I really don't think LBB tried much at all .... to do anything except remain in her own introspective world with just a couple of English speaking friends. I bought this book because I really wanted to learn more about Puglia and vicariously revisit places I'd travelled to in the region. How terribly disappointed I was. The book could easily have been written as a personal diary on a beach in Margate. Perhaps renamed as 'My Dog and Me, Me, Me' It gave me nothing except whingeing chapters of badly written (mostly) retrospective anecdotes of her former life in England, and complaining about her life and forbearance of Italians and Italian culture in her adopted home. She did very little to discover her Puglian surroundings in the 4 years she stayed - her most graphic description was of Sicily! If you’re in the planning stages of your Puglia holiday, then you should know that the southern region of Italy - it’s the ‘heel of the boot’ if you look at the map - is perfect for a week, or even better if done in two.

in Puglia | CN Traveller The best places to visit in Puglia | CN Traveller

Olga and Massimo guided us through how to cut and roll the pasta to make the ear shapes most known in the region, and while I’ll undoubtedly win no awards for my contributions to pasta making, the delicious lunch they served us afterwards was thankfully not made by me!With bell towers sprouting out of cathedrals, and a Roman amphitheatre, Lecce brings it with the architecture too. Some of the buildings are so old and constructed with such fine sandstone, there are places you can rub the walls, and they basically crumble, so try not to do that! We even saw part of windowsill fall while we were there, but happily heard that isn’t a common occurrence — a stunning city and a must-visit in Puglia. Locorotondo is one of the prettiest spots in Puglia Locorotondo

places to visit in Puglia on a self-drive Guide to the best places to visit in Puglia on a self-drive

Oh, and you should know that 'Puglia' - pronounced poo-lee-yah - is the Italian name for the region, whilst ‘Apulia’ is the historical Latin and English-speaking version. You may have seen both in your research, and they can be used interchangeably, but we always go with the Italian. Here is a list of must-visit places in Puglia, and the top things to do in Puglia to help you plan your trip, tried and tested by yours truly. How to get to Puglia

There's no denying however that it can get a little repetitive. Not a problem if you're only in the area for a week or so, but if you're travelling for longer, cooking for yourselves for a few evenings may become more appealing (and kinder on the waistline). I’ve been here in winter and summer, and it was just as busy both times, so I highly recommend spending at least one night here so you can rise early. Not only are the historic streets quieter, but the gorgeous golden light on the white-washed round homes truly brings them to life.