Traveling to the Heel of the Boot: Exploring Southern Italy

By Seth Fera-Schanes on 09/17/2017 • ( 1 Comment )

5 cities, 5 incredible experiences as my dad and I traveled through the Apulia Region of Southern Italy. In addition to the food (which alone is reason enough to make the trip) the walking, history, architecture and people make this an adventure to consider for future travel planning.

Bari

Split between old town and new town, this city with a population of 320,000 is a perfect jumping off point for exploring the Apulia region in Southern Italy. Highlights include a 2 hour walking tour from Viator.com which culminated in a little orecchiette pasta making class.

Semolina and Water for Orecchiette Pasta

Water and Semolina Flour

Homemade Orecchiette Pasta in Bari Italy

Preparing to Make Orecchiette Pasta

Kneading Orecchiette Pasta in Bari Italy

Pasta Making

Kneading the Dough for Orecchiette Pasta

Rolling Semolina Dough for Orecchiette Pasta

Making Orecchiette

Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cooked Orecchiette with Tomato Sauce in Bari Italy

Freshly Made Orecchiette

Evening (or sunrise) walks along the water in this port town are also a must do.

Bari, Italy

Alberobello

A UNESCO world heritage site that is accessible by train from Bari should be another important stop on your trip. The white trulli stone houses take you back in time (regardless that most are now souvenir shops) and strolling the hills of this neighborhood in Alberobello is worth a 1/2 day trip.

Stone Houses in Alberobello Italy

Alberobello in Apulia Region of Italy

Lecce

Getting off the train around 9am and entering what seemed to be an abandoned city wasn’t the best first impression of Lecce. What I didn’t know was Lecce apparently starts really getting fun 12 hours later at 9pm. The city transformed into great nightlife with restaurants, wine bars and thousands of people walking around.

Lecce, Italy

Monopoli

A highlight of the trip. About an hour train ride south of Bari. Walking along the water, soaking up the sun and just gazing over the Adriatic Sea made a night in this small coastal town a perfect stop.

Monopoli Italy

Adriatic Sea

Otranto

Accessible by train/bus (or an expensive cab ride) Otranto is ideal for a full day visit to lounge on the beach. For 10 Euro you can get a lounge chair, umbrella and perfect view from a private beach to relax all day.