57. Southern Puglia's Addictive Allure

The southern half of Puglia entices you with whitewashed hill top villages, crystal clear water that just begs you to dive in, houses dramatically perched on the edge of limestone cliffs and the ever present sunshine and sea breeze. The capitol city of Lecce, is much more than you would expect, with some of the finest masterpieces of Baroque architecture in Italy. When the sun sets in southern Puglia, everything, including the sandstone walls of these Baroque jewels, glow in an ochre color like you have never seen. Throw all of this on top of a simple and seasonal (yet delicious) cuisine and the bountiful (and also delicious) wine, Puglia is a feast for the senses, all five of them.