Puglia (Apulia ) is the heel of the Italian boot, extending from the ankle spur (the Gargano Peninsula) to sunny Salento. Washed by the turquoise waters of the Adriatic and Ionian seas, it is Italy’s easternmost extremity ( finibus Terrae, it was called). Puglia was where foreign conquerors made landfall, building cities, settling fertile valleys and migrating through the forested north. Their legacy remains in prehistoric tombs, Mycenaean Greek villages, unique trulli houses, and castles of Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II. Byzantines, Turks, Venetians – they came and built. Today mostly Italian tourists luxuriate on Puglia’s sun-swept beaches, holding close the secrets of her open spaces and rich, savory cuisine.
Expand your horizons… Puglia borders on Molise in the north, Campania and Basilicata in the west, and the Ionian and Adriatic seas in the south and the east. It’s easy to add on Molise for a visit to Italy’s oldest bell foundry, in Agnone; Campania for a tour of ancient Pompeii or a heritage tour, to find your Italian roots; or Basilicata for a zip line experience over a verdant valley, ‘flying’ from one hilltop village to the other, in Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa.
Note: All driving tours feature English-speaking drivers and are private unless otherwise mentioned. Tours are priced based on pick-up point and number of participants. All sightseeing tours are accompanied by expert local guides.
