Local Area
San Michele Salentino
The town has a number of bars and restaurants. Try La Botte a trattoria run by Andrea and his family. We eat here everytime we visit our home and have never been disappointed with our meals.
For that special occasion you could try Torre San Giacomo for dining and dancing. You could also give La Fontanina a try. This is a hotel with a lovely restaurant surrounded by beautiful grounds
For an alternative night out, try Naxos. This serves pizza, pasta, chips, chicken nuggets etc. They have live bands on Tuesday evenings. They have a huge screen usually showing Italian football matches. The atmosphere is amazing. When the football has finished prepare yourself for Karaoke. This has no shortage of volunteers.
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San Michele Town SquareA market is held in the town every Thursday. |
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One of the Churches |
Ostuni
This is an important city known as the ‘white city’. It is perched on three hills overlooking the Adriatic sea. The ‘city’ has a good selection of modern shops where you can buy that unique outfit complete with all the accessories. There is also a range of furniture, mini-marts etc. The historical part of the ‘city’ is well worthy of a look and has a maze of well-preserved, white-washed streets.
Ostuni is approximately a 20 minute drive from Trulli Scrumptious.
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The geography of Ostuni is stunning. The landscape has a unique palette: from the red earth grow silvery olive trees crowned with green, while the white city stretches before you under an azure sky. |
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The ancient heart of Ostuni is a maze of corridors and stairs, twisting up to a pinnacle with views for miles and miles. |
The coast near Ostuni hosts a few good places to take in some sun or go for a dip; nearby spiaggia Torre Cane is a favourite of the locals, although quieter spots abound as well.
Lecce
Lecce is approximately one hours drive from Trulli Scrumptious and is well worth a visit, taking in the historic centre and the baroque architechture.
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Porta Napoli - Also known as the Arch of Triumph, it was erected in 1548 to pay homage to Charles V and thank him for having fortified the town. Twenty metres tall, the arch is situated in a square named after it, where S.Giusto once was.
The Obelisk - Was erected in 1822 thanks to Vito Carluccio at the time when Ferdinando I Borbone came to visit the town.
Paisiello Theatre - Once the permanent theatre of the town. Founded in 1758 and rebuilt in 1870, it was opened with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’ s ‘Un ballo in maschera”. Because of its rich decorations, this theatre - which can only contain 320 spectators - is nicknamed “The wedding souvenir”.
The Holy Cross Church - Is a symbol of the baroque style in Lecce built in 1646, thanks to three well-know architects - Gabriele Riccardi, who devoted himself to the general plan and the lower part of the facade; Francesco Antonio Zimbalo who made the twin column porch and the portal beside; Cesare Penna who conceived the high level of the facade. The big Romanesque central rose window, the rich frame, the four columns, and the niches as well as the telamons, the imaginary creatures, the animals, the mythological and historical characters of the facade are all what make this church unique and renowned over the world.
Alberobello
Alberobello is known as the Capital of the Trulli. The trullo is a fascinating architectural feature of this area of Puglia, a building with a conical roof made without mortar. Alberobello has special status internationally - designated a UNESCO world heritage site - because its collection of some 1,500 trulli in an urban environment is unique.
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Some of the trulli are now used for stores, restaurants, and lodging. But many are still inhabited by locals, who are very friendly to visitors. Alberobello is a tourist attraction, but it is not overrun, especially away from the main tourist honeypot, and most visitors are Italian. |
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The trulli zones, the Basilica, Trullo Sovrano, the trullo church of St Antony, the trulli museum; Alberobello’s attractions are all within walking distance. |
The town is the centre of an annual pilgrimage to the Basilica, dedicated to the martyr saints Cosma and Damiano.
Alberobello is under an hour’s drive from Trulli Scrumptious. In this area you will need your own transport to get around.
Nearby you will find within easy reach by car a number of equally fascinating towns - for example the white towns of Locorotondo, Cisternino and Ostuni, the 18th century baroque elegance of Martina Franca, the Norman romanesque centre of Conversano. The caves of Castellana Grotte are spectacular.