Exploring Puglia

Our day began with a wonderful, light breakfast at Masseria Aprile, a charming agriturismo just outside of Locorotondo.

The proprietress gave us a brief history of the masseria or farm that belongs to her family. It is still a working farm but some of the buildings have been converted into rooms for guests of the B&B. Her husband gave us a brief explanation of the history and construction of the trulli that are characteristic of this area.

After breakfast we headed for Alberobello, a nearby town whose historic center, made up entirely of trulli, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. We seemed to be the only visitors in town, as this is low season. Alberobello is full of charm despite the numerous souvenir shops displaying their wares outside the entrances of the trulli.

We decided to make our way to Ostuni, a nearby town known for its profusion of whitewashed buildings. Our first mission when we arrived in the city center was to find a place to eat. Not as easy a a task as we had thought. Most all restaurants, trattorie, cafes, bars and shops were closed due to November ferie (holidays). We ended up at one of the only cafes that was open and we each had a panino. Simple but delicious fare. As we sat eating our panini the skies opened and poured down. We whiled away our time until the rain ended and then decided to head back to Masseria Aprile for a rest. luckily our search for a place to eat had taken us through most of the picturesque streets in town.

The drive back was scenic as we passed one olive grove after another. When a rainbow made an appearance Vince pulled the car to the side of the road and we all jumped out to take pics.

We arrived back at Masseria at dusk. The light was simply beautiful. The farm animals were out and about so another photo session ensued.

This evening we’ll have dinner in Locorotondo. And tonight I shall dream of returning to this thoroughly enchanting corner of Italy for further exploration.