Massimino is very right - Puglia is a region that has seen so many influences throughout the centuries (Greek, Norman, Arabic, German, Austrian to name just a few) that other regions in Italy haven't. It's truly a unique part of Italy, very rugged, real, and so forth, so a traveller there must realize that prior to going. Knowing to speak some Italian will help a great deal; understanding the dialect even moreso!

I'm Pugliese and cant wait to return to vist family next year...tourism is on the rise so I'm curious how that will effect the region in the coming years.

Tonia - what part of Puglia are you from? I bought a villa there last year near San Vito Dei Normani, just north of Brindisi. We're lucky in the UK as Ryanair now flies direct to both Bari and Brindisi at great budget prices, so I get to go there about 6 times a year. Going on Saturday, in fact, to see the Cavalcade in Ostuni!

Hi Kate,

My family hails from Mola di Bari, which is north of Bari. It's not one of the nicest towns along the coast, but a short drive to Polignare a Mare, Molfetta, and the rest of Puglia which as you know is magical. I'm looking forward to returning maybe next spring or fall.

Congratulations on the villa! You are very fortunate to have those direct flights from the UK. I'm in NY, and am hoping that Eurofly will offer the same direct routes to Bari as they have to Naples and Bologna. It's a long trip from here, so I envy your location and access!

If you want to keep in touch about Puglian life you can email me at [email protected].

Best wishes with the villa, and enjoy your travels,

Tonia

Thanks for the email address! A few people I know have set up a web forum for discussion of all things 'Puglia' which you might be interested in (or a valuable contributor to, if you're interested!)- it's mostly populated by Brits who live there or holiday there like myself, with a few italian locals thrown in. A small but growing site - one of the few places to get more information on the area.

www.pugliaposse.com

BTW you may be interested to know that British Airways flies direct from Gatwick-Bari from spring to about October, so it may be an option for you in the future, as flights from NY to London are so frequent.

Hi Kate,

Thanks for the website, it's nice to see that there are other Puglia lovers out there, and that there is info available in a forum format (so hard to get "real" info from guidebooks).

Gatwick-Bari with British Airways, very interesting. And that reduces the cost of the trip very much. I could spend a few days in the UK, which I love, too!

Thanks for the info Kate.