It wasn’t supposed to be a working holiday. I was supposed to be having a bit of much-needed time away from my phone. But then… ITALY. I can’t really go there and not want to post photos and blog about it, because at almost every turn is something beautiful to do, see or eat – from fried fancies on a shiny flagstone street in Puglia, to epic sandwiches in a food market on Sicily. It would be sort of selfish not to share the joy, wouldn’t it? So many of you got in touch on instagram to ask if I was planning on blogging our trip, and I wasn’t (hence some of the dodgy photography, sorry about that), but it seems that there is an appetite for it – so here it is, some of the top things we did on our trip, as well as some tips for you on places to go and eat. I’m going to start with Puglia, because we were only there for a few days but it certainly warrants its own post.
We had been planning our trip to Sicily when we realised some friends were heading to Puglia around the same time, so we decided to bolt on a few days just before to hang out with them, and also because I’ve been wanting to head to Puglia for so long – there has been such a buzz about the region in recent years, we didn’t need much convincing. In hindsight, we could definitely have spent a lot longer here, as it’s a fascinating, rugged and varied region with so much to offer. If you’re planning a trip to either Puglia or Sicily (and you should, you really, really should), you are massively in for a treat: both are simply delicious in very unique ways, and to some extent share a rawness and authenticity that some of the more well-trodden parts of Italy lack. But I’d say possibly better to devote an entire holiday to each one in turn, as I really feel we only just scratched the surface with Puglia – we are already thinking about revisiting. I’d say both places are easiest explored by car and if you can rent one it’s well worth doing. We were there in June and the weather was super hot but changeable – in both places we experienced storms so do make sure you pack a raincoat!
Puglia: bag a trullo of dreams
We stayed in a friend’s amazing trullo deep in the countryside of the the Brindisi province, surrounded by pear and olive trees, cacti, lavender bushes and elegantly gangly wild carrot flowers (also known as Queen Anne’s Lace). There was a saltwater pool for cooling off and – you can imagine my glee – TWO kitchens, one indoor and one outdoor, and I think if you’re planning a self-catering trip, a trullo is by far the best way to go.
Trullos are gorgeous conical dry stone constructions unique to Puglia, and as soon as you get into the countryside you’ll see their pretty pointed limestone roofs punctuating the arid landscape. Built originally as field shelters, storehouses and accomodation for shepherds and agricultural workers, they date back hundreds of years, and were developed supposedly as a way to avoid paying property tax, as they could be easily dismantled! While there are still locals living in plenty of them, many have been converted into holiday homes so it’s worth doing a bit of googling around. If you’re on a budget, there are a few good ones on Air B and B – this looks AMAZING and is 80 pounds a night: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/943864
Ours is listed here: http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/trullo-san-pietro and the best way to book is through messaging Melissa on the Trullo’s Instagram. The Thinking Traveller also has some really stunning options: https://www.thethinkingtraveller.com/thinkpuglia/trulli-in-puglia.aspx
The usual set up is a bedroom in each of the cones, and then a separate kitchen and or living space. Ours had a dreamy little outbuilding kitchen which was just the nicest place to cook, and really cool, but there was also a makeshift outdoor kitchen which seems to be a bit of a thing both in Puglia and Sicily. We ate in loads because the local produce is so ridiculously good: the ripest, most perfumed flat peaches I’ve ever tasted, really sweet apricots and tomatoes, gorgeous local cured meats and fish from the coast and cheese, oh the cheese. Make sure you keep an eye out for local dairies, we found this one right by our trullo which did the loveliest homemade ricotta, yoghurt and mortadella.
Eat at: Bosco Verde for beachside seafood with gastronomic inclinations
This beachside restaurant is part of an organised beach club set up just up the coast from Ostuni and is the best place we ate in Puglia. The restaurant is really simple and understated, but the kitchen means business. Sparklingly fresh local seafood is the MO, and you can pick out your fish from the seafood counter depending on what they’ve caught. We shared a stunning raw platter of incredible shellfish and molluscs (pictured) – sweet red prawns, creamy raw, finely sliced squid, bulging raw red mussels and clams, oysters, sea urchin and langoustine. This is my idea of heaven, the freshest seafood, straight from the sea, not cooked or even licked with lemon, just as pure as it comes. Also to share were some utterly delicious fried octopus balls slathered in a fresh yoghurt sauce. I followed that with a risotto of lemon and the local red prawns, but also loved the look of Jamie’s vongole with handmade tagliarini. We drank two bottles of a biodynamic sparkling wine which was the perfect accompaniment. Given the quality of the produce, the attentive service and the flair of the chefs, I thought this was really reasonably priced, at about 40 euros a head.
Visit: Ceglie Messapica
Ceglie Messapica – one of the oldest towns in Puglia – was our closest leap to civilisation. It’s a really pretty ancient town with loads of really old streets and alleys to explore. We went there in early evening and the light bouncing off the crumbling, white-fronted buildings was simply sublime. Add to that the fact there was some sort of local festivities going on – and a stage in the middle of the square hosted a live band for the entire evening with what seemed like everyone and their nonna turning out to watch them – and the whole place was covered in ornate light trellises, and it really was utterly magical.
Eat at: Vino Fritte E Cucina for the fried antipasti and the cutest al fresco set up
We stumbled upon this little restaurant on our night in Ceglie Messapica. When I say stumbled upon, it was hard to miss, given that it consists of fully laid tables spread all over the sloping flagstone street just off the main square. I usually avoid places so close to the main drag, but couldn’t resist the sweetness of this place, with its floral tablecloths and splatter ceramics. It was a place I knew my mega stylish friends Jackson and Levine would approve of (check out their gorgeous Puglian-inspired ceramics for Habitat here) and so we pulled up a pew and ordered the antipasti.
Before we get onto the food, it’s worth noting that the wine we had here was really terrible. We had the fact that we couldn’t speak Italian going against us for sure (such lame British tourists), but despite trying a white, red and a rose, we couldn’t hit on a winner. Might be worth sticking to beers or better still, Campari spritz! Unless you are a better human than me, that is, and can make yourself understood in Italian. In which case I think you could probably order something good. But just don’t nod along when they try and pour you the house wine, whatever you do!
The antipasti though, made up for what the wine lacked. It came by the uninterrupted plateful, from melted taleggio served simply as just that – a melted plate of cheese; to tuna tartare; moreish little fried dough balls flecked with mint (pictured); deep fried mozzarella and whitebait-type fish and a steaming bowl of muscles and delicious tomato salad. I could take or leave the pasta that followed, but I would say this place is worth a visit for the antipasti alone, and the fact that they bring a complimentary bowl of cherries to the table at the end of the meal, along with chilled limoncello or Amaro (a medicinal-tasting herbal Italian digestif). Also the man who owns it and served us was like a really friendly Italian Ted Danson. So lots to love about this place!
Visit: Ostuni – Puglia’s whitewashed Medieval city
Known for its stunning white-painted buildings, the winding medieval walled city of Ostuni is well worth a visit. Architecture junkies will love the influences from Greek, Byzantine, Roman and Gothic architecture, and you can happily get lost in its labyrinthine streets for hours on end. The city is perched peacefully on top of a hill overlooking the region’s olive groves with distant views out to the Adriatic sea, and is much more of a tourist spot than Ceglie Messapica for this reason. There are loads of places to eat and shop, and it’s a good place to stock up on cotton dresses, olive oil, local crafts and ceramics (if, like me, you are that way inclined), which are abundant and reasonably priced. We went to a lovely little pizza restaurant with candlelit outdoor tables down a really hidden alley. The sourdough pizzas were perfect: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g642178-d1833693-Reviews-Il_Posto_Affianco-Ostuni_Province_of_Brindisi_Puglia.html
Planning a trip to Italy any time soon? Have you found this blog helpful? Please comment and let me know, also if you have any questions I’m happy to help. Thanks for reading. x