Beaches

The many beach resorts along the Adriatic and Ionican coasts make Puglia a popular summer tourist destination.  Most of the beaches are wide and sandy, giving way to attractive rocky coves.  The nearest beach is Lido di Specchiolla, a mere 12 minute drive away.  Take the SP15 from San Vito and turn onto the SS379 from where you can turn off to one of the local beaches, such as Lido di Specchiolla, Torre Santa Sabina, Costa Merlata, Marina di Ostuni, Diana Marina, Rosa Marina, Pilone and Torre Canne, to name a few. There are more detailed maps in the villa. Many beaches are free but for others you pay a fee and are provided a sunbed and umbrella.

Longer trips could include a drive along the Ionican coastline from Gallipoli followed by S. Mari al Bagno, Porto Cesareo, Marina di Pulsano, Riva dei Tessali and Marina di Ginosa. The rocky little Tremiti archipelago off the Gargano coast, where the beauties of nature still lie unspoilt, is unforgettable.

There is also a water park situated in Lido Silvana near Pulsano with rides like the Kamikadze drop which is 70m long or the Anaconda slide which slides on for 90m.
 

Fasano Safari Park, Alberobello, Ostuni, Lecce and Martina Franca

The Zoo Safari Park  (around 45 minutes from Casa Juno) is the largest in Italy and it hosts animals from every continent in a "semi-free" state.  To get there take the SS16 towards Bari and then the Fasano turnoff.  The park is on the hill side of Fasano and well signposted. There are loads of animals ranging from lions and monkeys to elephants and reptiles. The entrance ticket costs around Euro15 and includes visits to the Zoo, a Ride on the Monkey Train, a visit to the tropical hall and the lake. The park opens at 10am and closes at 5pm. Bring lots of apples cut in half to feed to the giraffes, camels and zebras as you drive around. Buy some peanuts and feed the monkeys on the monkey train.

Just a short distance away from the park is the unique town of Alberobello which is a UNESCO heritage site famed for its hundreds of  ‘Trulli’ constructions, small conical houses atypical to the Puglian peninsula which were originally farmer's tool sheds.

Or try Castellana, close to Alberobello where Karstic caverns can be visited. There are considered the most exciting caverns in the whole of Italy. They are 1.5km long, 64m deep rich in stalagtites and stalagmites.

Nearer to Casa Juno (around 15 minutes away) is the white city of Ostuni - just follow the signs from San Vito and you can't miss it. Take in the lovely moorish houses on their winding streets. There are tons of restaurants in these back streets so explore.

Lecce (around 1 hour south of Casa Juno), the Florence of the South, is the baroque and cultural capital of Puglia. The architecture is magnificent and the church of "Santa Croce" alone is worth a drive to the south. Take the motorway coming from Brindisi and the road is well signposted.

Martina Franca is the music capital of Puglia. Many classical and jazz festivals are held here every year. The centre is pedestrianised so don't miss the traditional Puglian restaurants in the square. 
 

Spa and Golf

The Masseria San Domenico Resort, around a 40 minute drive, near Fasano offers a wonderful Spa as well as a par 72 golf course overlooking the Adriatic sea.  It also has a great restaurant and offers a great day out.  http://www.imasseria.com

Other golf courses include the Acaya Golf Club near Otranto   http://www.acayagolfclub.it.  This new course enjoys a wonderful unspoilt setting on the edge of the Cesine nature reserve and only 2km from the beach at San Cataldo. The clubhouse is a converted 17th century farmhouse.

The Mezzogiorno's original golf course "Golf Club Riva dei Tessali", founded in 1968 near the small beach resort of Castellaneta, set in scented coastal pine forest that offers welcome shade and shelter from the prevailing wind. Par 72 and 5947m. http://www.rivadeitessali.it

Another golf course is the Metaponto Golf Club at Metaponto.  Only ten minutes apart, Metaponto and Riva dei Tessali are jointly owned. Metaponto is a longer and more open course set in an orange plantation. Par 72 and 6284m.
 

Food

The 3 nearest towns are San Vito dei Normanni, Carovigno and Ostuni which are all within a 15 minute drive.  Trips to the historical centres of each are highly recommended as well as a day trip to Lecce with its trendy shops, restaurants and more beautiful historical building. 

San Vito, Carovigno and Ostuni have a range of great restaurants, including the Michelin starred Osteria già sotto l'arco.  The food is great, but as you can expect, expensive.  In Italy you always follow the locals to see where they eat. One such place is Fantasy da Antonella in Carovigno.  Antipasti (a selection of local specialities including fine meats, cheeses, olives, tomatoes and much more) is big in Puglia and if you want to taste a variety of local dishes, this is definitely the way to go.  Here are some details for some recommended restaurants:

"Osteria già sotto l'arco", Corso Vittorio Emanuele 71 Carovigno (BR), Tel. 0831.996286 Fax 0831.994769 www.giasottolarco.it info@giasottolarco.it

"Fantasy da Antonella" (the sign reads differently), Via Giosuè, 25, Carovigno (BR), Tel (0831)991017
closed Monday

"Osteria la Maddonina di Nicoletti", Vico A. Fratti, 8, 72017 Ostuni (BR), Tel (340)787-9707
no closure information, open lunch and dinner

 2008 guests also mentioned:

- Il Grottino in Carovigno

- Miramare in San Salina – great for pasta, pizza and fresh fish

- Volcano Pizzeria – San Vito – try the seafood rissotto

- Taverna Della Gelosia in Ostuni

- Pizzeria Natola - fantastic takeaway, also with tables outside, Via M Carparelli, San Vito

- La Locanda di Noma Mera – need to book in evening, Via Edison 30, 72019 San Vito
 

Historical sites in Puglia

Many of the inland villages possess something of artistic or scenic interest, often with important historical remains.  Ostuni and Cisternino are exceptional for their medieval architecture and great views to the sea and across the Valle d’Itria. There is also the baroque spendour of Martina Franca with its cathedral of St Martin and it’s Opera Festival running from 21 July to 11 August each year. Just outside San Vito dei Normanni are the old crypts "Cripta di San Biagio" which is just off the San Vito Brindisi road near Serranova. Egnathia was a Roman port for ships going to Greece and has a museum with relics dating back to the 4th century BC.

Further a field, the village of Monte S. Angelo, stands in a panoramic position on the Gargano hills.  Lucera in Capitanata has the remains of a Roman amphitheatre and Troia has a Romanesque-Pugliese cathedral (11th-13th century), with a magnificent rose window.

In the Murges area, lies Canosa, with a 11th century cathedral and the beautiful isolated octagonal Castel del Monte, built by Frederick II, on a splendid panoramic site, Ruvo di Puglia, with one of the most important Romanesque-Pugliese cathedrals (13th century); Alberobello, with its extraordinary trulli; Gioia del Colle, which has a great castle (11th-13th century); Altamura, with a Romanesque-Gothic cathedral (13th-15th century), Grottaglie, a pottery craft centre; Manduria (megalithic walls and necropolis).

Some of the coastal towns also attract large numbers of tourists. Barletta, famous for the Disfida in 1503, with a giant bronze statue of the Colosso (4th century); Trani, with a fine Romanesque cathedral (12th century); Monopoli, dominated by its 16th century castle, with nearby ruins of the pre-Roman city of Egnazia; Otranto, with its characteristic historical centre and beautiful cathedral (11th-12th century). In the immediate Bari hinterland lies Bitonto, whose 13th century cathedral is probably the finest example of Romanesque-Pugliese architecture.

The Grotte di Castellana, slightly south-east of Bari, is a famous and much visited series of caves.  Discovered in 1938, they extend prevalently on the level for nearly 2,000 m., and consist of five large and immensely high caverns, linked by tunnels and corridors, all with splendid stalagmites and stalactites.