Curator’s statement
Darlings, Puglia is the kind of place that teaches you how to slow down without ever feeling like you are missing a thing. It is Ostuni's whitewashed glow at golden hour, Polignano a Mare's cliffs dropping straight into the Adriatic, and candlelit tables over orecchiette that stretch long into the evening. This is a region that has mastered the art of dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing absolutely nothing, while still managing to feel completely alive at every turn.
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Things to do in Puglia
Learn pasta at a masseria
There is nothing quite like standing in a farmhouse kitchen with a nonna teaching you her orecchiette technique. I promise you will never look at pasta the same way again.
Boat tour through the sea caves
Gliding along the coast to explore hidden grottoes is one of my favorite ways to see Puglia from a completely different angle, all turquoise water and dramatic limestone.
Drive a vintage Fiat 500 through the countryside
There is something wonderfully romantic about winding through olive groves in a little vintage Fiat, the countryside unfolding at exactly the right pace.
Spend a night in a cave hotel in Matera
Most visitors treat Matera as a day trip, but darlings, I always encourage a night here. Watching the ancient city glow at dusk from inside a cave dwelling is unforgettable.
Visit a caseificio for fresh burrata tasting
Burrata made that same morning, still warm and impossibly creamy, is one of those simple pleasures that stays with you long after the trip ends.
Taste local wines in the countryside
An afternoon spent among the vineyards, glass in hand, is Puglia at its most unhurried and most delicious.
Make orecchiette with the Bari Vecchia donnas
In the old town of Bari, local women still roll pasta on their doorsteps the traditional way, and joining them for a lesson is as much about connection as it is about the food.
Places to eat & drink in Puglia
Quintessenza, Trani
Darlings, if you want refined Pugliese cooking with the water right at your feet, this is the address I always send my travelers to.
Due Camini, Savelletri
I save this one for the special occasions, polished and beautiful without ever tipping into stuffy.
Cibus, Ceglie Messapica
There is a reason locals have loved this spot for years, and one meal here and you will understand exactly why.
Moroseta Kitchen, Ostuni
After a day wandering the White City, this is where I always find myself, relaxed and beautifully done every time.
Casa San Giacomo, Ostuni
Intimate, full of character, and exactly the kind of place I want to linger over a slower evening.
Il Guazzetto, Monopoli
The seafood here is wonderfully fresh, and the view only makes it better, darlings.
L'Angiulino, Lecce
A true Lecce classic, unpretentious in the best way and packed with flavor.
Taverna del Porto, Tricase
Tucked into the port, this one feels like my own little local secret, and now I am sharing it with you.
Biancofiore, Bari
A lovely stop for classic Pugliese dishes done exactly as they should be.
Osteria da Giuseppe, Ceglie Messapica
Another Ceglie favorite of mine, hearty, deeply traditional, and always satisfying.
Need to know
A car is truly essential here, darlings, since the real magic of Puglia lives in the hill towns and countryside masserias that the trains simply cannot reach.
I always tell my travelers that late spring and early fall are the sweetest times to visit, when the weather is glorious and the towns feel wonderfully unhurried, and that a week gives you the best taste of everything Puglia has to offer.
Travel Advisor
The Travel Collective
Stephanie Bloom
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