From Savelletri to Alberobello: a tour of the places that have conquered the pop star
Between the provinces of Bari, Taranto and Brindisi there is the Valle d'Itria. A piece of Puglia very popular with tourists for its rural landscapes and crystal clear sea. And that also appeals to international stars.
And it is right in the Valle d'Itria that on August 16th Madonna celebrated her 59th birthday dancing in a masseria in Savelletri la pizzica, typical local dance.
It is these hotels which are formerly renovated rural buildings attract most of the travelers. The reason is that here you can stay in the tranquility of the Salento nature, just a few minutes drive from the beaches.
In the Valley d'Itria Baroque style reigns
Against the backdrop of a landscape dotted with trulli, characteristic conical stone constructions of central-southern Puglia considered to be a UNESCO heritage site, get lost with your gaze among the cultivation of vineyards and olive groves. And visit the most fascinating villages.
Alberobello, first of all, which has the greatest concentration of trulli. But also locorotondo, whose name refers to the shape of the historic center, an agglomeration of white houses arranged on concentric rings.
These two locations are located in the province of Bari Martina Franca, another city of the Itria Valley worthy of a visit, is in the province of Taranto. Rich in baroque buildings, it rises on the hills of the Murgia at equal distance from the Ionian and the Adriatic Sea and owes its name to the devotion to San Martino.
Baroque also dominates a Cisternino, in the province of Brindisi, counted among the most beautiful villages in Italy for its characteristic kasbah, a tangle of white southern-style buildings. It was awarded the orange flag by the Italian Touring Club for the quality of its welcome.
The magic of the white city
With its white houses, perched on top of each other, Ostuni it almost looks like a fairytale landscape, in which the fifteenth-century cathedral in Romanesque-Gothic style stands out.
On the heights of the Valle d'Itria, 218 meters above sea level, this town is about forty km from Brindisi and about ten from the Adriatic coast. Dictated the "white city ", thanks to the collaboration with lime painting of the houses, the tourist resort is full of artisan shops and typical restaurants.
Street food of roast meat
Are you in Valle d'Itria and your appetite suddenly catches you? If you don't have the time or desire to look for a restaurant, even a simple butcher's shop can be for you. Here you can taste the "bowler hats ", rolls of fresh pork stuffed with cheese, salt and pepper, cooked on the grill and placed in foil.
Among the specialties that fill the local tables there are also mozzarella, normal or burrata, stracciatelle and capocollo.
