A gourmet experience

One of Italy’s biggest olive oil and wine producing regions, Puglia is one of Europe’s great agricultural areas. The warmth of spring is an ideal time to explore the indigenous vineyards and taste the local produce. The simplicity of Italian cuisine is particularly prevalent in the specialities of Puglia. There is a variety of pasta specific to the region, from the better-known orecchiette to the hard to find cavatelli and gruessi. Dotted among the villages are communal ovens, which were and still are, used to bake bread and slow-cook meat. These epitomise the traditional and simplistic feel of the area. The standards of wine production have significantly increase in recent years, with the primitivo becoming a popular grape variety for powerful reds.