Holidays in Apulia: sea, nature and culture

Holidays in Puglia, in villages or in hotels, are certainly one of the most popular choices by tourists who prefer the beautiful country as a summer destination. Choosing to spend your holidays in Puglia means enjoying breathtaking views, swimming in crystal clear seas, eating excellent food without forgetting the opportunity to find time for some excursion in a land full of culture, history and tradition.

Puglia is one of the most diverse and heterogeneous regions of Italy: almost entirely washed by the sea, it offers enchanting landscapes inland, enriched by ancient farms, olive groves and entire white cities that stand out against the yellow of the countryside to the south and large green areas and uncontaminated to the north, on the Gargano.

In recent years it has become one of the most popular destinations in Italy, in fact, not only for the beauties of the sea or for the panoramic views, but also for the strong sense of hospitality of the locals and for the exceptionality of the typical cuisine Apulian, now famous all over the world.

There are many hotels and villages to be spread along this wonderful region.

Salento: sea, nightlife and Taranta

Salento is certainly the most famous and famous area of Puglia. In this area we surely find the most beautiful and enchanting beaches in the whole region. The Pescoluse beach, for example, does not need any introduction: due to the extraordinary clarity of its water and the clarity of the sand it has even been renamed the "Maldives of Salento". One could mention Punta Prosciutto, Punta della Suina and all the promenade of Gallipoli, the beaches of Porto Cesareo.

As said, Puglia is not just sea and beaches and Salento is certainly not an exception: Lecce, Otranto, Santa Maria di Leuca, Gallipoli do nothing but enrich the picture with their elegance and refinement, making Puglia a perfect destination for summer holidays for all types of tourists. Whether they are boys looking for discos (see Lido Zen or Lido Samsara in Gallipoli) or are families with small children looking for small towns where you can walk after a day on the shore of a sandy and shallow sea.

Difficult to split the marriage between Salento and Taranta: the famous popular music of the Salento tradition made famous by Notte della Taranta, a festival that takes place every year in August in Melpignano.

The Gargano and the wild nature

The promontory of Gargano, called the "Sperone d'Italia", gives its name to an entire area of Puglia, completely different from Salento, but just as beautiful and fascinating. Coming from the North, two spectacular pools of water meet: Lake Lesina and Lake Varano, which gives its name to the beautiful tourist resort of the Island of Varano.

The Gargano, in fact, excels for the natural beauties among which the undisputed protagonist of the whole area is certainly the Umbra Forest: a huge natural area that is the setting for beautiful resorts overlooking the Adriatic Sea: Rodi Garganico, Vieste and Peschici.

Rodi Garganico and Peschici are characterized by long beaches where there are many tourist facilities, while Vieste, thanks to its favorable position, is much appreciated by lovers of water sports such as surfing and windsurfing.

The three cities, which are built on promontories of white karst stone overlooking the sea (as not to mention Pizzomunno), are connected by a scenic road overlooking the sea, perhaps three of the most beautiful in Italy. It is not rare, in fact, to see groups of tourists stopped in the parking lots intent on photographing the marvelous panoramic views offered by the jagged coastline overlooking the sea on which stand watch towers and evocative trabucchi. Especially at dawn, or at sunset, when the sun is not high, you can see the Tremiti Islands.

Walking in the Murge

The Murge, or rather the Murge Plateau, occupy a central area of Puglia and divide the Gargano from Salento, extending to Matera that, although in Basilicata is very few kilometers and certainly worth a visit. One of the main centers of the plateau is Altamura, a city founded by Frederick II of Swabia and appreciated, as well as for the historic center and its claustriums, also for bread.

This area is the cradle of the Apulian culture. Here are the main symbols that make Puglia famous throughout the world: the trulli of Alberobello. Along the coast there are important towns of Manfredonia, Margherita di Savoia, Barletta, Bisceglie, Molfetta, Bari and Polignano a Mare with a strong tourist vocation. The area extends up to Ostuni, to leave room for Salento.

Who said that to go to Puglia must necessarily face very high costs? Precisely the area of the Murge allows to face a holiday in Puglia low cost. Being quite far from the main tourist flows, it can afford to offer quality services while keeping prices low, within reach of all budgets.