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The piazza is as Italian as it gets: not as an architectural or urban feature, but rather from a cultural and social point of view. In small villages, it’s where people meet, discuss and buy food, when it’s market day. In cities, the piazza is the equivalent of a grand palace’s living room, the place where you show the best your home has inside.  W...

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An 88-year-old doctor from Puglia is studying for his 14th university degree. Leonardo Altobelli, a retired family doctor and former mayor of Troia near Foggia, turned 88 on March 15. "I am the oldest student in the world and the second most qualified," he told local media Wednesday. As well as his 13 degrees, Altobelli also has a master's in crimi...

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In Italy’s southeastern peninsular region, embraced by the Mediterranean breeze of the Adriatic and Ionian seas, is Puglia. Recognized as one of Italy’s culturally richest territories, Puglia has long enjoyed a history of distinction due to its simple but equally rich gastronomy, historic architecture, and long-standing influence in the production...

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The Upper Murgia (“Alta Murgia”) National Park was established in 1998 to protect the last example of the Mediterranean steppe in Italy. The park stretches from the Adriatic coast to the Lucanian reliefs, reaching the maximum height of 2.227 ft on Mount Caccia; it is mainly made of limestone, tuffs, clay deposits, sands and alluvial deposits mixed...

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If you are in Apulia and you are walking along the promenade of Bari, take a look at the cliffs. It will be very easy to see, among the boats, fishermen engaged in a very intense activity. They are repeatedly slamming something on the rock, with very strong force and very emphasized movements. What is it? The tradition Bari is famous for its fishin...

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Italy's magic has been shifting over the last five years. While the Tuscan charm still attracts large volumes of tourists, slowly and steadily, the welcoming southern Italian hospitality is drawing more and more visitors to its region. Lecce (affectionately dubbed 'Florence of the South') now ranks higher in visitor numbers than Siena in Tuscany. S...

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Puglia native Anna Maggio believes eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and that simple dishes are the ones we should relish. "When someone has done something with a few fresh ingredients and it tastes good, that’s a victory,” she says. And those victories are a way of life in her homeland. Her beautiful new book, Under the Olive Tree: Memor...

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Smooth on the outside and soft on the inside, mozzarella is undoubtedly Italy's most popular cheese. With a millennium-long history in the Campania region, it’s beloved all over the world – as is burrata. So here's a look at the differences between them.  Both are fresh cow’s milk cheeses made using the pasta filata (stretched curd) method. But whi...

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The square is the heart of every Italian city. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, many are created following very original projects. But some squares hide secrets in their own structure and their own name. Their form is shaped directly on the oldest buildings or on the pre-existing spaces, still preserved below. We literally walk over history,...

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With 7,000 kilometers of coastline, Italy has plenty of seaside locations worth visiting. Seaside villages are popular destinations during the summer season, but it’s in winter that they reveal their true spirit, their stories strictly intertwined with life at sea. On winter days, the beaches empty out and seaside hamlets turn peaceful and silent,...

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