Category: How to

Puglia is a triumph of colors, aromas, flavors and stories. Stories that it is impossible not to tell and from which to remain enchanted so that they stick to the heart and no longer abandon it. I like to think that Puglia was born from the palette of an artist with its warm and intense colors. Of all the senses, that of sight was the most tickled and most astonished.

Puglia thanks to its continuous contamination, the exchange between different traditions, customs and habits is a strong and proud region of its origins, its history, its lush nature and its historical and culinary beauties.

Puglia is a land where you can live a unique experience , not only for its sea, its villages, its rural and modern reality, for its castles and cathedrals, for its food and wine, but especially for its authenticity and perfection.

# WHITE

White is one of the primary colors of Puglia, there are entire cities of this color, especially in the Valle d’Itria and among all these dominates ALBEROBELLO. A magical place of extraordinary uniqueness.

These are the trulli, white houses with a gray cone-shaped roof , to compose one of the most incredible landscape mosaics. You must visit the Monti  area in the historic center, where the most ancient trulli are located. Via Monte San Michele  offers some of the best preserved buildings and dominates the district of  the church of Sant’Antonio , also with its particular shape of trullo that makes it a unique religious building in the world. Many of these houses are decorated with lime drawings, on the tiles, which make them different from each other and hide mystical and particular stories.

Dedicated to this color are also some boutique hotels including “CANNE BIANCHE” located in Torre Canne di Fasano in the province of Brindisi. When you cross the threshold of this place so exclusive you can feel a special, warm, intimate and enveloping atmosphere. A place that evokes in a modern key the charm of the ancient rural villages of Puglia and the radiance from the Mediterranean.

Three are definitely the factors that will hit you. The attention to detail perceived in the furnishings, in the arrangement of the rooms and in the large garden with swimming pool. You will be speechless because of the proximity of the sea ; 20 meters will separate you from this gift of nature that will give its best from sunrise to sunset. And finally, from breakfast to dinner you will be conquered by the kitchen that constantly oscillates between tradition and innovation with flashes of great creativity.

# GREEN

The first two “green” that come to my mind thinking of Puglia are the color of olives and olive trees and the energetic “green”. And in this journey thanks to a great synergy the green has really dominated. I reached Puglia on the new RENAULT Captur, attentive to fuel consumption and emissions (allows savings of up to 12% in terms of fuel usage), very comfortable to drive and very glamorous.

And the Twizy by Renault , two-seater electric and zero-impact, were also the super-ecological vehicle with which I visited THE PARK OF DUNE COSTIERE . In my company there were For Play  and the  Serapia cooperative who showed me every corner of this natural and human wonder by telling them the secrets and every particularity.

The Valle d’Itria is set between Bari , Brindisi and Taranto , and it is this corner of Puglia that should be visited at least once in life for its characteristic views, for its white towns and its towns overlooking the sea. And it is here that I spent a night, at Pezze di Greco di Fasano, in a characteristic trullo . I used the Vigne di Salamina as a base to then go to the discovery of the surroundings in search of natural beauty, unforgettable towns and tasty dishes to taste.

# Sleep in a trullo

The Vigne di Salamina, of Trulli On Line, is located among the gentle slopes of the valley, among oak woods, large olive groves, dry stone walls and limestone walls. It is an oasis of peace where you can rest in the evening after the hours spent in the surroundings, or to take a fresh break by the pool, when the weather permits. The trullo that hosted me is Monte Zuzzu, an ancient structure with three cones, completely restored respecting tradition and perfectly adapted to the needs of a modern habitat. The Trullo Monte Zuzzu is composed of a living-living room, where there is also a sofa bed, a bedroom with double bed, furnished with rustic furniture and a kitchen, but complete with everything you need and a small and characteristic bathroom.The trullo also has a furnished panoramic terrace. The owner Nicla will, then, always at your disposal to solve any small inconvenience or give you valuable advice to visit the surroundings. And that’s how thanks to Nicla that I met Fabiana di PugliaMuchMore who brought me to know Ostuni.

# Ostuni, the white city

Ostuni appears with its white sparkle even from a distance. In fact, approaching you can immediately see its whitewashed defensive walls . Inside the old city will hit the winding streets, the beautifully maintained steps, with windows and doors colorful blue and green. In autumn, then in Ostuni you can only find locals and you can visit it in one day, without the crowds of the summer crowd and you can enjoy its beauties in a privileged and almost exclusive. Starting from the central square under the column of San Oronzo you can lose yourself in a white labyrinth of steep streets where you can meet artisan shops, like that of the ladle maker(look for Mr. Giuseppe Roma, who will enchant you with his stories in very narrow dialect), truly instagrammable views, the Duomo, the door of heaven, delicious little restaurants and little cubes, like excellent flavors , where to eat gourmet sandwiches, with first fruits at zero km, which will make you ask for an encore. A dispassionate advice, if you happen to be in Valle d’Itria do not miss out, especially out of season, a stop in Ostuni.

If you are looking for some very particular experience to do in the surrounding area, ask to visit the Conte cheese factory where you can learn the secrets of Apulian cheeses, especially caciocavallo and mozzarella . If we often complain about not being able to experience the old trades and the ancient craftsmanship, Puglia still offers a lot in this field too and I hope you will be fascinated as it happened to me.

Bergamo is a city more “collected” than Milan , offers historical beauties and moments of worldliness, but it is also at the same time far from the smog and stress of the big cities. With its 120 thousand inhabitants, the accessibility of any means of transport (the airport of  Orio al Serio  is just steps away) and the perfect  mix of history, nature and points of interest, locations punctuated by the perfect division of the city in  the upper area and  low area , Bergamo is configured as one of the most interesting Lombard destinations for couples, families, groups of friends.

Here we leave our personal list of what is unmissable.

# Go up to the upper town with the funicular and walk along the walls

For 120 years the funiculars have crossed the walls of Bergamo, connecting the contemporary center to the medieval heart of the city. During the journey the view is superb and when you re-open the doors, in the upper area, you will already be in love with Bergamo . You can then walk along the 5 km of the UNESCO Walls of Unesco, and enjoy the views of Milan on the horizon or a magnificent sunset from the stands.

Directions on how to get to the funicular with -> Google Maps

This is the link to the official ATB Bergamo transport website

# See the historic center

Piazza Vecchia is the symbol of Bergamo Alta as well as the main square of the town. All the most interesting buildings are concentrated here:

• The Palazzo della Ragione
• The civic tower, also called “il Campanone”
• The library building

At the center of the square is the historic and characteristic fountain, and into the portico below Palazzo della ragione you come out into Piazza Duomo, which houses four other beauties:

• The Duomo of Bergamo
• The Colleoni Chapel
• The Baptistery
• The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

Take some time to also admire the ancient sundial under the arcades.

Reach the Old Square with -> Google Maps.

# A sweet break

When you feel the sweet desire, allow yourself the luxury of tasting the typical  “polenta e osei” . Originally only salty recipe, or birds of fresh catch, plucked, cooked on the spit and brought to the table accompanied by polenta steaming over time has been transformed into chocolate marzipan birds placed on a cake covered with yellow marzipan similar to the color with polenta . The sweet version is found almost everywhere. Look at the pastry counters and the windows of the bars to see the various bills. Choose the most inviting, sit back and enjoy it bite after bite.

# Visit the Castle of San Vigilio

Before dipping into the colors and the ferment of the Lower City , continue a little further north to the Upper Town and make a stop at the Castle of San Vigilio, on the homonymous hill. At a height of 496 meters the Castle enjoys a breathtaking view of the Valbrembrian and the entire plain of Alamenno. Because of its privileged position, in the fifteenth century the stronghold was used as a sighting place: its structure still features four towers with gunboats and loopholes.

# Visit to the Carrara Academy

Going back to the center of Bergamo it is a must to stop at the Carrara Academy Museum, one of the most prestigious art galleries in Italy , which contains more than 1800 paintings from the 15th to the 19th century. Mantegna, Canaletto, Botticelli, Raffaello Sanzio (touching his San Sebastiano), are just some of the great names on show at the Bergamo Academy.

In front of the gallery, however, is the  Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art  ( GAMeC ), ideal for lovers of the most contemporary painters of our time: a vast offer for all those who want to rediscover the greatest masters of painting , and not only, of all time.

Here the directions of the navigator to reach the Gallery of Modern Art .

# Via XX Settembre

The area in charge of shopping in Bergamo has a name and is marked by a number . We are talking about via XX Settembre, a lively area located in the Lower City where you can really buy everything, thanks to the countless different shops along the entire stretch of road. (how to arrive with Maps )