Captivating Culture and Culinary Treats: A Honeymoon in Puglia

Sometimes described as the 'Florence of the Baroque' or the 'Rome of the South', Lecce is a magnificent architectural confection of palaces and churches, intricately sculpted from the soft local sandstone and adorned with chubby cherubs. Speaking of confection, ice cream is an absolute must here. You won't have to stroll far to find it either - seemingly there's a gelateria on every corner. Wander down picturesque little lanes, marvel at the fantastical façade of the Basilica di Santa Croce and stop to gawp at the remains of several beautifully preserved Roman sites during a private walking tour of the city, led by a local guide. On your third day, throw back the curtains and, over the strongest espresso known to man, make a tough decision: Option 1) explore the area's surrounding sandy beaches, such as Torre dell' Orso or Porto Cesareo; Option 2) head out for some more exploring in Puglia's wonderful whitewashed coastal towns and villages, such as Otranto, Gallipoli (not that one) on the Ionian side, or Santa Maria di Leuca at Italy's southernmost tip. Really, you can't go wrong with either option.

One of the pleasures of any trip to Italy is the days spent exploring quaint little towns and villages by car. Get off the autostrade and head for the little country roads. Factor in a couple more hours and stop to test out each little commune's bakery, cafe, church, piazza, market and trattoria. Locals are very friendly in this part of Italy and far less used to seeing tourists, so will often strike up amiable conversations which can be the greatest souvenir of your visit. You'll be heading for the outskirts of Bari, along the line of the twin coastlines (Adriatic and Ionian) via Brindisi, so there are plenty of these kind of villages along the way. After a day on the road, check into your next hotel for the remainder of your stay in this amazing region.

With the very pleasant year-round climate here, you're going to want to spend a decent chunk of your time enjoying the gorgeous sand between your toes, the Mediterranean sun on your face and perhaps the bittersweet taste of an Aperol Spritz on your lips over the next few days. We suggest you do just that for a while but, if you don't venture into the hills behind you, you'll be missing out on a unique cultural treat. Let's talk UNESCO for a moment. Italy has more of its shiny metaphorical plaques for world heritage sites than any other country on earth, and this part of the boot lays claim to a fair few of them. Perhaps the best known is the Valle d'Itria which lies about a 30-minute drive from your hotel and is home to trulli stone dwellings, remarkable examples of mortar-free construction. The gorgeous little houses originally doubled up as grain stores due to the cooling effect of their metre-thick walls and whitewashed outers. The town of Alberobello is characterised by these pyramid constructions and after taking a private walking tour with an expert guide, head to a local agricultural farm to learn about the region’s cheese production. Sample the local specialities of mozzarella, burrata and fior di latte, along with wine, cold meats and traditional bread.