PUGLIA - coast and inland towns of LECCE & OSTUNI

BRINDISI

From Otranto we travelled north (NW) to Brindisi hugging the Puglian Coastline.  Brindisi is a major port for travellers going east to Greece, Croatia or Turkey, it’s an extremely busy commercial town.  

View from the marina of old fortification

We avoided the ferries and large freighters and were directed to a marina at the northern end of the port; it looked extremely isolated but there was a lot of friendly help and we learnt that a bus left every half hour for the town.  This made nipping into town for a meal or provisioning very easy as the bus stopped just outside the old historic centre which was mostly pedestrian and a very pleasant area for strolling. 

Corso Garibaldi, Brindisi

Roman Column (marking end of Via Appia)

In town, work was in progress to revitalise the spacious front promenade around the harbour, this should be quite stunning when finished.  Brindisi was the end point of the old Roman Rd – the Appian Way or Via Appia – this is the point that Roman Legionnaires, Pilgrims, Crusaders and traders rested their weary feet and embarked on a sea vessel for the East.   The Column marks the end of the Via Appia,  it sits above a spacious flight of white steps which lead down to the water front.

View from Via Colonne, to the left on harbour front Mussolini's Monument to Italian Soldiers

Puglia was a wonderful surprise for us all, we had imagined the state to be fairly poor and arid, instead we found  fertile lands and beautiful old towns.  

LECCE

Robertini our larger than life  ‘singing taxi driver’  devotee to Creedence Clearwater Revival' drove us to Lecce singing "Proud Mary keeps on running.........".   Historic Lecce turned out to be a  beautiful baroque town built in local sandstone,  crammed full of churches and old Palazzi constructed in the 17^th and 18^th centuries - there was a wonderful coherence of style it was just one of those places where every turning revealed something new and pleasing to view. 

The Basilica di Santa Croce has incredible 'over the top' ornate carvings – sheep, dodos, cherubs and beasts cover the front façade.   Recent restoration has brought all these carvings to life.......

Lecce was just one of those places where every turning revealed something new and exciting to view, the only problem being - which turning to take. 

There were a few small enotecas with local foods - these were pastas dyed with natural food colourings.

Even the paving was attractive, worn with a patina of age.............

 OSTUNI

The next day we took a train to Ostuni, it was a total contrast to Lecce, the old town straddled a hill and looked very Greek with its stark white buildings.

Startling white houses lining many alleyways - it reminded me so much of Greece

View from Ostuni to sea

Ostuni, a stark white town straddling a hill

The Greeks were in this region 8^th Century BC and obviously left their mark… Ostuni ressembled the Greek Chora (an inland hill town built away from the sea for defence purposes).

We strolled up through the narrow winding streets towards the Cathedral dedicated to the Madonna of the Assumption with its attractive Gothic-Romanesque façade, built  between 1400 and 1500, it looked resplendent after recent restoration.

Beautiful archway in historic Ostuni