Tucked away at the back of Italy’s heel, Puglia has been somewhat off-radar for British visitors.
The Italians, however, know better, and have long been flocking to make the most of its year-round sunshine, beautiful old towns and beaches framed by mountains.
Classic Collection Holidays features five properties in Puglia, and reports a 20% year-on-year increase in sales, with more modest properties leading the way.
Marketing manager Andrew Farr says: “There is a perception that Italy in general is an expensive destination and that Puglia is no exception to the rule. That is perhaps true of the more traditional five-star ‘masseria’ accommodation (restored former country estates and farmhouses) where prices for a couple staying seven nights at the height of summer can be something in the region of £4,500.”
However, Classic Collection’s best-selling property so far this year is the more modest and family-orientated Hotel Del Levante set on the beach at Torre Canne, where seven nights in August starts from £928 per person.
Similarly, it offers seven nights in August at the more rural Grand Hotel La Chiusa Di Chietri, situated inland near the Unesco world heritage site of Alberobello, from £716 per person.
Sunvil Discovery offers four and five-star properties across Puglia, plus accommodation in the diminutive Trulli houses indigenous to the region.
For 2010, the operator has introduced Hotel Eos, a three-star design hotel in Lecce. Located in Lecce’s most exclusive area, this stylish hotel was created from a competition in interior design planning, engaging several young architects and craftsmen from the local area. Seven nights’ accommodation with breakfast costs from £749 per person including flights and car hire.
Kuoni has introduced properties to its Puglia programme this year. Borgo Egnazia is a resort styled as a Puglian village, with a golf course, in the Fasano district.
Also new are three eco-friendly properties in a sprawling protected coastal pine forest on the Ionian coastline: Nova Yardinia resort with a thalasso spa; Alborea Eco Lodge; and Kalidria Grand Hotel & Thalasso Spa, with seawater pools and vast array of wellness therapies.
With more UK operators than ever selling the region, now is the time to suggest Puglia as a novel option for Italophiles.
Pretty towns
Lecce is known as the Florence of the south and is perhaps the most beautiful town in the region. Clients can try pasticciotti, the town’s special sweet pastries, as they explore the old Baroque centre.
The coastal town of Ostuni is known as the White City due to its picturesque whitewashed streets and the limestone buildings of its old walled town. With lovely beaches nearby and a good selection of villas and masseria in the area, it is understandably popular with tourists.
Even the port city of Bari, Puglia’s capital, has a beautiful old town.
Heart of stone
The countryside throughout Puglia is dotted with trulli – round stone buildings that were formerly home to farm workers. Recommend that clients visit Alberobello, the trulli ‘capital’ with a high concentration of these buildings.
Distinctive to the region, many trulli have been converted to striking holiday accommodation. Also recommend a visit to the stunning octagonal fortress Castel del Monte, which sits in isolation on a hill near Bari.
Beach time
Puglia has some of the cleanest beaches in the Mediterranean, and due to their location in the far south, even the Italians swim in the warm waters as late as October.
Torre Canne is a fairy developed beach resort near Ostuni, but clients can also head to the areas around Monopoli, and Savelletri de Fasano for hotels and villas near great beaches.
Gastronomic delights
Puglia is a region dedicated to food. In summer, local produce is celebrated with almost daily food festivals. Local specialities include fresh creamy ricotta and burratina cheeses, orecchiette pasta, salami and cartellate sweets.
Foodies will enjoy a stay at Cefalicchio, a biodynamic farm near Foggia with an excellent restaurant that uses only local vegetables, fruit and meat and a stylish 18th-century villa with 12 rooms.
The suites, costing €100 per person per night, are large and beautifully appointed, and represent better value than the doubles at €60 per person per night.
Fine wines
Wine too is coming of age in the region. In the Foggia region, Tenuta Funjanera is an award-winning vineyard run by a young brother and sister team. Or clients can try Selva Reale. The restaurant, which has a pleasant garden, is known for its delicious homemade ricotta and its Nero di Troia red wine.
Olive origins
Olive trees are synonymous with the region. There are more than 50 million in Puglia and a third of all of Italy’s olive oil is produced here. Many olive masserias (farms) offer accommodation.
Clients looking for a touch of luxury could try Il Frantoio near Ostuni. Home to an ancient olive grove and with a very welcoming host, its rooms are spacious, comfortable and beautifully furnished with local antiques. It costs from £88, including breakfast.
Religious icon
Monte Sant’Angelo, in the north of Puglia, is a holy Catholic site. Its Basilica has a grotto that’s been a place of pilgrimage for more than 500 years.
Situated high on the cliffs with views over the olive groves and sea, there’s also an ancient castle and picturesque town. Nearby San Giovanni Rotondo is the home of Padre Pio, a modern day monk who became a saint after his death in 1968.
More crowd-free Italy tips
Getting there
British Airways flies twice-weekly from Gatwick to Bari (April to October), while Alitalia offers indirect flights via Milan or Rome. From Stansted, Ryanair flies to Bari daily (in season) and to Brindisi on Thursday and Sunday.
Sample product
Kuoni offers five nights’ bed and breakfast at the Masseria Fortificata Donnaloia, staying in a standard room, including flights with BA from Gatwick to Bari with private transfers in resort. Prices for 2010 from £724 per person based on two sharing. agents.kuoni.co.uk, 01306 747008
Citalia offers seven nights’ bed and breakfast in the five-star Masseria Torre Coccaro Hotel in Puglia from £899 per person, including flights from Gatwick to Bari with BA. Prices valid for departures in May. citalia.com/agentlogin, 0871 664 0253
Cresta offers seven nights’ self-catering accommodation at the Locorotondo Trullo from £479 per person, based on four sharing, including flights. thomascookgroupagent.com, 0844 879 8014
