Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria

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Why Go? The Italian boot’s heel (Puglia), instep (Basilicata) and toe Bari...... 101 (Calabria) are where you can witness the so-called Mezzo- Promontorio del giorno (southern Italy) in all its throbbing intensity. This is Gargano...... 110 a land of drying washing on weather-worn balconies, speed- Isole Tremiti...... 115 ing scooters and dilapidated centro storicos (historic cen- Valle d’Itria...... 116 tres) that haven’t yet qualified for a Unesco listing. Though Lecce...... 122 the south’s more down-to-earth cities lack the extensive Brindisi...... 127 tourist infrastructure of northern Italy, there’s prettiness amid the grittiness. Matera...... 135 Head to Lecce for an eye full of baroque magnificence, Appennino Lucano...... 143 or soon-to-be European Capital of Culture Matera and its Cosenza...... 148 remarkable cave houses. Other southern secrets have yet to Parco Nazionale seep out: the intricate mosaic floor of Otranto cathedral and della Sila...... 149 the Amalfi-like luminescence of Maratea have figured little Parco Nazionale in most travellers’ itineraries to date. Equally underplayed dell’Aspromonte...... 151 is the simple yet epic cucina povera (peasant food) and the Reggio di Calabria...... 152 wild national parks (including Pollino, Italy’s largest).

Best Unesco World When to Go Heritage Sites Bari °C/°F ¨¨Matera (p135) Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 30/86 8/200 ¨¨Monte Sant’Angelo (p113) 20/68 6/150 ¨¨Castel del Monte (p110) 10/50 4/100

Best Magna 0/32 2/50 -10/14 0 Graecia Museums J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨¨Museo Nazionale di Reggio Calabria (p152) Apr–Jun Spring Jul & Aug Sum- Sep & Oct No wildflowers mer is beach crowds, mild ¨¨Tavole Palatine (p142) are blooming: weather and the weather and ¨¨Museo Nazionale a perfect time best party time wild mushrooms Archeologico di Taranto for hiking in the for festivals and galore. (p133) mountains. events. 101 Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria PuDBarianggliaers & Annoyances - - - - - Sights Dangers & Annoyances & Dangers – better than anywhere else in Puglia. than anywhere – better 8 Some time-poor travellers skip over Bari Bari skip over Some time-poor travellers As town in southern the second-largest nce notorious for petty crime, Bari has cleaned POP 320,200 rinth of tight alleyways and graceful piaz rinth of tight alleyways the a small peninsula between fills zas. It new port and the old port to the west to in 40 churches the southeast, cramming and more than 120 shrines. 8 O up its act of late. Nonetheless, take all of the usual precautions: don’t leave anything in your and valuables; or money display don’t car; Be scooters. on bag-snatchers for out watch particularly careful in Bari Vecchia’s dark streets night. at 1 sights are in or near the atmospheric Most a medieval laby old town, Bari Vecchia, nicipal buildings that sparkle with a hint nicipal buildings that of northern grandiosity. Lecce big-hitter, to Puglia’s on their way a long-standing rivalry, (the towns have but Bari doesn’t soccer), especially over lack historyculture. or The slower-paced old town contains the bones of St Nicho las (aka Santa Claus) in its Basilica di San castleNicola, along with a strapping and arguably that of unfussy trattorias plenty ba plug the delicious local nosh – cucina rese from the coastthe from After hills. the into and in 1922, the of power seizure Mussolini’s in his ‘Battle frontline became the south aimed at was This initiative for Wheat’. it came to when self-sufficient Italy making the sanctionsfood, following on imposed the country after its conquest of Ethiopia. olive fields, in wheat is now covered Puglia arbours. and fruit groves Bari Florence, Bari is its If Lecce is the south’s town with Bologna, a historic but youthful of students lending it a a high percentage urban than More cooler and hipper edge. its neighbours Lecce and Brindisi, with boulevards activemore a and grander supportsBari nightlife, university, large a house and mu opera a recently renovated Bari is a busy port with connections Italy, and sportsto Greece, Albania and Croatia, airportan international used by popular budget airlines. ------unique is about as earthy is about as as Ital is Italy’s ascendant region, a place a place region, ascendant is Italy’s The long coastline made the region ma and pirates, Apart from invaders Of the larger cities, Brindisi, an erst cities, Brindisi, Of the larger With the longest coastline of any region coastlineWith the longest of any cal-roofed stone trulli, houses, the of the scourge laria was long the greatest build away towns to forcing many south, bians their fortifications and the Spanish their flamboyant baroque buildings. No knows exactly the origins one, however, of the extraordinary 16th-century coni feated by the Romans in 272feated BC. conquest.to left The vulnerable Normans Romanesque churches, the Swa their fine to Puglia. lect in some towns is still spoken (Griko) major the southeastLecce.of Historically, by Spartan settled (Taranto), was Taras city exilesthey until de who dominated were At times Puglia feels and looks Greek – and At times Puglia reason. Thisfor good tangible legacy dates from when the Greeks founded a string coastin Ionian along the of settlements the 8th century BC. A form of Greek dia History while Roman settlement, is one of the ma while Roman settlement, jor departure points for Greece (by ferry), metropolis, largest Bari, has while Puglia’s and trendier inclinations. a university tory. In between lies the Valle d’Itria, a lies the Valle between In tory. con vastly by karsticpopulated depression in little have medievaltrasting towns that common apart from their haunting beauty. cupied by the balmy microclimates of the cupied microclimates balmy the by miniature of kind a peninsula, Gargano fewerThe with poseurs. Amalfi Italian hosts the land of Salento, ‘stiletto’ boot’s a dry region famous for its wines, scrubby his Turkish and Greek bloodthirsty and in mainland Italy, Puglia is larger than is larger Puglia mainland Italy, in the north, the spur realise. In people many is oc of land sticking out into the Adriatic spective newcomers is the food. Puglia’s spectivePuglia’s food. the newcomersis cucina povera ian cuisine it straight gets eating without the exuberant Thenout of the soil. there’s architecture, best the word summarised by ‘baroque’ and exhibitedin all its finery in Lecce, of the South’, ‘Florence the glittering and its smaller sibling, Gallipoli. Puglia Puglia down or worn bored travellers savvy where Tuscany and of Campania crowds by the somethingescape for freneticbit less a of the list for pro and manicured. Top PUGLIA