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There is something so magical about the Italian countryside, here are the best places to visit

Hindustan Times | ByNatalia Sabinesh
Dec 12, 2018 04:38 PM IST

Leave behind the mainstream locales of Italy, the southern countryside region of Puglia has a completely different vibe to it.

Everybody falls in love with Italy. For many, this happens in the canals of Venice or seeing the magnificence of Rome or experiencing the colourful retreats of Cinque Terra. It could also be over a pasta in Milan, a rainy day in Pisa or the beaches in Amalfi. My Italian love story continued on a road trip through the relatively unventured region of southern Italy — Puglia (pronounced Poo-li-ya). And it’s a love that will endure the test of time.

Situated at the foot of Italy, this is a great region for those who are open to stepping out of popular Italian destinations like Rome or Venice. In a country where driving can be a bit challenging, Puglia made up for a good road trip. I took complete advantage of having a car and hit the cacti-filled countryside. My main agenda was to drive around little towns, the beautiful countryside and the coastline — sampling the best of this undiscovered region and this took me straight to Ostuni. 

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Ostuni

Derived from Greek, Ostuni means ‘new town’. The derivation is not surprising since the town was rebuilt by the Greeks after it was destroyed during the Punic Wars (wars fought between Rome and Carthage from 264BC to 146BC). I decided to keep this town as the base for my holiday since it is ideally located for short drives to other lovely parts of Puglia and its beautiful beaches. Known as the White City, this town was built without any plans. I had a blissful morning taking pictures of the webbed maze of cute alleyways, charming stairways, distinct flower pots and a million other photographic spots. I had to keep reminding myself that I was in Ostuni and not a film set. Colourful scooters, vintage cars, green windows and cute elderly Italian men driving their three-wheelers to sell vegetables made me fall in love with this town.

The locals have taken so much effort to embellish their homes. You will notice a likeable display of cacti against the white backdrop of the walls in everyone’s homes. “What? No tourist office?” That’s how I initially reacted on not having found any place to get directions. However, this made me get out there and interact with the locals. I have to admit I had so much fun doing that. The locals are really friendly and if they like you, you might even end up playing a pack of cards with them on the streets. Or getting a few kisses too. 

Locorotondo

Another highlight of the Puglia region is Locorotondo. Out of all the towns I visited, this one had the most luxurious touch to it. Everything looked elegant — the streets, houses, facades and archways. It had an alluring mix of narrow twisting alleys, dazzling off-white houses and exquisite ornate basilicas. To me, it was a fancier version of Ostuni and still, endearing. A little fun fact I picked from the locals was that the town centre was circular and hence the name — Loco, which means ‘place,’ and Rotondo, which means ‘round’. The best plan here is to have no plan at all. Just keep walking and get lost. When tired, you can take a break and reward yourself with some chilled beer or glasses of local wine with plates of bruschetta and burrata cheese.  

Alberobello

My third destination was Alberobello, a name that could well be a tongue twister. Like Ostuni, this town is gorgeous. However, the similarities end there. It is also known as Puglia’s Trulli town (a UNESCO heritage site since 1996). Trullis are white huts with conical roofs made of limestone slabs. They are iconic and have existed since the 16th century. I found the construction to be very unique, which came about due to the abundance of limestone in this region. You will be surprised to know that the dry walls are built without any mortar.

I kept wondering how these unique buildings came to be in Puglia, until I found out — it had all to do with tax and money. In the 1600s, the local rulers within the feudal system wanted to avoid paying taxes to the King. So, they built their houses without any mortar. In the event of an inspection, these structures could be taken down easily and the tax bill would remain low. On reaching Alberobello, I headed for the Trulli Zone. About 1,000 Trullis on a slight uphill, I found no other type of building style here. Today, most of the Trullis are home to souvenir shops and restaurants. To experience the Trulli life you could even rent one to stay overnight. As I was only on a one-day trip, I picked a Trulli with a rooftop cafe and soaked in the view of the 1,000 Trullis.

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