Picture © Credits to istock/Freeartist
Picture © Credits to istock/Freeartist

Apulia


Apulia, the region at the heart of southern Italy (the 'Mezzogiorno'), is the heel of the Italian boot. It boasts a lengthy Adriatic coastline, with its easternmost point a mere 100 kilometres from the Albanian shore....

From the vast plains near Foggia to the Baroque town of Lecce, by way of the commercial port of Bari on the Adriatic coast, we can find traces of a history that has seen the region pass from the rule of the Roman Empire to that of the Byzantines, only to be occupied by the Normans during the period when they reigned over the Kingdom of Sicily. It is for the most part a rural and agricultural zone, enlivened by popular village festivals that take place throughout the year. While not a particularly extroverted or exuberant part of Italy, it reveals its treasures to those who take the time to discover and experience it.