Finding Myself in Puglia: A Journey of Self-Discovery Under the Warm Southern Italian Sun

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Laine gave up her job as a nurse, sold her home and gave away most of her belongings. She had three desires bubbling at the heart of her choice: to write a book, paint a picture and climb a mountain before she died. A man with a van took her remaining belongings, along with her basset hound Basil, down to the heel of Italy over 1,500 miles away, where she would spend the next four years. This Puglia guide contains links to three services I often use myself and can recommend: Skyscanner (for flights), Booking.com (for hotel bookings), Rentalcars.com (for car hire) and GetYourGuide (for easy-to-book tours). If you make a booking via one of these services, I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). These commissions help me to maintain my blog and share more travel experiences with you. Arriving in Puglia wow, what an amazing post! <3 i can't wait to our first visit to Puglia in july. never been there but already in love with this beautiful italian region! one week will be unsatisfyingly short to explore it, but one has to begin somehow 🙂 thanks a lot! Sure, there are trains and local buses, but using them exclusively to cross this varied region is going to take more time than most travellers have. It also means you’ll likely miss many of the small coves and cute little towns and villages that make Puglia so wonderful.

Laine B. Brown (Author of Finding Myself in Puglia) - Goodreads

If you love hiking and nature on your holidays, then be sure to include Gargano on your Puglia plans. You can hike or cycle through the remains of the historic Umbra Forest, or hit up the Tremiti Islandsin the marine reserve to admire the caves. It looks a spectacular slice of nature, and I’m looking forward to returning to Puglia and finally making it here. An old watermill as seen from above Olga makes traditional Puglia pasta inside a watermill Pasta making in an old windmill (and all the food!) I took a short stroll around the town in the morning, as the streets were starting to come to life and waiters ran espressos to outside tables.

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The ‘white city’ of Puglia, Ostuni gracefully grows up from its prime position slightly inland from the coast, and the drive towards the white-washed exterior gives you some stunning viewpoints to admire it from. What I didn't like: the personality of the author which is reflected in the prose, the constant whining and complaining, the fear of everything and the constant negative notes because the Italians don't share that culture of fear, the inability to adapt to a different culture and way of doing things and perhaps above all the incredible percentage of the book which is dedicated to Laine B Brown and not to Puglia, to the experience of being an expat, to the excitement of a new adventure, to the poetics of Italy. Instead, we have to learn about her past emotional dramas, her pets and much more. No, Laine B Brown is not that interesting so I get excited by reading about these personal aspects. As travellers who have spent many an hour (or day) on buses, we're strong believers that you can reach most places with public transport. There are countless reasons Italyhas become my favourite country to travel, and the diversity between the North and South is the prime one. Puglia, sitting in the ‘heel’ of Italy’s boot feels a world away from the famous tourist city’s such as Rome, Milanor Venice, and provides an entirely different holiday destination to the North of the country.

places to visit in Puglia on a self-drive Guide to the best places to visit in Puglia on a self-drive

Given the location of Ostuni and the number of things to do here, it would make quite an excellent base for exploring Puglia from if you don’t want to stay on the coast. With the highest concentrated density of Trullo in the region, Alberobello is a sure-fire bet to see them though, and the towns many tourist facilities, restaurants and visiting tour buses are a testament to that. Alberobello Trulli, with their conical shaped roofs Our first visit to Puglia took place in late September, and we were amazed at just how wonderful the weather was. Beach days are shorter than the height of summer but with plenty of days breaching 28C we had ample opportunity to top up our tans, and bar one stormy day in Gallipoli, never had to change our plans because of bad weather. There is a silver lining however - outside of Polignano a Mare, the vast majority of tourists are Italian, which means that although there's still a healthy dose of grey nomads and tour groups, at least you'll still feel like you're in Italy.

Monopoli has a charming historic centre (don’t miss the Baroque-style Monopoli Cathedral) with a beautiful seafront promenade. The imposing walls of Monopoli. A street in Monopoli

Finding Myself in Puglia: A Journey of Self-Discovery Under Finding Myself in Puglia: A Journey of Self-Discovery Under

Not long after booking our flights, we began the arduous task of weighing up various accommodation options - unfortunately, that search began in Polignano a Mare. Laine B Brown comes from Middlesex and worked as a nurse and a counsellor before spending four years in the heel of Italy, in Puglia where she wrote her memoir, Finding Myself in Puglia. In Puglia she developed a taste for the wonderful Primitivo Puglian wine and savoured the amazing seafood that Puglia has to offer. Laine currently lives in Norfolk with her basset hound, Basil and her cat, Munchkin. The first few times we ventured to a restaurant we couldn't understand why we were getting charged an additional fee; we'd established that there were service charges levied in many restaurants but the rules of their application didn't seem clear. But if you are looking for what many would call a more ‘authentic’ Italian experience, then you can’t go wrong with Puglia. With more and more international flightsto Bari and Brindisi airports cropping up, it has also never been easier to visit. Discover the top things to do in Puglia and best places to visit, such as Alberobello, Lecce, Locorotondo and Polignano a Mare in this guide.Being in the heart of the valley, Martina Franca is a great base from which to explore the area but spend some time exploring its old centre which boasts beautiful Baroque architecture (like the Palazzo Ducale and the impressive Basilica di San Martino) and quaint streets. When you’re here, drop by for a meal at Osteria del Coco Pazzo, a charming restaurant in a vaulted space that serves excellent Puglian food and wines. Ask for the local specialty ‘capocollo’, a cured pork salami. Other restaurants I can recommend include Ristorante Garibaldi (with a lovely terrace in front of the Basilica) and La Tavernetta. It’s a joy to explore the streets in the old town. Thank you for your lovely comment – it sure made my day! 🙂 I’m glad you found my guide useful! 3 weeks is certainly enough to see Puglia at a leisurely pace. I agree with you about setting up base in several places and making day trips from each place. That’s basically how I explored Puglia myself. Home » Destinations » Europe » Italy » Things to do in Puglia, Italy: a photo guide to the best places in Italy’s dazzling heel It’s incredible to think these low ceiling buildings are actual homes, and there are some you can venture in to see the set-up of how they were traditionally lived in. There are a few stories about why the Trulli became so popular, and the tax one due to not being permanent structures seems the most likely to me. Cycle through the olives of Trullo of the Valle d’Itria Valle d’Itria You can choose to stay along the coast to enjoy the province’s stunning beaches and visit Lecce on a day trip, or you can stay in Lecce for 1-2 nights to truly appreciate its historic gems. If you enjoy cooking, I highly recommend joining this Puglia cooking course in Lecce. I recommend spending 1-2 nights in Lecce.

Finding Myself in Puglia: A Journey of Self-Discovery Under

As with every holiday however, knowing a little more about what to expect (and some insider tips from people that have already been) can be the difference between a good trip and a great trip. So, that's where this post comes in.Amazing blog. Very well explained. The pictures look scintillating, especially that of the white city. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for your lovely comment. It’s indeed a great idea to go either earlier in the year (spring, early-summer) or in autumn. All my trips there were made during these periods. Bari is a city of people, stories and food over attractions I’d say. Sure, the Casino is cool if you want a flutter and the Cathedral as grand as any other, but it was in the little alleys, small shops, and family living squares that I found the charm of Bari. If the somewhat nuanced rules of these beaches become a little too much for you, consider visiting one of the 'free beaches', or spiaggia libera. Although significantly rarer, they at least allow you the opportunity to plonk your towel wherever you damn please! Day 2-6: Central Puglia (4 nights) which includes the Itria Valley and the Adriatic coast. Suggested base: Alberobello or Martina Franca.