After seeing and hearing about Matera on television, we just had to visit the place in 2016, especially when Puglia is one of our favourite regions! An hour and a half’s drive down from Bari airport, the town looks even more wondrous in reality, more than photographs can convey. It just has to be seen and felt to be fully appreciated. Now a UNESCO site, the ancient town was evacuated in the 60s when it was a run-down slum. Today it’s a bustling, tourist destination with boutique hotels occupying the caves that were once the basic homes of its townsfolk. We stayed overnight in one of those caves, underneath shops, overlooking the town and river valley below.
After Matera, we drove down to Oria then Lecce, a beautiful fortified old town, full of wonderful architecture. Once again, Elaine excelled with her choice of abode – a taste of Morocco in the heart of Puglia.
Just to the east of Lecce are some lovely, empty beaches where we lazed in the sun, only moving for liquid refreshment (usually Primitivo) and good food. NB. There really is no BAD food in Italy!
