensing of a other targeting agents from SOFIE Biosciences The acquisition of AAA and Endocyte by Novartis triggered significant and growing interest and expectations for RLTs The subsequent approvals and early robust market uptakes of the two lutetium-based drugs coupled with lofty future projections suggest better market readiness for RLTs than at the time of the launches of Zevalin and Bexxar two decades ago This commercial success has in turn sparked the interest of investors and other large pharmaceutical companies looking to address unmet needs in cancer momentum has continued to build in the nuclear medicine field with the potential to elevate the profile of the entire sector If the industry is able to effectively manage historical challenges there is significant opportunity for a new and promising wave of RLTs to significantly change oncology treatment paradigms–particularly if alpha emitters are effectively utilized new company formation has grown since 2018 and pharma giants such as Bayer and Novartis continue to build early stage pipelines that expand into other targets and radioisotopes–with increasing focus on alpha-emitters Private companies have also experienced positive market reception Analysis indicates that at least 11 companies working in the ART space have raised significant amounts of capital during the period 2019–2022 We estimate the amount raised by those companies totalling close to $1.2 billion although this estimate is not exhaustive given the private nature of some of this information Much of the focus of this new investment has been on targeted alpha approaches as investors seek out opportunities with differentiated clinical efficacy potential Investment has also continued into companies pursuing beta-based approaches which have a different risk profile given the existence of two approved products and a more established supply chain and M&A activity are contributing to an expanding radionucleotide field The overall global nuclear medicine market size expected to reach $24.4 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 13.0% from 2022 to 2030 (54). Meanwhile, the global market for radioligand therapy is projected to reach $13.07 billion by 2030 (55) This is a reflection of increased public and private funding and clinical progression for many RLT products between 2018 and 2022 Other opportunities and drivers for further growth in the RLT market include the aging population increased awareness and understanding of radiotherapy isotopes and improvements to isotope production and infrastructure for clinical use Increasing use of radiopharmaceuticals by physicians and rising per capita health care expenditure will also boost the market’s growth Additional challenges include the failure by physicians to adopt and rigorously evaluate this treatment modality, which may be explained in part by the multidisciplinary nature of the treatment and financial incentive challenges, as experienced by Zevalin and Bexxar (59) Public perception and fear of radioactivity as well as the perceived complexity of the treatment but one that can be overcome with better communication of risk–benefit profiles and increasing positive data around side effects and effectiveness Radioligand therapy (RLT) is a growing market despite the challenges faced Assuming that the early ground-breaking results obtained with ART continue to be borne out in rigorous clinical trials the growth of ART is also likely to accelerate over the use of EBRT Alpha particles are helium nuclei that are emitted from the nucleus of a radioactive atom. The amount of energy deposited per path length traveled (linear energy transfer or LET) is approximately 1,500 times greater than beta particles, leading to substantially more damage along the path of travel (59, 61, 62) For radionuclides to be used effectively over time, commensurable with their half-life period, it is necessary to produce and isolate them, perform synthesis with the targeting molecule, and execute control of key parameters such as the absence of long-lived and/or toxic daughters (63–67) Each of these requirements is explored in more detail below Isotopes with longer half-lives are often complexed with long-lived antibodies: while the targeting is adequate the long circulation times of antibodies may increase the risk of non-specific toxicity and off-target effects Many isotopes emit alpha particles but some leave behind toxic by-products or decay before they reach a cell. Issues arising when using 225Ac for therapy, for example, as mentioned above, include unwanted toxicity from recoiled daughter radionuclides without a targeting ligand (70) the radioactive daughter nuclides experience a recoil energy of about 100–200 keV which is sufficient to allow the daughter nuclide to break free from the targeting agent the different chemical properties of the daughter radionuclide can make re-association with the chelator unlikely These “free,” untargeted daughter nuclides could be a source of dose-limiting toxicity four of the most promising isotopes emerging within the ART field are 225Ac and thorium-227 (227Th)–although 213Bi has been used with positive results in select malignancies we are not aware of large scale commercial efforts with this isotope Medical isotope shortages are a concern globally due to limited source material and challenging production processes Although many isotopes are produced in nature extracting a significant amount of purified material demands an accelerator or nuclear reactor and the facilities and expertise to chemically separate out the desired isotope from many others created during production where a parent isotope decays to the desired radionuclide that is then extracted and cyclotrons that accelerate and bombard a target using variety of particles For the four isotopes identified as most suitable for therapeutic use the availability and ease of production are therefore a key factor to consider for their use including current and potential future availability and production methods 211At can be produced at reasonable yield and high radionucleic purity using an alpha-particle beam to bombard natural and widely available bismuth at ∼28 MeV via cyclotron irradiation. Despite being a straightforward method of production, the number of accelerators capable of a 28 MeV alpha-beam limits the availability of 211At, and current quantities are inadequate for widespread clinical use (72) While the specific production and purification methods of 212Pb are under development there is good availability of the potential parent radionuclide 228Th which provides good confidence in the ability of these approaches to ultimately scale to accommodate commercial therapeutic volumes Overview of current and potential production methods for four key alpha-emitting isotopes Summary of current and potential future capacity for key 225Ac production facilities 225Ac has gained much attention as a promising isotope for use in ART, due to its 9.92-day half-life; high LET; manageable chelation and conjugation to targeting molecules such as antibodies and peptides; four net alpha particles emitted per decay for high lethality to target cells; and existing body of early clinical experience (83) Projected 225Ac demand versus current 225Ac production via 229Th production from 223U legacy waste and potential future production Current 225Ac production is estimated to be 55–65 GBq per year which is inadequate even for current demand from researchers Demand is projected to increase by 200–400 GBq per year for each 225Ac-based therapy that is approved for clinical use Should efforts to develop 213Bi-based therapies also increase highlighting the importance of new production methods to increase 225Ac supply to meet increasing demand it should be noted that estimates of both demand and future production capacity vary widely There is also significant concern in the sector that the rush to use 225Ac before full investigation of the stability of its chelated state and how its long-half life may result in potential toxicity was premature the disconnect between supply and demand of 225Ac is slowing down academic research and is driving academic and industrial stakeholders to consider alternative isotopes such as 212Pb The scale at which models are implemented may vary with certain benefits and challenges associated with implementation at a localized or centralized level where manufacturing and administration facilities are co-located Such a structure may reduce geographical access challenges compared to a centralized model where people are required to travel significant distances or where isotope choice is limited due to the need to transport therapeutic doses over long distances physicians experimented locally in these ways A localized model may garner support by physicians as it could provide facilities with their own generators and production stations improving treatment autonomy and the ease of referrals Localized models of delivery and care may also alleviate the challenges posed by financial incentives and reimbursement that contributed to the issues experienced by Zevalin and Bexxar The regulatory framework for such a model is not well-developed for pharmaceuticals while there is significant experience in radioactive diagnostics: current frameworks would have to be adjusted while the purveyors of such models may also have to develop processes with different requirements and features to enable such models Quality assurance and quality controls are fundamental parts of the currently accepted GMP standards: manufacturers are expected to adhere to such standards and ensure them in every country where they supply therapies Regulators such as FDA and EMA routinely inspect manufacturers’ facilities and quality management systems to ensure that patient safety is maintained in every batch that is released in markets A localized model creates challenges to such approaches as each individual hospital could be considered a manufacturing site each with their own approaches and facilities out of the management of the originator companies Regulators may have to inspect hundreds or thousands of individual sites raising fears that patients may receive therapeutic doses with varying characteristics across different hospitals several post-launch processes may become increasingly difficult: data collection pertaining to real-world use of the therapies; pharmacovigilance processes; product liability assignments; and others it is worth remembering that distributed manufacturing models are routinely used in the nuclear medicine industry for diagnostic radionuclides such as 68Ga and 99mTc which have even shorter half -lives than 212Pb and can be produced with generators close to the point of use It is therefore likely that a regulatory framework can be achieved for an analogous concept in the ART setting A centralized model fits within the existing regulatory framework enabling consistent quality controls across manufacturing sites of a given manufacturer Such facilities could offer advantages such as improved manufacturing infrastructure for high-volume production more uniform rules for developers and better regulatory and quality control it should also be easier to assemble and train teams with the relevant manufacturing expertise in this budding new area a middle ground may be the best option in the form of a distributed model with a moderate number of manufacturing facilities supported by an integrated supply network This may overcome challenges that prevent rapid scale up on a local level while addressing challenges such as long patient travel although not every country (or state in the US) may have its own production and manufacturing facility multiple sites could ensure that therapies are more accessible reducing patient travel and therapy transport times Such a network may also be more resilient to supply chain shocks and render regulatory compliance more manageable than in the localized model A network of 10–15 sites per region may be sufficiently redundant for a resilient supply chain and it should be manageable from a regulatory perspective Distributed networks are known to be far more stable and productive than centralized alternatives and the redundancy that would be introduced will be essential for effective and stable therapeutic supply in the future network redundancy provides multiple paths for traffic so that data can keep flowing even in the event of a failure The redundancy created by distributed networks can be considered necessary complexity to reduce the probability of failures that could impact the entire network and Currently, the unexpected closing of one reactor or one specialized laboratory could already lead to worldwide problems in the supply of medical radionuclides and therapeutics. Other reactors or manufacturing sites may not always absorb the increased demand. This phenomenon was eminently on display during the productions issues of Novartis described above (90, 92) Alpha radioligand therapeutics (ARTs) offer great promise for the treatment of cancer that is reflected in high expectations for patient impact and financial returns It is encouraging to see this reflected by the rapid growth of ART-focused companies and expanding clinical pipelines within the field Future growth will be fueled by further efficacy and safety data from ART clinical trials and real-world results–with expanded investigations of earlier stages of cancer Thorough investigations of the fundamentals of ART coupled with combination therapies with other modalities provide fertile ground for academic and industrial researchers alike Sustained efforts to increase the availability of isotopes by establishing more manufacturing facilities and new methods of production are key to successful growth of the field Such advances will need to keep pace with each other to avoid situations such as the current expected imbalance between supply and demand of 225Ac Cross-disciplinary training of specialized practitioners to overcome the referral challenges to adoption will also need to be supplemented with an adjustment of financial incentives that puts patients first New delivery models must also be developed and implemented to provide equal and resilient patient access This innovation will require that regulatory frameworks evolve at the speed of the rest of the field in order to balance the needs of all stakeholders Both authors listed have made a substantial This manuscript was partially supported by ARTbio Inc 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 CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Google Scholar Targeted α therapies for the treatment of bone metastases PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Communication of benefits and risks of medical radiation: paper communication of benefits and risks of medical radiation: a historical perspective Baner Gaon: Fortune Business Insights (2021) Google Scholar Global Radiology Market – Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 Hadapsar: Data Bridge Market Research (2022) Google Scholar Google Scholar Cancer and radiation therapy: current advances and future directions Google Scholar Trends in radiation therapy among cancer survivors in the United States 10. 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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: Emanuele Ostuni, ZW1hbnVlbGUub3N0dW5pQGFydGJpb3R4LmNvbQ== Disclaimer: 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 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 Below are the best Airbnbs in Puglia to book now MesagneA grand structure emerging along the ancient Appian Way Villa Pizzorusso is draped in centuries of history and a rare gem in Puglia's rural heartland This restored 16th-century masseria is a living testament to Italy’s agrarian past its weathered stone walls now framing a sanctuary of quiet luxury Olive trees stretch endlessly in every direction while the scent of citrus and herbs wafts through secluded gardens The 25-metre swimming pool glistens beneath the southern sun arched doorways and original frescoes evoke a bygone era split between the main villa and a charming courtyard annex offers rustic elegance with contemporary comfort Stone fireplaces and traditional wood furnishings blend seamlessly with sleek modern bathrooms take an aperitivo on the panoramic terrace watching golden light fall across the groves Days can begin with fresh ricotta and cornetti from Mesagne’s bakeries or dips in the turquoise waters of the Adriatic coast The magical trulli of Alberobello lie within reach while local osterias offer unforgettable meals of handmade orecchiette and just-caught seafood Villa Pizzorusso is a solid choice for large groups seeking a portal into the soulful NardòSurrounded by the baroque beauty of Nardò’s historic centre Casa a Corte is an optimal blend of centuries-old charm and contemporary elegance This 16th-17th-century residence has been thoughtfully restored to create a tranquil escape just ten minutes from the Ionian Sea you’ll find a lush courtyard perfumed and decorated by orange trees and a serene private pool surrounded by carved stone and traditional terrazzo floors the villa pairs mid-century lines with heritage details – walnut furnishings each with a king or queen-sized bed and en-suite or private bathrooms offer personal sanctuaries that open onto terraces and the courtyard beyond The open-plan kitchen and living space is made for slow mornings and lively dinners step outside to explore Nardò’s cobbled streets A short drive brings you to the turquoise waters of Santa Maria al Bagno and Santa Caterina Nature lovers can head to Porto Selvaggio Natural Park while food enthusiasts will revel in local osterias serving up fresh orecchiette Sleeps: 10Price: Around £711 per night with a two-night minimum PutignanoRight in the thick of Puglia’s storybook countryside Sunrise Trullo poetically fuses ancient architecture and contemporary design Once a modest 18th-century watchtower nestled among olive trees it has been lovingly revived by two architect-owners whose restoration honours the land’s rural traditions while introducing thoughtful modern touches The result is a quietly luxurious retreat surrounded by the iconic conical rooftops of the Murgia dei Trulli – a region of limestone farms Your stay in the Sunrise Trullo offers an intimate glimpse into this timeless world Originally used by farmers as a rest shelter the restored trullo now houses a serene bedroom while a sandstone-vaulted extension includes a modern kitchen Earthy textures and repurposed rustic furnishings blend beautifully with minimalist design a small private garden opens into a shared courtyard with a hydromassage pool morning swims and sunset soaks come with sweeping views of olive groves and sun-warmed stone The location places you within easy reach of the UNESCO-listed town of Alberobello (12 km) and the cliffside beauty of Polignano a Mare and Monopoli Spend the day exploring Putignano’s historic centre or sampling Hilde and Luigi’s own award-winning extra virgin olive oil that's pressed on-site Martina FrancaSet in the heart of Puglia’s picturesque Valle d’Itria Trullo Meraviglioso was lovingly restored to celebrate the rustic elegance of traditional Apulian life Just a short drive from the whitewashed towns of Martina Franca and Alberobello – all rich in baroque character and UNESCO-listed trulli architecture – this hideaway is the perfect base for exploring southern Italy’s arguably most enchanting countryside region its conical trullo roofs and thick stone walls offering natural coolness and intimacy a cozy double bedroom beneath a classic vaulted ceiling A separate relaxation room offers a hydromassage tub with chromotherapy – ideal after a long day spent wandering local markets or tasting wines in the surrounding villages olive and walnut trees shade a private haven designed for long and even hammocks beneath a broad tree invite you to slow down and savour the area’s rural pace The countryside surrounding the villa is ideal for scenic drives or impromptu wine tastings at local masserias immersed in the serene landscape of the Valle d'Itria this historic villa has been meticulously revived to preserve its noble heritage while blending it with modern comforts Each corner of the villa showcases the property’s past as well as high quality craftsmanship — from its artistic mosaics and 19th-century furnishings to the exquisite bathrooms adorned with rare marbles and hand-carved stone bathtubs the villa boasts a private heated pool surrounded by lush greenery and centuries-old palm trees The outdoor area features an elegant summer kitchen a pergola draped in white curtains offers the perfect spot for a peaceful nap while a pool table and a 17th-century Florentine fireplace create a refined ambiance for evening relaxation you’ll find ample space for up to eight guests with three luxurious double bedrooms and living areas suitable for both group activity and quiet contemplation once used for olive oil and wine production has been transformed into a peaceful retreat complete with a vaulted living room and a double bedroom with an exclusive stone-carved bathroom The villa's location is perfect for those wishing to explore the cultural and natural beauty of Puglia guests can enjoy the stunning beaches or explore the ancient towns and traditional trulli of the region indulging in gourmet meals with a private chef or embarking on an adventure with guided tours or boat rentals Villa Favorita promises an idyllic backdrop for making long-lasting memories OstuniFor a dreamy break away in the Puglian countryside Perched on a hill among blissfully quiet surroundings with fragrant olive trees to sit under with a book and incredible sprawling views stretching out below Each day offers something new to explore – from the caves at Castellana to pottering through streets lined with trulli in Alberobello and the baroque cities of Lecce and Martina Franca just a short car ride away There’s a barbecue on the terrace and a pool to dive into after a long day on foot – just bear in mind that it’s shared with two other properties Sleeps: FourPrice: From around £168 per night MateraThis elegant historic residence has been given a thoroughly modern facelift plenty of marble and a comfy mish-mash of furniture bring style and homeliness in equal measure Head out to the little balcony and flop down on one of the powder blue chairs with an espresso – there are views all over Sasso Caveoso and you can see Piazza San Pietro and Madonna de Idris as you perch take note: pets are allowed at a €15 surcharge Sleeps: SixPrice: From around £231 per night Sleeps: ThreePrice: From around £93 per night this little trullo hides out among a lush garden of gently swaying olive trees where the only noise pollution comes from the birds chirping You’ll need a car to reach this little guesthouse – and likely a 4x4 to traverse the rural roads – but on arrival you’ll be rewarded with a 10,000 square metre olive grove to explore along with a dreamy courtyard and an azure blue saltwater pool – just right for a few lazy laps to cool off in after a day under the Italian sun you’re actually very well placed to explore the area’s most beautiful towns – Ostuni Cisternino and Locorotondo are all within five kilometres Sleeps: TwoPrice: From around £129 per night barrel vaults and dusty sandstone walls – a perfect romantic hideaway for two Everything comes finished in that understated rural Italian way – big Chesterfield armchairs and simple wooden furniture keep the attention firmly on the architecture – and big shuttered windows showcase the views over one of Lecce’s prettiest squares You’re close to the action – just a few minutes’ walk and you’ll be among all the baroque architecture Sleeps: TwoPrice: From around £124 per night this 12th-century tower on the cusp of the owner’s farm is a historical gem to explore among the olive trees A stone spiral staircase makes a statement inside but it’s the surrounding scenery that steals the show the fruits and vegetables grown on the farm will be available for guests to cook up in the evenings along with a glug or two of homemade olive oil the hosts can book you a massage or sessions with a personal trainer along with guided hikes in the Alta Murgia Park gives you somewhere to cool off on lazy days Sleeps: ThreePrice: From around £137 per night OstuniJust a few minutes walk from Ostuni’s higgledy-piggledy city centre this bijou gem offers pared-back luxury among the fruit trees there’s a comfy double bed under an alcove plus a hot tub sat next to an atmospheric crackling fire you can barbecue on the verandah (or sit in the hammock while your partner does) or take a dip in the pool before setting up on the outdoor dining table Sleeps: TwoPrice: From around £214 per night CarovignoPuglia’s traditional pared-back aesthetic has been given a jaunty zhuzh here a blue chequered tile – add joy and texture to the otherwise neutral scheme But all the usual Puglian delights are present: tall vaulted ceilings You couldn’t be closer to the centre of town – a wealth of bars restaurants and shops to potter about await just 200 metres from your door Sleeps: FourPrice: From around £200 per night OstuniFew caves can claim to be as thoughtfully renovated as this one a spa-like walk-in shower and a kitchenette for making tea and coffee But head further down for the best bit: a private underground hot tub adorned with twinkly lanterns – all terribly romantic but the host has partnered with nearby restaurants to offer breakfast and there’s a launderette close by should you need it Previous guests do say that the space is a little small so this is perhaps not one for a long stay but the allure of unfettered access to our own cave hot tub wins out over practicality here Sleeps: TwoPrice: From around £188 per night Sleeps: FourPrice: From around £289 per night, with a four-night minimum Latest UpdatesCountries Why Join?IL MagazineFree Daily E-LetterVideoOur ExpertsTestimonialsFAQsTopics it looks like a cloud floating above the olive groves...","breadcrumb":{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://internationalliving.com/countries/italy/ostuni-italy/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://internationalliving.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Ostuni Your #1 resource for a global lifestyle since 1979 It doesn’t take more than a glance to see why Ostuni is dubbed “the White City” (la citta’ bianca) Spiraling around its hill and spreading across another one beyond the city exudes an alluring blend of Greek sugar-cube homes and Arab casbah exotic charm it is also just 30 minutes from Brindisi with its city amenities it looks like a cloud floating above the olive groves The cathedral that crowns the town stands out distinctly simply because it isn’t white like everything else It retains its medieval character but it is also infused with a lively buzz and upscale feel The old town is an appealing labyrinth of lanes with prestigious palaces and funky wine bars wedged into corners and alleys strewn with fluffy pillows on the steps where friendly banter with the other patrons as they sip a glass of local verdecca wine is a casual treat At just a few minutes away from the sea, you can easily enjoy the waterfront nature preserves and other pristine beaches. There are three golf courses within about a half-hour of Ostuni, a rare concentration in Italy The low hills are covered in woods and centuries-old olive groves The summer averages 84F but cools down to around 70F (or even lower) at night while winter average temperature is 49F or more by day and 40F by night while the airport opens all of Europe (and beyond) with no effort Learn more about Italy and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you a FREE report – Italy: Europe’s Most Seductive Country white uprising among the lower spread of the city The Piazza della Liberta’ is the centerpiece a gathering spot and the perfect place for a drink and some people watching Stroll up the curving Via Cattedrale where stair-stepped lanes lead off to hidden delights I like the Borgo Antico Bistrot with its tucked-in terrace and tables staggered up the lane perfect for cocktails and snacks that make a light meal Pricier but so worth it; a full meal from antipasto to dessert will cost about $50 per person More reasonable are the little bracerie-restaurants where butcher shops turn into grill eateries by night; choose your meat and they cook it over the coals and you’ll only pay about $13 per person for the feast reserve dinner in one of the area’s agriturismo farm restaurants where set menus usually run about $25 to $28 per person The city center spreads out from the piazza and the neighborhood coffee bars and shops the countryside is sprinkled with those trulli homes that lend a distinctive sense of place to the Valle d’Itria Less than a 10-minute drive gets you to the rocky incised Costa Merlata (literally The pretty fishing town of Torre Santa Sabina is a great place for a waterfront walk and lunch the coastal dunes of the nature park Torre Canne gives you walking paths and sandy beaches the stunning baroque city of Lecce is yours to explore; the cultural events and offerings are plentiful and every stroll brings gorgeous corners dripping in ornate adornments to gaze at But don’t overlook the events and museums in the area’s towns as the Valle d’Itria puts on high level exhibitions in Martina Franca’s Ducal Palace and Ostuni’s own Civic Theater puts on plays Making Ostuni even more attractive is its reasonable real estate market Ostuni offers some excellent real estate prices Here you can find small but habitable homes starting at $50,850—or even lower a smartly redone loft apartment with 647 square feet and barrel vaulted ceilings in a convenient location is listed at $66,670 go for a restored country villa with three bedrooms and three bathrooms plus a one-bedroom and one-bathroom guest house nice furnished rentals run from $340 to $565; a furnished country trullo rents for around $800 two-bathroom country villa of 1,400 square feet is listed for under $1,500 a month The overall cost of living in Ostuni is very reasonable A bag full of local produce at the weekly market will set you back about $6; stop for a cappuccino while shopping for $1.30 and munch on a cornetto pastry for $1.10 You’ll pay between $12 to $20 for a haircut Dining out can be downright cheap: the locally-loved bracerie are butcher shops that then grill the meats you choose are an affordable and tasty outing where dinner for two with wine can run just $25 A seafood feast can vary from upscale to home-style with prices bounding from $25 a person to $100 a person but the fish is always super-fresh and well-prepared A glass of wine at an outside café will set you back just $4 or $5 Ostuni also offers upscale fancier restaurants for special evenings and basic trattorias and pizzerias for economical but delicious dining living in Puglia can be as affordable as you want it to be Italy Deep DivesBeachfront Property in Italy To continue reading this article you must log in If you've never set a password you may need to register for free here and get unlimited access It is uploaded directly by travel industry suppliers Apply to post to Noticeboard TTG Media Limited.Place of registration: England and Wales.Company number 08723341.Registered address: 2-6 Boundary Row Gian Paolo Barbieri's various approaches and techniques helped to shape modern fashion photography Just as there was a reawakening of Italian fashion design Barbieri made a point of becoming a friend of the designers By befriending and eventually understanding their style and design Barbieri was able to become a champion of the new era of Italian fashion and costume designers Barbieri was able to be a driver of this reawakening of Italian fashion popularity he drew on his deep knowledge to enrich his shoots with references to art history Barbieri also relied on cinematic grandeur to help his images stand out but shooting in a way to expand the conversation you can see Barbieri's newest exhibit at House of Lucie Ostuni The exhibit is showing off many masterworks by Barbieri as well as some previously unpublished photographs dating back to the 1960s Mark is a Toronto based commercial photographer and world traveller who gave up the glamorous life of big law to take pictures for a living But how did he manage to capture these with such old cameras and lenses in the 60s Let me guess—could it be that he was just incredibly creative with a deep understanding of photography and lighting I wish more people would focus less on today’s gear (all brands produce great cameras now) and spend more time actually learning about photography and light The Bowdoinham ceramicist releases new pottery collections on her website twice a month Bowdoinham ceramicist Dominique Ostuni’s playfully illustrated cartoonishly crooked porcelain looks breezy and childlike — fit for teatime in Wonderland with the Mad Hatter Ostuni’s latest collection of roughly 200 gilded hand-pinched wares was inspired by childhood memories of her mother’s Italian restaurants in upstate New York the image of a table with a red-checkered cloth beneath a blue-curtained window recurs alongside phrases something deeper and disquieting is simmering too candy-yellow lemons and bumblebees dance over the declaration decorated with flowers and baskets of fruit you like me more.” Drip glazes cause the playroom colors to bleed together as if to say that these are Ostuni’s thoughts and perhaps they’re also yours but how much do they matter if they’re already half gone After graduating from Portland’s Maine College of Art & Design Ostuni began to feel disconnected from the process of creating and selling “I realized I don’t want to just make tableware,” she says “I want to make things that make people think and make me think.” During a postgrad residency in Rome she decided to bring the trove of introspective painting and journaling she’d been doing on the side into her pottery all 17 pieces of her first collection combining words and imagery sold in less than 10 minutes on Instagram Three years ago, Ostuni moved to Bowdoinham, where she met fellow ceramicist Sara Cox, of Delilah Pottery The two became fast friends and Ostuni eventually relocated her workshop to Cox’s cheerful light-filled home studio in a former garage “Sara is the only person I can work next to,” Ostuni says but we also know when to leave each other alone.” One recent afternoon cutting mug bases from wet clay with a 28-ounce tomato can On one side of a window framed in mint-green trim a bulletin board held a hodgepodge of drawings including a pair of dainty candlesticks with shining gold bows Ostuni was particularly pleased with but I think I will keep one of those,” she said Ostuni releases new pottery collections that sell out within minutes Buyers she has never met sometimes message her to ask what she meant by a certain word or phrase and to share what it means to them “I’ll usually say what I was thinking at the time which is probably completely different from what they’re resonating with,” Ostuni says “But isn’t it beautiful that it was able to bring us together?” Search for shows online and experience them offline Il Tacco di Bacco is a tool designed to enhance the quality of our lives A fulfilling existence is built on authentic connections which we believe can only arise in the real world This is why we’ve created a guide to help you navigate We provide the means; you discover the purpose Metrics details The fetal remains from the Ostuni 1 burial (Italy ca 27 ka) represent a unique opportunity to explore the prenatal biological parameters and to reconstruct the possible patho-biography of a fetus (and its mother) in an Upper Paleolithic context Phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography imaging of two deciduous tooth crowns and microfocus CT measurements of the right hemimandible of the Ostuni 1b fetus were performed at the SYRMEP beamline and at the TomoLab station of the Elettra - Sincrotrone laboratory (Trieste Italy) in order to refine age at death and to report the enamel developmental history and dental tissue volumes for this fetal individual The virtual histology allowed to estimate the age at death of the fetus at 31–33 gestational weeks Three severe physiological stress episodes were also identified in the prenatal enamel These stress episodes occurred during the last two months and half of pregnancy and may relate to the death of both individuals This cautions against the use of modern skeletal and dental references for archaeological finds and emphasizes the need for more studies on prenatal archaeological skeletal samples Studies of fetal and perinatal individuals can shed light on the life history - in its broadest sense the history of biological events in someone’s life - of both the mother and the child during gestation studies focusing on prenatal dental development are rare in the palaeoanthropological literature ca 10.5–9.5 ka) represent the only known Upper Paleolithic fetuses All three of these fetuses were found inside their mother’s pelves The Ostuni 1 burial in the Santa Maria di Agnano cave: (a) the burial during excavation (photograph by E.Vacca); (b) an enlargement of the pelvic region of Os1 with the fetus Os1b taken during excavation (photograph by E.Vacca); (c) Virtual volume rendering of the right hemimandible of Os1b in lateral view The lower right lateral deciduous incisor (LRi2) is visible through the bone transparency which relies on individual physiological rhythmicity has the advantage to overcome the use of skeletal indirect methods that are necessarily based on reference populations’ growth standards The aim of this study is to enrich our knowledge of the prenatal biology and the patho-biography of this fetus (and consequently of its mother as well) and to refine its age at death estimate Virtual histology and volume rendering of Os1b’s ULi1 and LRi1: (a,b) virtual histological sections of ULi1 (a) and LRi1 (b) crowns;(c,d) digitally enhanced sections of the ULi1 (c) and LRi1 (d) crowns The ALs are highlighted in red and the prism paths in green; (e-h) virtual 3-D reconstruction of the two deciduous central incisors Enamel thickness topographical variation is rendered by a chromatic scale from dark blue to red ULi1 labial (e) and lingual (g) views; LRi1 labial (f) and lingual (h) views It is possible that a portion of the last secreted enamel has been lost post-deposition due to its poor mineralization To estimate how much enamel is missing in both crowns the EERs of the third segments were used (see Supplementary Methods) Each profile was calculated with a locally weighted polynomial regression fit shows that the upper incisor has thicker cuspal enamel in reference to LRi1 The distribution of the enamel thickness is partially altered by minor erosions on the enamel surface The EDJ surface of LRi1 and ULi1 is close to 80% of the final area of the modern reference sample thus suggesting that the two teeth were close to the end of the recruitment of new ameloblasts along the EDJ Schematic representation of the time elapsed between each of the biological landmarks (AL 1 and AL 3) in the two central incisors of the Os1b individual The three Accentuated Lines are aligned in order to estimate more precisely the prenatal Crown Formation Time See text and Supplementary information online for further details the most parsimonious assessment of the chronology of the three stress events the chronological age at death estimate for Os1b never exceeds the 33 weeks are comparable to the age at death estimates derived from modern skeletal standards these findings support the idea that modern growth standards may be inadequate when analyzing archaeological remains These stressors possibly resulted in the death of both the mother and the child offers a methodology to create new population-specific standards aimed at partly overcoming the possible discrepancy between biological and chronological age at death estimates targeted for the prenatal enamel of the central deciduous incisors and derived from the pre-industrial skeletal series of Velia was adopted to estimate the prenatal CFT from the prism lengths All data analyses and graphs were performed using the R statistical package version 3.3.268 A sharpening filter was applied to the projections before to start the reconstruction procedure M.) 237–244 (Actes du Colloque international de Liège The gravettian infant burials from Krems-Wachtberg Babies reborn: infant/child burials in Pre-and Protohistory 15–19 (BAR International Series (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Two upper palaeolithic burials at Nazlet Khater in Palaeolithic Quarrying sites in Upper and Middle Egypt (ed M.) 273–282 (Leuven: Egyptian Prehistory Monographs 4 La Necropoli di Elea-Velia: qualche osservazione preliminare Incremental growth of deciduous tooth enamel Tooth development in human evolution and bioarchaeology R-Core-Team. R: A language and environment for statistical computing, http://www.R-project.org/ (2017) Download references We thank the Elettra laboratory for providing access to the beamtime at the SYRMEP beamline and to the TomoLab instrument We want to thank Eligio Vacca for the specimens’ pictures Clément Zanolli for his help in performing the microtomographic measures and for the segmentation of the microtomographic volumes Clément Zanolli and Alessandra Sperduti provided many hints on earlier stages of the manuscript We thank Leigh Oldershaw for improving the language and for helpful suggestions We thank Christopher Dean for his comments on the manuscript We want to thank Roberto Macchiarelli for his support and for his participation in conceiving and designing the general research We thank the “Museo di Civiltà Preclassiche della Murgia Meridionale” and the “Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Puglia” for granting access to the specimens and for authorizing the microtomographic analysis (auth This research was partially funded by the PhD School of Sapienza University of Rome Networking support was also provided by the EXTREMA COST Action MP1207 Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro” Museo di Civiltà Preclassiche della Murgia Meridionale Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro di Studi e Ricerche “Enrico Fermi” The “Abdus Salam” International Centre for Theoretical Physics conceived and designed the general research designed and conducted the synchrotron-based and conventional X-ray microtomographic measures at Elettra coordinated the archaeological excavation and provided samples facilitated the research and provided access to infrastructures performed the tomographic image reconstruction The authors declare that they have no competing interests Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-09773-2 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2023) Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Search for shows online and experience them offline. Il Tacco di Bacco is a tool designed to enhance the quality of our lives. A fulfilling existence is built on authentic connections, which we believe can only arise in the real world. This is why we’ve created a guide to help you navigate, not a community to hold you back. We provide the means; you discover the purpose. Italy’s southern region of Puglia has been branded as a hidden gem for those looking to escape the busy tourist crowds of places like Santorini and Mykonos Michael Donovan, a travel expert and the co-founder of staynewengland.com told the Express that Puglia is a great alternative for travellers looking for an authentic experience without the overwhelming number of tourists Donovan claimed that overtourism is causing a lot of problems in many popular European destinations He said: “Europe is an amazing destination, but overtourism is becoming a real issue in some areas, especially in places like Santorini, Mykonos, and Venice” While these locations have beautiful scenery and plenty of history the growing number of visitors can make them feel overcrowded READ MORE: Greece and Turkey hold crunch talks over 'migration crisis' and security Donavan said: “I’d recommend avoiding Santorini during peak season.” Luckily for those looking for less crowded alternatives which he called “peaceful yet equally charming” The expert said: “Outside of Greece, I think the region of Puglia in Italy is still a bit of a hidden gem “It’s not on the radar of most British tourists yet We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy Puglia is known for its stunning coastal views and unique white-washed architecture, similar to the one found on the more crowded Amalfi Coast or Tuscany, but without the large influx of tourists.  Donovan said: “It’s a great alternative to Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast if you’re trying to dodge overtourism.  “You get the same Italian charm, but with a more relaxed atmosphere.” Those who wish to travel to Puglia can expect to find picturesque towns, authentic Italian cuisine, and beautiful landscapes. Ostuni, which is often referred to as "The White City" because of its white buildings, is one of the highlights of the region.  Visitors can also enjoy the Adriatic coastline, historical landmarks, and a slower pace of life. As Donavan put it: “You get the best of Italy’s charm and beauty, but without the crowds.” order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive Daily Express uses notifications to keep you updated Villa Ostuni is characterized by essential geometric shapes arranged in a harmonious composition representing a modern residence constructed with traditional materials from Puglia The house features white plaster facades adorned with dry stone cladding in ivory tones creating a striking contrast against the rural backdrop of olive trees and red earth Small windows on the south facade control sunlight and heat during the summer while expansive north-facing lift and slide openings provide ample fresh air and brightness Villa Ostuni is designed to cater to both leisure and work.For this project the architects in charge opted for windows and doors from the Skyline Minimal Frames collection for small and large openings These products are characterized by a refined and slim timber profile The dark etched fir timber creates a striking contrast against the light-colored walls accentuating the window spaces with a bold and graphic statement This intense color scheme extends to the furnishings which make a vivid impression against exterior stone slab paving and smooth interior concrete surfaces The choice of materials and colors in the windows and furnishings contributes to a cohesive design for the space View all available Carminati Serramenti products in the Architonic Catalog If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker with the result­ing olive oil being sold under the new asso­ci­a­tion ​“Circle of Life.” The goal of the asso­ci­a­tion is to pro­tect and value the olive oil pro­duced by ancient trees while spread­ing the pro­to­col to other dis­tricts and infected areas with plans to pro­vide online resources for grow­ers to adhere to the pro­to­col Olive oil pro­duced by the resilient orchards adher­ing to the pro­to­col cre­ated by the newly funded anti-Xylella asso­ci­a­tion ​“Circle of Life,” will be sold and researched “We have already started; this year it was our first year. We have two hun­dred olive trees here, and for the ini­tia­tive, we pro­duced one bot­tle of extra vir­gin olive oil for each one of the trees,” Jennifer Andreu owner of Masseria Guadalupe in Ostuni and Circle of Life coor­di­na­tor The result­ing ​“Olio Traiana” extra vir­gin olive oil is named after the ​“Via Traiana,” the ancient Roman road that con­nected Brindisi to Benevento and the rest of the Roman ter­ri­tory “The goal of the asso­ci­a­tion is to give value to the excel­lent olive oil pro­duced by the ancient trees while pro­tect­ing them and sup­port­ing those who do not have the means to adopt the pro­to­col and save their trees,” James Kinahan Olio Traiana and Circle of Life mar­ket­ing man­ager The asso­ci­a­tion hopes to even­tu­ally adopt a spe­cific label for EVOOs pro­duced by Scortichini pro­to­col-adher­ing orchards ​“That could also help in spread­ing our idea to other dis­tricts and reach other infected areas,” Andreu added we have had the inter­ven­tion of the famous Mexican artist and designer Pedro Friedeberg who authored this year’s label and helped us craft a prod­uct which also includes infor­ma­tion about the Scortichini pro­to­col,” Kinahan noted “We have seen the results by talk­ing with the grow­ers who are apply­ing the pro­to­col We already orga­nized two events with the local com­mu­nity There is a grow­ing inter­est for the pro­to­col,” Andreu said “We had Marco Scortichini at the last event in December, with him was another researcher of the University of Bari, Francesco Porcelli whose work is cru­cial in under­stand­ing the dynam­ics of the spread­ing of the bac­te­ria We also had the sup­port of the local branch of the CIA-Italian farm­ers asso­ci­a­tion which will help Circle of Life in reach­ing farm­ers in the area,” Andreu explained Many local grow­ers inter­viewed by Olive Oil Times con­firmed that the Scortichini pro­to­col allows even highly infected olive trees to recover and start pro­duc­ing again In the last few months, dozens of trees have been infected out­side the red zone areas. Just a few weeks ago, local regional author­i­ties expanded the ter­ri­tory for­mally con­sid­ered hit by Xylella to include the new regions mon­i­tor­ing oper­a­tions again found more infected trees out­side the cur­rent red zones “Our goal is to give value to the olive oil of those unique cen­turies-old plants And to show how the pro­tec­tion of the trees and of such land­scape has strong eco­nomic impli­ca­tions,” Kinahan noted The next steps for the new ini­tia­tive will include post­ing all of its infor­ma­tion and a treat­ment cal­en­dar online ​“That will help grow­ers to con­tact us and even­tu­ally adhere to the asso­ci­a­tion It will also sup­port them in plan­ning in advance the deploy­ment of the pro­to­col the whole year through,” Andreu con­cluded More articles on:  , , Italy Unveils Plan to Revitalize Olive Oil Sector funding initiatives and an interprofessional association proposes a fresh course for Italian olive oils Pieralisi Appoints New Chief Executive the new chief executive plans to focus on increasing its presence in key markets and continuing to develop cutting-edge technology Italian Growers Face Disappointing Yields many producers are seeing below-average oil yields yields are normal but there's far less fruit Italy’s Severe Drought Damages Olive Trees Ahead of Harvest The country's major olive-growing regions are hit by heatwaves and drought Production is anticipated to fall to historic lows Festival to Celebrate Mediterranean Tastes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Cilento The Olivitalymed event runs from May 4th to 6th and will bring together producers Producers Navigate Climate and Market Headwinds with Optimism In the annual Olive Oil Times Harvest Survey farmers and millers rated their harvests above average while citing familiar challenges of climate change and consumer confusion New Class of Sommeliers Affirmed in London retailers and olive oil enthusiasts from around the world delved into production and sensory assessment in Central London Italian Bill Would Support Hobby Growers to Prevent Abandonment The proposed legislation recognizes the role of hobbyist olive growers in preserving the environment and Italy’s agricultural heritage that look like garden sheds for garden gnomes Perhaps it was the lazy ‘New Tuscany’ tag that used to be bandied about Or perhaps it was just me. I was dazzled by Lecce when I first visited 25 years ago. The city is the star turn not only of Puglia but of all southern Italy and I may not have given the rest of the region its due where the landscapes were armoured with rock and the olive trees were as ornate as cathedrals and a single lighthouse – the Punta Palascìa – gazed out to sea Sunbathing at Cala dell’Acquaviva, DisoLavinia CernauThe heel of the Italian boot, caught between the Adriatic and the Ionian seas, the region feels like an island, peripheral, a place apart, only tenuously European. Puglia is the end of something, and the beginning of something else. Down here on the edge of Europe The white cubist houses could be North Africa and the labyrinthine towns their lanes a bewildering maze of privacies Celebrities may have discovered its retro charms; Helen Mirren Meryl Streep and Gérard Depardieu are among those who have purchased houses here But the real connoisseurs – ordinary Italians – know and love Puglia for its food Nonna on her balcony in MonopoliLavinia CernauAnd in Puglia, summer seems to go on forever, almost lingering into November perhaps more imagined than real – that sense of freedom among sand and  rock the paths threading through dunes to  the sea Puglia is the resin-y scent of pine and roadsides thick with oleander shedding spent pink blossoms and the high-pitched drone of cicadas It is calamari and ice-cold beer and the glow of sun on your skin at day’s end It is beach umbrellas ruffled by the sirocco and bronzed limbs unfolding in hammocks dishevelled lunches and jugs of rosé wine in the shade of porticoes where you find yourself suddenly confessing things you thought you would never say Puglia is those inappropriate summer love affairs that last a week and that you remember a lifetime Puglia is where Italians go to escape real life The transformation of the old masserie into luxury properties – literally blown open by contemporary designers – is a cultural as well as architectural project In the towns, it is palaces that evoke the old anxieties. They too are often turned in on themselves, a labyrinth of passageways and quirky rooms. There is always the sense, or the hope, that you will stumble upon something you were not meant to see. In the town of Ostuni, where there are some of the finest sea views in Italy, the Palazzo Rosso – now Paragon 700 – is a place of secrets and conspiracies Peepholes indicate that it was once a convent while in the 19th century its rooms were the rendezvous for secret plots in support of Garibaldi and Italian unification In the walled garden behind high stone walls is a secret orange grove like hidden treasure Early morning in OstuniLavinia CernauThe southernmost stretch of Puglia is Salento bony place where wild figs grow in profusion groves of contorted olive trees retreat into green shadow and pomegranates ornamented with fruit peep over dry-stone walls keeping watch for Turks who gave up invading in 1571 gaze across a sea towards the mountains of Albania as if Europe’s extremities shared a bleak windswept ancestry Moored on Salento’s west coast is the city of Gallipoli Lanes twist between old palaces like gangways before rounding a last corner and emerging on the wide decks of the seafront the old churches seem to lean forward like elaborate figureheads their façades scoured and bleached by salt winds the best of Salento is the string of towns and bays along its east coast who was said to have landed here on his way from Palestine to Rome was so impressed he insisted it become a mandatory stop on the way to Paradise smart Italians take one of the white houses overlooking a cute harbour where sunbathers stretch out on the quays while boys somersault into the water splendid Moorish palaces promise cures for bronchitis arthritis and that most terminal of illnesses – ageing a colossal castle blocks the sun in the middle of the town Horace Walpole set his famous Gothic novel The Castle of Otranto here filling it with chivalrous knights and despairing princesses Lunch spot at Aquamarea in Polignano a MareLavinia CernauIt is the limestone of Salento Experts speak of its variations with the kind of passion sommeliers reserve for grape varietals – carparo each offering the sculptor different possibilities In the city of Lecce, Salento’s focal point, the possibilities of the local limestone come into their own. Guides call Lecce ‘the Florence of the South’. Puglians shrug and say, ‘Who needs Florence when we have Lecce?’ Nine colossal churches of the most extraordinarily delicate ornamentation all the result of the ‘tender’ malleable properties of the local stone Trailing in their wakes are countless ornate palaces Swimmers in Polignano a MareLavinia CernauSouth of Otranto, I followed a rocky path down to the Punta Palascìa lighthouse, Italy’s easternmost point. Whitecaps rode the sea. A sailing yacht was leaning into the Grecale, a north-easterly wind which is delightful when it blows in the summer months. Puglians are connoisseurs of winds, and attribute characteristics to each. The north winds of summer, they are fond of saying, heal the heart. Sofitel Dubai The Palm has named its new director of operations - hiring internally as the resort bolsters its leadership team Antonio Ostuni steps up to the role from his previous position of director of F&B it is one of Ostuni's first roles in top-level hospitality operations he was F&B manager at The Westin Langkawi Resort and Spa later moving to Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai as pre-opening director of F&B he went on to serve as director of F&B for the JW Marriott Cairo leading 500 staff and more than 730,000 total covers annually directly reporting to the complex general manager and in charge of the food & beverage division for a total of 600-plus staff and one million covers yearly He joined Sofitel Dubai The Palm in 2020 as its director of F&B he was entrusted with deploying plans that continue the hotel's gastronomic success and elevate the reputation of all of its restaurants Get your weekly dose of armchair travelling 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 2024Courtesy of Masseria CalderisiSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links too; and don’t forget to try some orecchiette handmade by a nonna on the winding streets of Bari’s old town It also helps that there is now a burgeoning scene of luxury hotels all offering a surprisingly diverse mix of experiences which have played no small part in it being nicknamed by some as “the new Tuscany,” even if comparing it to other Italian regions feels like underselling Puglia’s specific charms the southern part of the region—the stiletto on the heel of the boot if you like—a number of small-scale boutique hotels are offering a more eclectic range of genuinely unique stays there’s never been a better time to visit the region Vogue rounds up seven of the best hotels in Puglia to visit this summer—and return to you wouldn’t guess for a moment that this sprawling breathtakingly beautiful property was only built in 2010 That’s right: Every one of Borgo Egnazia’s meticulously designed rooms and villas—183 in total—might appear centuries-old on the surface but they reach a world standard in luxury mod cons a native Puglian who was hired for his knowledge of the quirks of the region’s traditional building techniques even went around chipping at the walls with a chisel to ensure the creamy local sandstone looked as authentically weathered as possible.) When you find yourself getting pleasantly lost in Borgo Egnazia’s alleyways Two of the pools in the heart of Borgo Egnazia at dusk Photo: Jacob SjömanBorgo Egnazia’s piazza is lit up in the evening for dinner Photo: Aldo RicciWhile Borgo Egnazia is very much the brainchild of couple Aldo Melpignano and Camilla Vender—the latter also runs an exquisitely curated boutique as part of the hotel complex—the story actually runs a generation further back; specifically the first luxury hotel in the region in 1996 Sergio and Marisa Melpignano played a crucial role in establishing Puglia as the growing tourist hotspot it is today by making a conscious effort to market the region abroad With Melpignano and Vender’s willingness to both take up the mantle and push that vision to the next level the wildly ambitious Borgo Egnazia project came to be the impressive castle at the town’s highest point Most of what is visible today was constructed in the 17th century but it also features the foundations of an 11th-century Norman tower rediscovered while the building was being lovingly refurbished half a decade ago and that can now be seen through glass floors in the dining area that features a swimming pool and slick sports facilities Courtesy of Castello di UgentoIl Tempo Nuovo restaurant—with glass floors looking to the remains of the Norman tower underneath—at Castello di Ugento Courtesy of Castello di UgentoA major highlight here is the food: The hotel restaurant sees chef Tommaso Sanguedolce put an impressively fresh and unfussy twist on traditional Puglian cuisine while the now well-established Puglia Culinary Centre offers cooking courses and classes for everyone from beginners to Michelin-star chefs wanting to learn more about Italian cuisine there’s an impressive series of rooms on the building’s piano nobile featuring Baroque frescoes that have been recently restored within which Bianchi is gearing up to stage a series of exhibitions featuring contemporary artists both local and from further afield When it comes to offering opportunities for Puglian cultural immersion Photo: Courtesy of Masseria TrapanàJust 15 minutes from the center of Lecce, a rural road will guide you to the gates of Masseria Trapanà: a leafy oasis that stands out as one of Puglia’s most charming stays Stepping into the expansive courtyard that serves as the beating heart of this sprawling and further into the vaulted lobby—complete with plush sofas and stacks of coffee-table books to invite you to immediately settle in and relax—what strikes you first is the deceptive simplicity of the decor a spare yet supremely elegant tastefulness reigns: think four-poster beds designed in wiry wrought iron and an emphasis on contemporary local craftsmanship (In my first-floor room with sweeping views over the fields beyond Photo: Courtesy of Masseria TrapanàPhoto: Courtesy of Masseria TrapanàYou’d be forgiven for thinking the property was overseen by a dyed-in-the-wool Pugliese family it’s the brainchild of the Australian Rob Potter-Sanders who discovered the 16th-century property over a decade ago and opened its doors in 2015 it’s an object lesson in how to run a boutique hotel: even as other (supremely chic there was a feeling you were staying at your very own private villa or at least the holiday home of the coolest people you know from afternoons spent lazing by the Edenic swimming pool carved into the historic network of storage rooms below the main villa Tuck into a perfectly cooked plate of seafood spaghetti and a glass of crisp chilled Salento white wine under the lemon trees It’s an oh-so-laid-back slice of la dolce vita Address: Strada Vicinale Masseria Trapana 9 found in the cluster of luxurious masserias that have sprung up between the towns of Fasano and Savelletri was established as one of the first high-end stays in the region back in the 2000s Since being taken over and refurbished by Rocco Forte Hotels in 2019 the property has found a new lease on life it’s the quintessential vision of a relaxed masseria holiday with all of the rustic details of a typical farm stay: a sparkling blue pool But it’s the details found in its interiors and dining that elevate it largely thanks to the aesthetic vision realized by Olga Polizzi Rocco Forte’s sister and the chain’s design director sits within a pergola draped with ivy and roses overlooking the property’s orchard The pool and bar area at Masseria Torre Maizza Courtesy of Rocco Forte HotelsThe interior dining area of Carosello restaurant at Masseria Torre Maizza Courtesy of Rocco Forte HotelsThere’s a sense The large pool area features a bar offering crisp local wines and creative riffs on Italian aperitivi The spa is stocked with products by Forte’s daughter with scrubs and oils directly inspired by the Mediterranean botanicals of southern Italy Rocco Forte’s relatively modest size ensures much of its most welcoming details are those which have been kept within the family.) It’s a small slice of heaven that feels almost specifically designed for you to laze away a summer’s afternoon under an orange tree as a cool sea breeze rustles through the trees Photo: Serena EllerThe result is a charming mish-mash of ceiling frescoes with cutting-edge contemporary art sympathetically reconciled by the Milanese architects and designers Ludovica and Roberto Palomba The monastic plaster walls have been left largely untouched their weathered surfaces and cracks kept intact with any interventions largely offered by artist-designed light fittings and the occasional piece of carefully placed modernist furniture Each room contains its own unexpected details The bathroom might be accessed by a narrow staircase that once included a secret passageway that extended all the way to the nearby beaches while even a more conventional en suite features a rain shower in the middle of the room with a shell-like basin so you can live out your best Birth of Venus fantasy The courtyard at Palazzo Daniele.Photo: Renee KempsThe royal junior suite at Palazzo Daniele Photo: Renee KempsLooking into the kitchen of Palazzo Daniele from the pool area.Photo: Serena EllerAgain the culinary offering is a major highlight here An open kitchen means you can help yourself to pastries or request eggs your way in the morning with the help of local cooks whose families have lived in the town for generations; at lunch they’ll prepare a meal of however many courses you can handle in the shaded area by the pool with string lights sparkling in the trees and an on-site bartender ready to whip up one of their signature inventive cocktails The hotel’s motto is “questa casa non è un albergo,” or “this house is not a hotel,” a fact that is reflected in the generously proportioned shared living areas and the open bar built around a former religious shrine who previously kept an apartment within the complex that was recently converted into the hotel’s newest accommodation the Black Suite—demonstrates it’s more than just a tagline who fell in love with Puglia in the 2000s and married in the region a decade ago whether escorting them to the sea in a four-wheel drive or stopping by their dinner tables for a digestivo.) There’s an exuberant feeling about this property evident in the range of activities on offer—an afternoon at their private strip of beach and lemon from the masseria’s gardens—as well as in its lovely boutique which stocks local ceramics and olive oils alongside casual pieces and beachwear from the likes of Etro The outdoor dining area at Masseria Calderisi’s La Corte restaurant Courtesy of Masseria CalderisiA bedroom at Masseria Calderisi Courtesy of Masseria CalderisiThis sense of warmth and liveliness extends to the impeccable hospitality which manages to be friendly and keenly attentive without ever feeling overbearing So too is it visible in the organic conviviality between guests many of whom are clearly satisfied to chat about finding this undiscovered gem within the region’s ever-growing number of luxury masserias If you’re looking to strike up conversation with those on the sun lounger next to you there’s no awkwardness here; you might even bump into them again while participating in a morning bread-baking session in the hotel’s restored wood-fire oven or at the pizza party in the large courtyard that takes place twice a week Masseria Calderisi is a slice of classic Puglian paradise with a fresh The bedroom of the flagship Paragon suite at Paragon 700. Photo: Gregory VenereEven from the outside, Paragon 700 is no ordinary Italian palazzo Its striking facade of red rusticated stone sticks out within the spectacular “white city” of Ostuni while the restored vintage car that sits outside offers something of a clue to its unconventional mix of the past and present But stepping inside is to enter another world entirely The weird and wonderful brainchild of its founders interior designers and partners Pascale Lauber and Ulrike Bauschke they clearly saw the restoration of this mysterious building (its exact origins and dates of construction still remain largely unknown) as an opportunity to unleash their wildest design instincts The property opened last summer with head-spinningly fabulous results Paragon 700’s vintage car sits on the piazza directly in front of the palazzo Photo: Gregory VenereThe pool area at Paragon 700.Photo: Gregory VenereA bespoke bathtub in one of Paragon 700’s eleven suites Photo: Gregory VenereThe expansive bar area is Baroque by way of Tim Burton: statues of macabre grinning monkeys sit next to defaced reinterpretations of Renaissance paintings while candelabras dripping with red wax line the tables where artist-designed sofas are upholstered with sewn-together silk ties The hotel’s 11 individually designed rooms are intentionally more relaxed Despite the flamboyant trappings of its decor both wellness and sustainability are a priority here reached by glass elevator and built into the underground caves that are atmospherically lit with candles and even a natural whirlpool dug deeper into the ground the hotel’s commitments to micro-CHP energy and local construction materials are also notable Probably the biggest facet of Paragon 700’s appeal one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region but that somehow manages never to feel wildly overcrowded Getting lost in the city’s labyrinth of alleyways and admiring its Gothic cathedral are unmissable elements of a Puglian vacation all on their own—but knowing you can return to the homely environs of Paragon 700 for a refreshing dip in the pool a cocktail as delightfully offbeat as the decor open-kitchen Restaurant 700 to round off the evening makes the experience all the sweeter Address: Largo Michele Ayroldi Carissimo 14 The front facade of Castle Elvira. Photo: Rei MoonA new opening for 2022, Castle Elvira sits atop a picturesque ridgeway 20 minutes or so outside of the historic city of Lecce But the real star of the show is the castle itself: according to legend it was built in the early 20th century by a Neapolitan family for their teenage daughter Elvira leaving the castle abandoned for over 100 years a British couple purchased the property and set about reviving it to its former glories—albeit with a very 21st-century twist The drawing room at Castle Elvira with a vintage Bechstein piano Photo: Rei MoonBalancing these nods to history with a sensitive restoration and firmly contemporary amenities the exuberant decor is a kaleidoscope of bold colors where art covers every wall of its six individually designed guest suites while the castle is also available to hire out in its entirety for group holidays and weddings.) The eclectic vision for the property is very much the product of its owners artist and filmmaker Harvey B-Brown and his property developer husband Steve Riseley who are as jolly and inviting as the decor you have the pick of the entire property when it comes to choosing where to eat the traditional Pugliese home cooking on offer There’s the restaurant space which sits in its own single-story building surrounded by palms and bedecked with charming vintage signs an opulent dining room with a round table for communal eating where you can enjoy aperitivo and the sunset as viewed from its fairytale turrets; a converted golf cart will even bring you cocktails and boxed lunches to eat by the pool With a nearby sister property set in the tower of an 18th-century monastery Castle Elvira lands as a wildly characterful new addition to Puglia’s offering of unexpected luxury stays Amenities: Restaurants, swimming pools, wellness center, spa Address: Via Muzza 7, 73028 Otranto, Italy Address: Piazzetta Scipione De Summa, 4, 73100 Lecce, Italy Amenities: Restaurant, bar, spa, swimming pools, free parking Address: Via Podgora 60, 73027 Minervino di Lecce, Italy Courtesy of Palazzo PrestaAmenities: Restaurant, bar, bicycle rentals Address: 29 Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 73014 Gallipoli, Italy