Autumn vibes: the beauty of Puglia
We are in love with autumn in Puglia
We are in love with autumn in Puglia. It's not just the change in weather—the air has a crispness that you can't really describe, but it's so invigorating. The leaves are changing colours but still clinging to their branches, the sunsets have a hint of gold and orange, and the nights are chilly enough for a sweater. This is one of our favorite seasons here!
Let's start from the beginning
Let's start from the beginning. Puglia is one of Italy's most beautiful regions, so it's always a good time to visit. The weather is great, there are lots of things to do, and the food and wine are delicious! If you have been following this blog, you know all this by now. But there's something about the overall autumn vibes here that just takes our breath away!
Autumn is especially magical in Puglia because of the changing colours that you see as you drive through vineyards or walk-through olive groves, on your way to an ancient village or hiking in the woods on the Ionian coast. In autumn, you'll find yourself surrounded by reds, oranges, and yellows as far as the eye can see.
And there's no cosier feeling than sitting down to eat indoors at a small restaurant and watch the sky turn from vivid blue to grey, purple, and black over the cobble-stoned streets of an old city-center.
Places to visit
Puglia is the region that makes up the "heel" of Italy. It has been under Roman, Byzantine, and Norman rule at various points in history. Each influence has left its mark on Puglia's culture, art, architecture, and cuisine.
If you're visiting Puglia in the fall, you should make sure to include Bari, Otranto, Alberobello, and Lecce on your itinerary.
One of the best places to start exploring Puglia, of course, is Bari—the capital city of this region. It has a charming old town full of winding cobblestone streets and beautiful churches, but it is also a modern city with a vibrant cultural life.
Farther south, you'll find Alberobello. This town is unique for its trulli, conical-shaped stone houses that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage sites. The craftsmanship of these homes is extraordinary and the surreal atmosphere they create makes them unlike anything you've ever seen. The most charming part is that each trulli is uniquely different and may be used as private residences or small boutique hotels.
If you're looking for something more off-the-beaten path than Bari (at least in this season), we recommend heading eastward into Apulia where you'll find Otranto—a medieval walled city built around a castle overlooking the Adriatic Sea (which makes it one of Europe's most beautiful castles). The historic center is stunningly beautiful and cannot be accessed by cars: get ready for a long walk! In the autumn season, you will be able to enjoy it fully - which is almost impossible during summer, when the town is thronged with tourists.
And then there's our favourite: Lecce. There are so many wonderful places in Lecce that it's hard to know where to start. In fact, even if we were able to show you all of them, it might take a while. Dive into the beauty of the baroque architecture, dotted here and there with the ancient remains of the city's Roman past, stroll through the centre enjoying the crispy autumn air and a permanent holiday vibe that does not quite serve "Christmas market" yet, but it's getting there, and you can feel it. Swap your gelato for a hot crepe on your evening walk and your iced coffee for a regular espresso on your morning break and just get into the autumn vibe. You won't regret it.
Lecce also happens to be the right place for an American-Style Sunday brunch with 100% Italian food!
Food and wine
Two of the things we love most about Puglia are its food and wine. This region is famous for being the home of some of Italy's best olive oil and for recipes such as "orecchiette con le cime di rapa" - which incidentally has everything a perfect autumn dish should have. It's comforting, rich, harty, healthy and delicious: you should order it every chance you get!
Not only does food play an important role in our culture but so does wine! Puglia has over 20 DOCGs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) areas that produce some great wines including Primitivo di Manduria DOCG reds made from local grapes.
Are you packing yet?
Pack your bags and your camera. This is a season you'll want to experience for yourself. So leave your daily routine behind and head south if you haven't already. There's no better time to be in Puglia than this time of year, when the blazing heat of summer has given way to the more temperate temperatures of fall. It's a change that brings its own kind of beauty to the region and is one you won't want to miss out on.