Over the past decade, the southern Italian region of Puglia (the heel of the boot) has come onto the radar in a major way, but most visitors gravitate toward the Valle d’Itria, a series of towns including Alberobello, Ostuni, Monopoli, and Polignano a Mare, where many of the region’s luxury hotels are concentrated.

Some travelers head further south, into the Salento Peninsula, which is known for some of the most beautiful beaches in the region. Few venture north of Bari to the Gargano Peninsula, a promontory jutting out into the Adriatic Sea, which is home to the most extensive national park in Italy.