It’s been a year since my last holiday abroad… time has gone by pretty quick, and not quick at all, if you know what I mean. I’ve been meaning to write this post for quite a long while, but one year on, I’ve become pretty nostalgic about this trip. And so, there has been no better time to write about it than now. 

Last September we spent almost a week driving in and around Puglia, Italy, with my whole family. We ate a lot of pasta, pizza and gelato, walked around in narrow alleys and along the beach, underneath the Italian sun, drove from village to village, with olive trees on the side of the road. It was a typical Italian holiday, living la dolce vita at its best.

Traditional dwellings

We rented a house in the middle of Carperi, among the fields and other holiday homes. The house consisted of three trullis, which are the typical stone huts of the Puglia region. Having a car was a must, as getting to the house would have been pretty much impossible otherwise. Being outside the busy cities obviously has its perks. Aside from being super cheap, you could enjoy the peace and quiet, being out in nature, swimming in a pool with nothing but greenery in front of you, enjoying the sun rise and set with a cup of tea. Those moments are some of the fond memories I hold from this trip.

Village hopping

Having rented a car, we could easily hop from one village to another during the day. Puglia has a lot to offer, from bustling cities like Lecce and Bari, to quaint villages like Locorotondo and Ostuni. 

One unique city that we visited was Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the European Capital of Culture (2019), and the location for the film shooting of the latest James Bond movie 😉 This city is actually in the region of Basilicata, but it’s pretty close to the Puglia region. What makes this city so unique, are the cave dwellings carved into the mountainside, called the Sassi. You can wander around the narrow alleys while admiring the architecture of these historic buildings.

Another majestic view is the sightings of never-ending rows of Trulli. You can witness these in Alberobello. This village can be a bit too hectic with tourists and souvenir shops, so after a while, we headed to Locorotondo, which is a much quieter village. The white-washed buildings are a spectacular sight in this region. It sometimes feels like you’re on a Greek island. But then, you taste the pasta, smell the Italian coffee, and you know that this is Italy in its splendour. 

Food and the Italian life

One cannot go to Italy and not eat pasta. You find it everywhere you look, even in souvenir shops to take with you back home. Puglia is famous for the Orecchiette, a type of pasta which resembles a small ear. In the streets, especially in Bari, you can see women gathered around large tables, gossiping while making this famous pasta. You can even buy a bag or two from these ladies – talk about fresh, homemade pasta 😉

Walking around the cities and villages, you can get a glimpse of the Italian life – young people scooting around on their Vespa or chatting on the steps of the village square, old men talking on benches underneath the village church with its magnificent architecture, fishermen delivering their daily catch to local restaurants while tourists enjoy the fresh food, sitting on a terrace in the sun, gazing at the sea – the pleasure of the dolce far niente.

After the year that we’ve had, I cannot not think about how the cities I have been to, have been affected by the virus. I hope that life will return to the beauty I have witnessed when I was there. Italy is a country that I have visited a gazillion times over the years, but well, it never disappoints. [If you would like to read more about my Italian city trips, read here.] After this nightmare is over, I can just go there, have an aperol spritz followed by one divine ice cream, and that alone already makes it an amazing trip 😉

Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life.

Anna Akhmatova