Southern Italy, Part I - 2018

We flew American Airlines from JFK to Rome and connected onto Alitalia into Bari. Your airport options are Bari or Brindisi, although Bari did appear to have more flight options. We arrived in the late afternoon and spent the night in a town called Noci which was an hour drive from Bari airport and a 15-minute drive to Alberobello (see below for more on this town). We chose to stay here for two reasons, (1) We wanted to be somewhat close to the first stop on our trip which was the “Valle d’Itria”, where you will find the Trulli (cylindrical homes with cone roofs). (2) I was determined to sleep in a Trullo, if only for one night! Mission accomplished;-)

The search for this spot began a little late in my trip planning so my options were limited, especially for a one night stay but I managed to stumble across this place online. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't quite sure what to expect in comparison to the other two properties I booked but our stay here really was just meant to be a place to rest our heads before our road trip began. That being said I was pleasantly surprised with Abate Masseria (our room pictured below). It was cute, clean and comfy, the breakfast was really good but more importantly, the people that run this property made it a very memorable stay. It almost felt like you were visiting family, they were very accommodating and kind. They recommended some places in town for dinner since their restaurant was closed on the night we arrived (Sunday). We went to a wine bar called, "Eno, Enoteca & Bistrot" for cocktails and for dinner we opted for pizza (of course) and went to a restaurant called "Oliver Hardy". Nothing but locals dining at each spot which is always a great sign although this definitely wasn't a touristy town anyway.

ALBEROBELLO.... a small town in the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy. It has 10,735 inhabitants and is famous for its unique trullo buildings. The trulli of Alberobello have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. A visit to the “Valle d’Itria” is a must when visiting this region and if you have an opportunity to stay in one for a couple of nights, I would highly recommend it. There are quite a few to choose from so do your research. I will say Alberobello is very touristy but if you are in this area it's worth a trip in my opinion and you only need a couple of hours to visit. You should then move on to some of the other less touristy towns such as Locorotondo, Martina Franca, etc.

LOCOROTONDO... is a town and comune of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy, with a population of about 14,000. The city is known for its wines and for its circular structure from which it derives it's name, which means "Round place". A charming town and only a short drive away from Alberobello. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at a restaurant called, "U Curdunn".

MARTINA FRANCA... is a town and municipality in the province of Taranto, Apulia, southern Italy. It is the second most populated town of the province after Taranto, and has a population of 49,086. We finished up our "valley of the trulli" tour here before heading into Ostuni which is where we planned to stay for the next two nights at Masseria Cervarolo. More on this property below.

OSTUNI.. is built on top of a hill and during the Middle Ages it began to use lime to paint houses to prevent the spread of the plague and this is the reason why Ostuni has earned over time the nickname of "the White City". It's one of my favorite towns visited during this trip especially, for the glowing sunsets. We came here two nights in a row for cocktails and dinner.

We enjoyed drinks at a lounge called "Riccardo Caffe", which was once used as a mill but now has a more modern touch yet housed inside of what appears to be an old cave. We took advantage of the weather and enjoyed our cocktails outside on one of their beanbags lining the narrow sidewalk. The inside appears to be quite a happening spot for nightlife. There were also plenty of restaurants to choose from. Here are a couple of suggestions; "Osteria Del Tempo Perso" & "La Taverna Della Gelosia".

LECCE... is a historic city in southern Italy and because of the rich Baroque architectural monuments found in the city, Lecce is commonly nicknamed "The Florence of the South". Lecce is the town where I unexpectedly found same great shopping. I found a cool store called "Tonda Design" where I picked up some great original jewelry designs and stumbled upon a couple of vintage shops as well.

MASSERIA CERVAROLO... is a farmhouse with trulli, raised in the sixteenth century, on a hill of 250 meters, overlooking a vast and fertile plain. At Masseria Cervarolo legends are linked that have made it a place of pilgrimage for those who are looking for serenity. Well, I can tell you that I definitely felt serene during my stay here.

Everything about this property was lovely, beginning with our room, the shared living space, the restaurant where breakfast was served, the pool area along with the outdoor dining area where the shadows of light serve as art. It even has its own little chapel on property! As if all that wasn't enough, we witnessed the perfect rainbow hovering above the trulli after an afternoon shower. Doesn't get much better than that.... or so we thought until we reached our next destination. Keep an eye out for "Southern Italy - Part II" post.