MORNING: Allow for a morning to land in Bari and to make your way down to Lecce, the "Florence of the South". The airport is approximately a 45 minute drive form the city center. If your flight lands early enough (and you got a few hours of shut-eye) pause on your journey southward to roam the pasta district of Bari where the women of the city lay out their famous dense, dough-y, handmade, ear-shaped pasta outside of their homes and family shops for sale at a criminal price. Whether you'll be staying in an accommodation with a kitchen or you want to bring this pasta home, don't miss out on this cultural phenomenon that is a dying art in the region. After a brief stop in Bari, continue south along the sapphire and turquoise coastline toward Lecce. 

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To learn more about the Nonne (grandmothers) of Bari and their ear-shaped pasta, read this brief NYT article to pass the time on the plane.

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LUNCH: Make a stop in Monopoli (yes, pronounced like the game) to have a quick lunch if you decided not to indulge in the orecchiette in Bari. This town is perhaps one of the most aesthetically pleasing in the region with a feel of being a slightly more modest Polignano a Mare. Wind through the narrow, twisted streets and take the afternoon to peruse the shops and sites if you time frame allows. 

• Ristorante Piazza Palmieri - this was our chosen location for lunch and was a spectacular start to our trip. Focused on the fresh, aquatic fare that is a staple of the region, this upscale but unpretentious trattoria was tucked away in a quaint piazza that began to buzz with locals mingling and enjoying late lunch after Sunday Mass had adjourned. 

 

Other Restaurants along the road to Lecce: 

• La Locanda dei Pescatori (Monopoli) 

• Il Guazzetto (Monopoli) 

• Lido Bosco Verde (Pilone) 

• Dentromare (Specchiola) 

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AFTERNOON: After a leisurely lunch, you will likely spend another portion of the afternoon traversing the remaining coastline to reach Lecce. As you return to the highway (or the back roads if you so choose, take note of the sprawling fields of gnarled, ancient olive trees that seem to continue on to eternity. Once known as one of the most lively and well-respected olive-oil productions in the world, Puglia's olive trees have been devastated by a terrible bacterium, xylella fastidiosa, that has taken no mercy on the UNESCO-protected arbors. You will see this sad decline and natural deforestation throughout the region, and though there is no cure for the ailing trees, Puglian farmers and botanists are hard at work replanting the fallen and protecting the fortunately unaffected. 

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This article by NPR offers a more in-depth look into the devastation of the Pugliese olive oil industry and the current efforts toward salvation. 

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DINNER: 

• La Cucina di Mamma Elvira 

• Dell'Antiquario 

• Alex Seafood 

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APERITIVO/DIGESTIVI: In all likelihood, you will be exhausted after this day and wanting to climb into your fluffy bed for a decent night's rest (good on you for fighting the jet leg to this point!) If you can muster the energy to enjoy a pre-dinner or post-dinner cocktail, Lecce has quite the mixology scene and is at the forefront of this American-style drink culture in the region. My recommendations may not be best for this first night, but be sure to make the time to slip through the doors of one of Lecce's swanky locals for a warm up or cool down for your evening. ​

• Quanto Basta 

• Palazzo del Banco di Napoli 

• Le Quatto Spezierie (Rooftop) 

• La Terrazza at the Patria Palace Hotel 

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