The journey draws inspiration from this region's ancient winemaking culture, from the incredible variety of gastronomic specialties and culinary traditions of this part of Italy. It explores the profound connection between food and wine production and the history and art that have developed here over the centuries. Vines were brought to Puglia by the Mycenaeans and the Greeks between the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Viticulture developed thanks to the Messapians and the Daunis, indigenous people of Puglia who settled there around 1200 BC, well before the Romans. The Romans, as they conquered surrounding areas, brought wine and vines to each area, spreading the knowledge and love of wine. They used Apulian ports to transport this "precious beverage."
Witness the profound contrast between the ancient, haunting Sassi di Matera—one of the world's oldest inhabited cities - and the elegant "Florence of the South," Lecce, with its elaborate Baroque masterpieces. We will explore UNESCO sites like the mysterious octagonal Castel del Monte and the fairy-tale Trulli of Alberobello. Indulge in private wine tastings of rare and indigenous varieties, master the art of fresh pasta in a hands-on cooking class, and delve into the regional folklore of the "tarantate." From the Adriatic beauty of Otranto to the artisanal workshops of Grottaglie, this is an immersive and deeply emotional exploration of a truly resilient and magical corner of Italy.
Matera is just outside of Puglia, but worth a visit because it is a city that defies conventional understanding of human settlement. Carved directly into limestone ravines over nine millennia, the Sassi district presents an archaeological marvel where cave dwellings, rock churches adorned with frescoes, and labyrinthine stone passages reveal continuous habitation. Matera has undergone one of Europe's most extraordinary urban resurrections, transforming from a forgotten slum to UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of 2019 European Capitals of Culture. Your exploration will include the Crypt of the Original Sin—known as the Sistine Chapel of the Rock Churches—an extraordinary 7th-century monastic settlement containing remarkable frescoes depicting the Creation. As you walk through the Barisano and Caveoso districts at sunset, the golden limestone creates an enveloping atmosphere that echoes centuries of adaptation, resilience, and faith, revealing how sophisticated cistern systems and ingenious architecture allowed civilizations to thrive in seemingly inhospitable terrain.
This carefully curated experience offers discerning travelers something increasingly rare: genuine discovery in a region that rewards curiosity with authenticity. Your journey includes privileged encounters that surpass typical tourism—dining with the two sisters from Madri Leone Wine who produce their wines in the Northern part of the Region, creating papier-mâché art alongside master craftsmen in historic Lecce workshops, and visiting the mystical Basilica of Saint Catherine in Galatina, where healing rituals for the "tarantate" once took place, accompanied by the hypnotic rhythms of the pizzica dance.
You'll tour noble Palazzo Tamborino Cezzi with its owner, witness the ancient art of hand-weaving at the prestigious Le Costantine Foundation (whose fabrics graced Dior's 2021 Cruise Collection), and explore Trani's Giudecca—home to one of Europe's oldest active synagogues. While exploring the arts and traditions of the area, you will also “navigate with your taste buds” tasting different varieties of grapes cultivated in Puglia and Basilicata and learning about how they got to Puglia: Primitivo, Negromaro, Verdeca, Nero di Troia, Bombino, Aglianico, and more. We’ll taste wines specific to each area and the traditional food that goes along with it. This is not merely a tour but an invitation into a living heritage, where every hand-rolled orecchietta, every limestone archway, and every artisan's workshop tells the story of a people who have transformed isolation into distinction.
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Kiki Keating treats travel as an art form. Each journey is composed with precision, intuition, and a taste for the unexpected. She has a passion for taking small groups on life-changing adventures and works tirelessly to ensure that every detail of each trip is meticulously planned and executed.
Kiki curates intimate, life-shifting journeys with a sharp eye for detail and a refusal to follow the expected. Each itinerary is a collaboration with world-class guides and insiders, blending culture, music, art, and exceptional food with access that feels both rare and effortless.
Her journey as a travel leader began in 2000 while she was leading international trips for the dean in her role as Communications Director at the business school at Dartmouth. Over the last decade, KikiNetwork Travel has been dedicated to transformative travel. While her trips touch iconic landmarks, the real focus lies deeper: meaningful encounters, cultural fluency, and connections that linger long after the journey ends.
As the Managing Director of Cicutio Verde, she leads the export projects of selected Italian wine producers from various regions. She has over 30 years of experience in the international beverage industry, and she is passionate about promoting the quality and diversity of Italian products to global markets.
The visionary behind wanderlust and global connections is my guest on Speaking of Travel!
Watch Kiki’s presentation with The Covey Club: How to Travel Alone as a Woman Today: Tips to Keep You Safe & Happy
At a hotel like Le Alcove in Alberobello, you can sleep in a trullo, a cozy, cocoon-like conical dwelling.
Sample orecchiette, Puglia’s signature ear-shaped pasta, at a traditional eatery like Osteria Le Arpie in Bari.
Make like an Italian and head to a lido (beach club) like the chic Pettolecchia near Torre Canne.
Buy Puglia’s prized olive oil directly from the source, at a family mill like L’Acropoli di Puglia in Martina Franca.
Take in the Baroque architecture of Lecce and prepare to be overwhelmed by its exuberant facades, altarpieces, and piazzas.
Word is definitely out on Puglia, the long, narrow coastal region that forms the heel of Italy’s boot. No longer a hidden gem or best-kept secret, Puglia’s dramatic beaches, Baroque cities, and whitewashed trulli are splashed over many an Instagram feed.
Yet compared to other regions of Italy, Puglia—pronounced pool-yah—still offers travelers the Italian vacation experiences they seek, while skipping much of the crowds and chaos of better-known destinations. “It’s definitely less-visited compared to iconic Italian regions like Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast,” says Madeline Jhawar, owner and custom travel planner with Italy Beyond the Obvious. “And Puglia really does have it all: fantastic food and wine, spectacular countryside and beach scenery, and a deep and fascinating history.”
Our guide highlights Puglia’s appealing mix of scenery, history, cuisine—and let’s not forget the agreeable weather most of the year—and maps out how to make the most of a trip to this sunny region.
Yes, cooking classes are ubiquitous in Italy, but the traditional cuisine of Puglia stands out, even in a country of great food. Waldon says to “take a pasta-focused cooking class in a local masseria with a mama” and go home with some new skills. Sambati likes the friendly vibe and easy instructions offered by Cook In Puglia in Lecce.
Beaches in Puglia can be crowded in the summertime. Escape the ruckus at a beach club, or lido, such as Pettolecchia Il Lido, a luxury spot between Bari and Brindisi. Lounge beds, linen-clad gazebos, Frette towels, and waiter service set this one apart in a sea of beach umbrellas.
The cone-shaped trulli of Puglia’s Itria Valley are certainly unique, and according to Cherrye Moore of My Bella Vita Travel, they’re a hit with kids. “Families should rent a trullo villa and use it as a base for day trips to Alberobello, Ostuni, Locorotondo, and Monopoli. Many have pools and outside areas where the kids can run around.”
Puglia’s Adriatic coast is dramatic, especially between Polignano a Mare and Monopoli, where clear waters lap undulating cliffs and flow into the occasional sea cave. Both Waldon and Moore recommend chartering a private boat either for a sunset cruise or a half-day tour with stops for swimming and snorkeling.
Puglia’s seafood is almost as famous as its orecchiette, and both Sambati and Waldon heartily recommend trying it at LaltroBaffo, an Otranto restaurant helmed by chef Cristina Conte, who, with her young, passionate team, turns out sophisticated takes on traditional Salento recipes.
Sambati loves this rustic tavern in Ostuni’s old town. “It’s a bohemian, Salento-style trattoria serving local recipes that are lightly revisited.” Taverna della Gelosia is tucked away amid a jumble of alleys and stairways, which makes its vine-covered courtyard all the more romantic on a summer night.
Handmade, ear-shaped orecchiette is the archetypal pasta of Puglia, and its production centers around Bari’s centro storico (historical center). Osteria Le Arpie is about as old-school as it gets, and its seasonal orecchiette con le cime di rapa (turnip greens) is Puglian comfort food epitomized. Also look for dishes served with pane di Altamura, Puglia’s heritage bread.
“Puglia is famous for leather sandals, which you can find everywhere in local shops,” says Waldon. Erredibi is a top choice for handmade, locally made products, and it has stores in Brindisi and Lecce.
“Puglia’s red primitivo wine, even when it’s just table wine quality, can stand up to reds from across the world,” says Moore. Combine some souvenir shopping with a winery tour and tasting at Masseria Li Veli, or just pop into a little grocery or enoteca (wine shop) to buy a few bottles to bring home.
“Ancient olive groves define the landscape of Puglia, and buying newly pressed EVOO straight from a producer is something special,” says Moore. “Savoia offers well-organized tours and great oil, but don’t overlook smaller producers like L’Acropoli di Puglia in Martina Franca.”
“We always tell our travelers not to miss the incredible small city of Lecce,” says Jhawar. “It’s referred to as the ‘Florence of the South’ because of its rich Baroque architecture.” Lecce’s soft limestone meant easy carving for early artisans—and well, they went to town, as evidenced at Basilica di Santa Croce, the Basilica del Rosario, and the Duomo of Lecce.
Even though it's touristy, Jhawar says “it's hard to recommend people skip a visit to the town of Alberobello, with its iconic trulli houses." She says you can combine the town with less touristy places nearby, like Locorotondo or Martina Franca.
While much of the tourist buzz centers around the Adriatic coast and the trulli area, don’t sleep on Gallipoli, which Waldon calls “the beach town of Puglia.” The Ionian coast town has ancient history, a quiet old town, a newer town brimming with life, and a nonstop Italian party scene in the summertime.
This picturesque promontory on Puglia’s northernmost coastline is dominated by Gargano National Park, where the scenery changes from beaches to mountains in just a few miles. For smaller towns, incredible biodiversity, more natural beaches, plus some dramatic sea stacks and cliffs, this is the region’s wilder side.
Waldon recommends visiting Puglia in the shoulder seasons of April to June and September to mid-November in order to avoid the summer heat and crowds, as Puglia is a major holiday destination for Italians. Jhawar agrees, but adds that “Puglia is very lively during the height of summer, with many local festivals.” The takeaway? If you plan a summer visit, book your accommodations and rental car well in advance, and brace yourself for crowded—albeit gorgeous—beaches and towns.
The airports at Bari and Brindisi serve flights from within Italy and Europe, though many incoming travelers opt to fly into Rome’s Fiumicino airport and arrange a rental car or transfer from there. Both Trenitalia and Italo trains serve Puglia, though be aware that with historic hill towns, train stations are usually in the lower town, which might be several miles away from the centro.
You can get between Puglia’s major tourist centers via Trenitalia’s regional trains and a few private lines. But getting to smaller, rural destinations and more remote coastal areas is trickier by train. “We typically book private drivers or rental cars for our travelers,” says Jhawar. “Booking a rental car in Puglia is a decent approach—just make sure you know where to park in order to avoid the limited traffic zones found in most Italian cities.”
A striking image has defined Italy’s Puglia region for decades—the white conical stone houses called Trulli. Built by layering stones without mortar, legend has it that the Trulli were designed to avoid taxation since they could be quickly dismantled when the tax man cometh. Alberobello, the symbolic home of the Trulli, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. While the Trulli are a must-see, they are the tip of the iceberg when discovering Puglia’s soul.
Puglia’s flagship wines are Primitivo and Negroamaro, and Rosato made with these varietals has always been a mainstay. Fiano, Verdeca, Malvasia Nera, Susumaniello, and Nero di Troia are also indigenous to the area. The most significant production of Primitivo is in Primitivo di Manduria DOC near Taranto.
Varvaglione 1921 is one of the oldest wineries in Southern Italy and exports five million bottles to over 70 countries. The Varvaglione Family, now headed by Maria Teresa and Cosimo Varviglione, the winemaker, has been farming their land for 100 years. The next generation—Marzia, Angelo, and Francesca—is focused on innovations in vineyard sustainability, like an onsite worm farm, and making wine in new ways, like launching a non-alcohol spritz and the 12 e Mezzo line offering wines with just 12.5 percent alcohol.
The winery has cred: Gambero Rosso has awarded Tre Bicchieri to several of its wines, including the 2021 Cosimo Varvaglione Private Collection Negroamaro del Salento IGP. In addition to Cosimo’s namesake, all the wines dedicated to family members are standouts: “Marfi” Verdeca Sauvignon Puglia IGP (daughter Marzia), “Primadonna” Chardonnay di Puglia IGP (wife Maria Teresa), “Tatu” Primitivo del Salento IGP (son Angelo), and “Chicca” Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale DOCG (daughter Francesca). A visit to their estate outside Taranto can include horseback riding through the vineyards upon request.
Incidentally, Taranto itself is worth a visit. Part of the Magna Grecia, it hosts an elaborate collection of antiquities in the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto (“MarTa”). The old town is a labyrinth of falling down buildings and expertly muralled walls, and the contrast is eerily beautiful. Taranto mussels are grown in Mar Piccola, a just-off-the-sea natural basin that gave Taranto the nickname “City of Two Seas.” The combination of salty sea water and sweet freshwater that flows through Mar Piccola adds a delicious, one-of-a-kind flavor. “Most Michelin-starred restaurants that offer mussels are offering Taranto mussels,” according to Angelo Varvaglione.
This Salice Salentino DOC winery has a special place for Americans since American soldiers inadvertently helped it continue bottling wine during and after WWII. The winery was out of glass, but it found American beer bottles littering the area and used them to hold Leone de Castris wine. Some of these bottles are still on display in the winery. According to the estate, Leone de Castris’s “Five Roses” Rosato was the first to be sold in the US.
Comprised primarily of Negroamaro with a small amount of Malvasia Nera di Lecce, Five Roses is cherry-pink with notes of strawberry and rose, and its name comes from the odd fact that several generations of the de Castris family had five children.
The Tuscan wine dynasty Antinori owns Tormaresca, located in Minervino Murge, in the Castel del Monte DOC region. Calafuria Rosato Salento IGT, a crisp and elegant Rosato of Negroamaro, is grown in their vineyards along the Adriatic Coast. Antinori has wineries around the world, including two in Napa Valley (Stag’s Leap and Antica).
This central Bari spot melds two complementary forces: wine and books. It is half bookstore and half fully stocked and expertly guided enoteca, making for a tasty and informative stop. It’s also a great way to get a sample flight of the wines the region is most known for while nibbling on tarralli and picking out a book for the next trip. Two finds during a recent tasting: 2023 Marco Ludovico Petrsucio, Rosato, Puglia IGT and 2023 I Pastini Cupa, Bianco d’Alessano, Valle d’Itria IGP.
Antonello Losito, the founder of Southern Visions Travel based in Polignano al Mare, started his bespoke travel operation to show visitors the authentic Puglia, from “old recipes from the old days” to young innovators reviving ancient traditions in a modern way. He’s a proponent of many places that lie in the Valle d’Itria—the heart of Puglia, north of the southernmost tip of the boot’s heel, Salento, bordering Bari, Taranto, and Brindisi provinces, and, coincidentally, inclusive of Alberobello. He argues that other up-and-coming towns, Ostuni, Cisternino, and Altamura among them, offer the experiences most visitors dream of.
Altamura is renowned for its delectable Altamura bread, but also boasts a vibrant cheese culture. Antonello has been guiding visitors to Altamura for years to experience Caseifficio Dicecca (Dicecca Dairy), a local cheese producer recently featured in Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy docuseries. Dicecca’s forest-based cheese bar crafts a 100-day Primitivo wine-soaked blue cheese covered in cherries called “Amore Primitivo.” This unique cheese and the town’s famous bread are must-tries for any food enthusiast. Antonello’s group guides visitors to Altamura to immerse themselves in this bread and cheese culture, visit Dicecca’s cheese shop, and even try cheese making.
Ostuni is a wonderfully chic town. Its streets and houses are painted white, hence the name La Citta Bianca (the white city), and the vision of all white houses on a hill is magical. Ostuni is regarded as an architectural marvel and highly walkable, with winding streets leading up to the Old Town, which has two magnificent sights—the Cathedral and the Bishop’s Palace. There are many places to stop and grab a bite. Don’t miss the region’s traditional pasta specialty, orecchiette, which is handrolled by local nonnas.
Ostuni’s Il Cortiletto restaurant boasts a quaint outdoor terrace and a broad menu that will satisfy carnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarians alike. Items include the Puglian specialty Pureed Fava with Chicory and Beef Fillet Stuffed with Caciocavallo Cheese.
Cisternino, one of Italy’s Borghi Piu Belli (most beautiful towns), is a charming destination with narrow winding streets and white-washed buildings. But its true allure lies in the unique dining experience at Zio Pietro, a renowned butcher shop. Here, guests can select their meat from the counter before it is prepared and served on the spot. This interactive dining experience, coupled with the town’s charm, is one of Antonello’s recommended experiences for “old recipes from the old days.” One such product is the bombette—a Puglian delicacy—these “little bombs” are small pork rolls stuffed with cheese and then roasted. “You select the meat, sit outside, and then spend the night with music in the square.”
Masseria Le Carubbe: Masseria are large country farmhouses where, in the past, farm workers lived and worked near the principal residence. If you’re seeking tranquility in the Puglian countryside, the ancient but perfectly restored Masseria Le Carrube offers 19 unique rooms, each featuring a private courtyard garden framed by stone walls and vibrant bougainvillea. Olive groves and fruit trees surround the rustic retreat. The restaurant offers a delightful vegetarian menu inspired by local traditions and seasonal ingredients from nearby farms and the Masseria’s gardens.
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