Surroundings of Villa Gabellotti
Puglia, the Tuscany of the south
From Villa Gabellotti you quickly reach the highlights of Puglia: Lecce with its Baroque buildings, the trulli of Alberobello and the white town of Ostuni.
Surroundings
There is so much to discover
Atmospheric local markets, authentic little-known villages, the varied landscape and the long coastline. Below are a few places that Eric and Wil like to recommend to their guests.
5 km from Villa Gabellotti
Torre Guaceto
At 5 km you will find the sandy beach of Torre Guaceto. This nature reserve consists of dunes and a beach that runs for miles. Park your car and a little train takes you to the only beach bar at Punta Penna. On the other side of the nature reserve, at Apani, you will find the luxurious beach clubs Boa Gialla and Guna Beach.
Within 15 minutes you are on the lively, friendly beaches of Specchiolla or Torre Santa Sabina.
2 km from Villa Gabellotti
San Vito dei Normanni
San Vito dei Normanni is 2 km away. The area has been inhabited since the Middle Ages, and San Vito has a large number of historic buildings, such as the castle. With 20,000 inhabitants, you will find almost everything you need there.
In the wide choice of restaurants you can enjoy the local specialities. The large selection of antipasti of fish and Mediterranean vegetables is reminiscent of Spanish tapas.
30 km from Villa Gabellotti
The trulli of Alberobello
Trulli, with their conical roofs, are typical of the region, and nowhere will you find as many trulli together as in Alberobello. The districts of Rione Monti and Aia Piccola consist almost entirely of trulli. There you will find Siamese trulli, a trullo church and the Trullo Sovrano, the only trullo with two floors.
The trulli of Alberobello have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996 and are 30 km from Villa Gabellotti.
15 km from Villa Gabellotti
Ostuni
From afar you can see Ostuni: a white town high on a hill, crowned by the cathedral with its colourful majolica dome. Picturesque vistas keep offering unexpected views over centuries-old olive groves, all the way to the blue sea in the distance.
It is a delight to wander through its maze of small, steep streets. Ostuni is 15 km from Villa Gabellotti.
50 km from Villa Gabellotti
Lecce
Lecce, with nicknames such as the Florence of the South or the City of the Baroque, is 50 km away. The façade of Santa Croce is so richly decorated with human figures, animals, floral decorations, putti and vines that you will not know where to start taking photographs. You keep discovering something new.
Other monuments in the famous Baroque city are the impressive Roman amphitheatre, the Piazza Sant’Oronzo with the statue of Saint Oronzo, who watches over the city from on high, and Santa Chiara with its elegant façade.
Nearby
Brindisi and Polignano a Mare
Villa Gabellotti is close to Brindisi, traditionally known as the departure point for the ferry to Greece. But Brindisi offers much more. The seafront promenade, once open to cars, has been transformed into a pedestrian area with palm trees, benches, terraces, cafés and restaurants. Especially when it gets dark and cools down, this is the place for a drink, dinner and watching the world go by.
On the way to Bari you can stop at Polignano a Mare and eat at the remarkable Ristorante Grotta Palazzese, which is set in a cave overlooking the sea.
Experiences
Tips from Eric and Wil
Culture
Puglia has a rich culture, shaped by the influence of the Greeks, Arabs and Normans.
More about culture
This makes for a unique cultural mix in this remote, south-eastern part of Italy. Think of the pizzica, an energetic dance that resembles the tarantella. There are also modern festivals, such as the beer festivals at the end of August and the famous music festival in Martina Franca.
San Vito dei Normanni has 11 churches, each with its own patron saint. Besides the well-known Catholic holidays such as Easter, All Saints and the feast of Saint John, there are regular processions. On the second weekend of July, San Vito dei Normanni holds a big festival in honour of its patron saints San Vito Martire and San Vincenzo Ferreri.
Beach life
Puglia has a long coastline with beautiful quiet coves and lively beaches with plenty of entertainment and beach bars.
More about beach life
Villa Gabellotti is just 5 km from the sandy beach of Torre Guaceto. This nature reserve consists of dunes and a beach that runs for miles. One side is called Punta Penna Grossa. There you can park the car, and a little train takes you to the only beach bar.
The other side is called Apani. There you will find the beach clubs Boa Gialla and Guna Beach, where you can rent sunbeds, eat and drink well, and change and shower. Within 15 minutes you are on the other lively, friendly beaches of Specchiolla or Torre Santa Sabina.
Food & drink
In the wide choice of restaurants you can enjoy the local specialities to your heart’s content.
More about food & drink
For Italians, eating out is an important social occasion. Friends meet at the restaurant, and that can go on until late in the evening. The cuisine of Puglia is very simple and yet remarkably tasty. The large choice of antipasti put on the table resembles Spanish tapas.
The next course, the primi, often consists of orecchiette: little ears of durum wheat pasta, prepared with an almost endless variety of sauces. One of the best-known regional dishes is orecchiette with turnip tops. Naturally, dishes with fresh fish and shellfish are plentiful. Seafood pasta and pesce spada, swordfish, are great favourites. Among the vegetable dishes you will find stuffed aubergines and courgettes, fried or puréed beans and turnip greens.
Meat lovers are well looked after in restaurants such as L’Archetto della Brace and Fattoria Grottamiranda. You choose your meat at the counter, as at the butcher’s, and it is then grilled for you over charcoal.
Today Puglia is a prosperous region, the richest of the south. Durum wheat, olives, grapes, aubergines and artichokes grow in abundance on the flat land. Puglia is Italy’s largest producer of wine and olive oil, with many quality wines, including Salice Salentino, Primitivo and Negroamaro. Puglia is also famous for its almond and fruit trees. Plums, peaches, cherries, figs, apricots and citrus fruits grow here, even in the garden of Villa Gabellotti.
Your base in Puglia
Stay at Villa Gabellotti
A quietly located holiday home for 4 guests with a private pool, 5 km from the beach of Torre Guaceto.