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Traveling to Italy? Wondering where to go? Here is a photo tour of Puglia, the heel on the boot that is Italy. Whether you’re husband seeking (no, seriously) or sightseeing, this southern Italian region is one of Europe’s hottest destinations.
Maybe a trulli vacation rental in Puglia?
Trulli unique, Alberobello
It’s said that trulli, these crazy round dwellings that are one of Puglia’s most memorable landmarks became popular in the 15th century. Why? Made with overlapping limestone slabs and no mortar, they could be dismantled quickly when the tax men came, thus saving the feudal lord from getting into trouble for founding a town illegally.
How cute are Trulli gift shops in the elf town Alberobello?
Today the trulli of Alberobello are tourist attractions in their own right. Visitors can sleep in them, shop in them, drink and/or eat in them – and no photo tour of Puglia would be complete without at least a few trulli pictures.
Basilica di San Nicola
Let’s move on to Bari
One of the highlights of visiting Bari, the capital of Puglia, is The Basilica di San Nicola, a Romanesque church that dates back to the 12th century. It even looks good in the dark!
Request husband here
Get your husband here
Now let’s skip to the husband-finding portion of our photo tour of Puglia. Above is the Offerte per Maritaggi, the Marriage Offering box at the Basilica di San Nicola. If you’re after a husband of your own, place your offering here.
Sorry men, I didn’t notice a desperate bachelor box, but maybe you could submit an application for the next Bachelorette show. Who knows? Maybe they’ll set it in Puglia.
Get your fresh pasta
Fresh Puglia pasta
Once you’re done spouse hunting and sightseeing, wander around Bari and shop for fresh pasta. If you don’t have a kitchen in your hotel room, this could obviously be a problem but it’s still fun to see the people selling their handiwork on Strassa Arco Basso.
Or maybe I could just live in the Oriente Hotel
Oriente Hotel in Bari, Puglia
Or just relax at Bari’s Oriente Hotel, an exuberantly-decorated 4-star hotel overlooking the Mediterranean.
Maybe one of these fishermen are eligible – fresh fish for life!
Moving on to Molfetta
The coastal town of Molfetta is a prime spot for a photo tour of Puglia – you may find some eligibles while you’re at it.
Now there’s a charmer
See? I told you Puglia was the place to find husbands.
Can I live here?
Let’s swiftly skip on to Taranto
I said Taranto in Puglia, not Toronto. Taranto is scenically situated on the Gulf of the Ionian Sea, and is also somehow situated between two other seas, the Mar Grande and Mar Piccolo.
Above is a photo of Aragon Castle, a restored four-sided fortress with stout round towers – and a mummified cat.
The mummified cat of Aragon
Aragon Castle dates back to 1492 and today, it’s a naval headquarters
In the navy …
Aragon Castle also has excellent doorways.
Love those Aragonese castles!
Go to Lecce
Lecce is a Baroque town with stunning ornate architecture and a whole lot of white. In fact, it’s as white as the trulli dwellings, but white on a much grander scale. It also has something unique. Paper maché saints.
Oh, when the saints …..
In Lecce the fine art of paper mache is just that. An art. Especially when it comes to religious figures.
… Come marching in
You might even say, Puglia is a saintly place to visit.
Travel tips for Puglia, Italy
Read more about my trip to Puglia
To learn more about Puglia visit the Italian Tourist Board website and the Puglia Tourism website.
Read more about travel to Italy: Top Cities to Visit in Italy
For more of the best places in Europe: visit Top Destinations in Europe
Wow, I never knew so many women were in search of husbands… :) Great piece in the Star!