It’s hard to imagine that as little as 20 years ago, if Puglia was known to those outside of Italy at all, it was simply for being the heel on the peninsula’s boot. Fast forward two decades later, and it’s not only firmly cracked the code for a perfect Mediterranean vacation, but ranks among the most desirable destinations for Italophiles who want to venture beyond the well-established tourist hotspots of Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast.

It’s not difficult to see why. The relatively flat landscape features some of the most gorgeous towns in Italy—from the bleached walls of Ostuni to the quaint domed roofs of Alberobello’s traditional trulli—most of which are packed with knotty medieval streets, gleaming white Baroque churches, and bustling markets.