Top Reasons to Go

A wander through Sassi: The Basilicata town of Matera is endowed with one of the most unusual landscapes in Europe—a complex network of ancient cave dwellings partially hewn from rock, some of which now house chic bars and restaurants.

A trip to peasant-food heaven: Dine on Puglia's famous puree of fava beans with chicory and olive oil in a humble country restaurant.

Lecce and its Baroque splendors: The beautiful, friendly city of Lecce might be known for its peculiar brand of fanciful Baroque architecture, but it's not yet famous enough to have lost its Pugliese charm.

The trulli of the Valle d'Itria: Strange conical houses—many of them still in use—dot the rolling countryside of Puglia, centering around Alberobello, a town still composed almost entirely of these trulli. They must be seen to be believed.