Puglia, Italy 3/30-4/8/2026
Puglia, Italy
Puglia (Apulia in English) stretches across the southeastern heel of Italy, bordered by the Adriatic and Ionian seas. It’s a region of baroque towns, olive groves, whitewashed villages, and dramatic coastlines, offering a slower, more soulful Italian experience. It's Italy's best kept secret - authentic, affordable, and unforgettable.
We are here for 9 days, staying at the Bellariva B&B, 10-minute walk to the city center. Also convenient for day trips to the surrounding towns. The first 4 days were windy, rainy and downright cold, so very little touring. I did get caught up on my blog! It finally turned nice and we are enjoying our stay.
The view from across our B&B.
Monopoli
Monopoli is a town on the Adriatic Sea, in southern Italy. It’s known for the Baroque Monopoli Cathedral, featuring a tall bell tower. In its crypt is an archaeological museum with sculptures and ancient tombs. On a promontory to the north, the 16th-century Castle of Carlo V has a huge stone portal. Nearby is the frescoed Palmieri Palace, built by a wealthy local family in the late 1700s. ― Google
The name Monopoli originates from the Greek phrase monos polis, which translates to unique city, only city, or single city. This name is believed to refer to its historical significance as a singular, secure port in the region between Siponto and Brindisi, particularly after the destruction of nearby Gnatia in 545.
The Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio in Monopoli, known as "del Purgatorio," was built around 1687-1700 following the collapse of the cathedral bell tower to honor the deceased. Located on Via Argento, it features macabre, baroque-style exterior decorations of skulls and skeletons, symbolizing mortality and purgatory.
This is the icon of the Madonna and Child, presented over the main altar of the church. Legend states that while the church was under construction, funds and materials ran out and they were unable to finish the roof. A raft was found floating in the harbor with the icon on it. The timbers from the raft were used to complete the roof and finish the cathedral and is considered a miracle. Every year, the raft floating into the harbor is re-enacted and the city celebrates the miracle.
What is truly amazing, is almost the same picture is on a frescoe in the Coptic Museum in Cairo. Even more astounding is that I remembered it!
Upper right-hand picture are the timbers from the raft and have been salvaged and displayed in the church, as the icon of the Madonna and Child are over the altar.
There are small chapels scattered around the town and we stopped in a few.
Alberobello Puglia
Alberobello is a fairytale place, a small gem of land set in the Itria Valley between the Apulian provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto. The capital of trulli, extraordinary testimonies of dry-stone construction with slabs with conical or pyramidal roofs, will enchant you with an expanse of over 1,500 trulli that have rightfully entered the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996. The entire Itria Valley is characterized by the presence of these picturesque buildings that have their roots in the prehistoric era, but it is precisely in Alberobello that the highest concentration of best-preserved specimens is found.
We really enjoyed our short time here, the weather was rainy, cold and windy, so we cut short our tour and really did not get to enjoy the charming cafes around the town. Most were closed due to the weather. On the plus side, very few other tourists braved the weather, so we had the place almost to ourselves.
We were able to go inside one of the Trulli and met the owners who offered us bread and wine as a welcome. Some of the Trulli have been converted to B&B's, and some are private residences. The upper left picture is the ladder to the 2nd floor where the children slept.
This church is the only one to have the trulli roof and on the bell tower.
Olive Oil Mill Museum
Dating back to the year 1000, the oil mill of Masseria is a preserved treasure, now a museum. The mill is located inside caves, which was previously used by a female monastic order.
We had a private tour, hosted by the family that now owns the masseria. To process the oil, 15 men would stay in the caves for 6 months and were well paid for the work. Just would be hard to stay in the dark that long. We were not able to walk the grounds of the olive grove due to so much rain in the past week. Small rivers were flowing. We had a delightful lunch with a very good rose after our tour of the caves and headed back to Monopoli.
Matera
Matera is a city on a rocky outcrop in the region of Basilicata, in southern Italy. It includes the Sassi area, a complex of cave dwellings carved into the mountainside. Evacuated in 1952 due to poor living conditions, the Sassi now houses museums like the Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario, with period furniture and artisan tools. Nearby rock churches include St. Lucia alle Malve, with 13th-century frescoes. ― Google
The homes have been built on the original caves and are layered one over another. You cannot see very many caves today - they are inside the new entryway structures that were built around them. Divided into 3 sections - upper, middle and lower classes.
The upper left and lower right picture are the stairs that Mel Gibson's Passion of Christ was filmed with Christ carrying the cross.
This church was carved into the caves. The frescoes are still there but certainly showing their age.
This is an example of the cave houses and a family of 8 lived here. From 1952 to 1959, the government relocated about 17,000 people to the main city, as it was considered unsafe to live in the cave homes. 80% of the Sassi homes are owned by the government, 20% privately owned. Many have been converted to hotels and B&B's, along with small cafes and shops. Very little car traffic inside. Cobblestones and steps, lots of stairs.
Polignano a Mare
Polignano a Mare is a town on Italy’s southern Adriatic coast. It’s known for beaches like the white-pebble Lama Monachile, also known as Cala Porto, which is bordered by a Roman bridge. The Ponte dei Lapilli is a cove nestled at the bottom of a cliff. The Museum of Contemporary Art Pino Pascali displays photography and paintings. Overlooking the sea, San Vito Abbey has a Romanesque church and a 16th-century tower. ― Google
We took a boat ride to view the caves and see the coastline. It was a nice warm day, but sea was a bit rough on the way out, quite calm heading back. A lovely way to end our visit to Puglia.
E Grotta Palazzese is a renowned restaurant in Polignano a Mare, where you can enjoy a unique dining experience in a natural cave, with a stunning sea view and a historical atmosphere.
We did not have lunch here but got to see ot from the outside. The restaurant is amazing, very expensive, and Mic read reviews that said the food was not that good, so we passed on eating here.
While we were on the boat, our tour host called to tell us that our train from Bari to Verona was canceled due to a land and mudslide on the train tracks. So, change in plans, now a 5:30 am pick up, drive 3.5 hours to Naples, and take a local (lots of stops) to Bologna, switch trains to go to Verona. The high-speed train was sold out, but at least first-class seats on the local. We seem to be having issues getting from one place to another. Our travel agents have been terrific figuring out next steps! On to Verona!
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