If you want to explore Italy by car, then Puglia is an ideal region to start.
The roads are mostly quiet and scenic, taking you through gorgeous landscapes and into pretty villages, such as Locorotondo and Cisternino, which are recognised as two of Italy’s ‘most beautiful villages.’
Only accessible by road, drive into the mountains to Vico del Gargano, known as the village of love due to a tiny narrow alley within the winding streets that nudges lovers to touch and perhaps even kiss!
For that truly rustic feel, stay in one of the region’s many masseria, fortified farmhouses filled with character.
Through the countryside you’ll find clusters of trulli, the distinctive limestone houses peculiar to the area, as well as the endless olive groves that give Puglia that classic Italian vibe.
Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site town of Alberobello to see the biggest collection of trulli, which look like they come straight out of the pages of a fairytale.
Travel further south and visit the Salento peninsula, which is home to the Baroque city of Lecce. Dubbed the Florence of the South, Lecce is well worth a visit for the Church of Santa Croce, an elaborate relation of its namesake in Florence.
