The limstone town, Vieste.

‘The white washed cliff town”

Welcome to Vieste, a captivating coastal town nestled along the ruggedly beautiful Gargano Peninsula in southern Italy. Perched on the Adriatic Sea, Vieste enchants visitors with its dramatic cliffs, golden beaches, and a historic town that whispers tales of ancient maritime heritage. Wander through narrow alleys adorned with whitewashed buildings adorned with colorful flowers, each corner revealing a piece of the town's rich history. Renowned for its iconic Pizzomunno, a towering monolith that stands guard over the azure waters, Vieste beckons travelers to explore its picturesque Old Town, where medieval charm meets the vibrancy of Italian coastal life. With its sun-drenched landscapes, crystalline waters, and the warm embrace of the Mediterranean breeze, Vieste promises an unforgettable sojourn along the sun-kissed shores of the Gargano coast.

Vieste is the type of niche place where you can slide into your summer loafers, let your hair soak the seaside air and take a breather glazing into the turquoise sea. While you seek for shade under the bougainvillea, shop for local produce from little trucks and buy olive oil, cheese and spices from the market to take back home. Tuck your fingers into the most delicious seafood or orecchiette and let your legs get lost in the all white streets that need no introduction. In all honesty, the slow cooked seafood stew and tuna tartar brought us back to this town that I have been craving the last four years.

The Gargano Peninsula exists about 5 hours from Rome via car in the province of Foggia, Apulia. The “less known” region differs from the more visited areas like Salento or the Valle d’Itria with its lush pine forests, olive groves, limestone cliffs, seacaves and endless beaches. From the region we have visited Vieste and Monte Sant Angelo, the last time four years ago. We always wanted to come back to Vieste, so this time around it was perfectly on route on our drive down to Puglia. Apparently other cute towns in Gargano include, Vico, Manfredonia, Rodi and Peschici.

Nevertheless, Vieste is a pretty seaside town that sits on a limestone cliff with a picture-esq old town that lines with beaches and overlooks the Adriatic sea. It’s a typical lazy town built from a maze of steep stairs, where washing hangs from simple white houses that surrounds with a panoramic walk around it all. Just like any other Apulian old town, it is made for wandering. Visit the 11th century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, but in Romanesque style and snap the cutest pictures just below the stairs. Here you are surrounded with white brick, darling arches, you can hear the canary birds singing from inside someones house and the gentle sea breeze pushes through the narrow streets giving some form of comfort on a hot day. Stop for cappuccino at carpenter on the little piazza of Largo Seggio, have lunch at box 19 (order the seafood stew) and dinner at a cozy cave restaurant called al dragone.

Due to our itinerary, we only stayed for 1 night & the following day but it was enough time to explore the cute streets, shop at the market for spices and experience the amazing food that the South has to offer. Vieste is a total summer town that makes a great base to explore the Gargano region.

Bleached Beauty, Cisternino

‘Charming little Gem in the heart of the trulli region’

Nestled in the heart of the enchanting Puglia region, Cisternino emerges as a quintessential Italian gem, where time seems to stand still amid its historic charm. Cisternino is located in the province of Brindisi located right next to other gems, such as Martina Franca and Locorondo. It is in the heart of Puglia’s trulli region that makes the most scenic (and my all time favourite) drive when exploring the little towns of Valle d’Itria. This picturesque town, perched atop the rolling hills of the Itria Valley, captivates visitors with its whitewashed buildings adorned with vibrant flowers and labyrinthine alleyways steeped in history. Renowned for its unique circular layout and traditional trulli houses, Cisternino provides an authentic glimpse into Puglia's rich cultural heritage. As the sun sets, casting a warm glow over the rustic stone facades, Cisternino transforms into a captivating haven where the echoes of bygone eras harmonize with the lively ambiance of local trattorias and family-run osterias. A visit to Cisternino promises an immersive journey into the soul of Puglia, where age-old traditions and modern allure coalesce seamlessly.

Surprisignly we have put a blind eye to Cisternino’s existance, even though we have been driving around (and criss-cross) the region for many years, thus we were happy to discover something new! We randomly drove to Cisternino from Masseria Palombara one morning and came back for lunch another day as we were curious to try their butcher style restaurant.

Listed as one the most beautiful small town of Italy, Cisternino has its obvious charm with a hint of Greek influence (originally found by greek settlers), Medieval style architecture where streets intertwine with beautiful archways, bleached streets, hidden courtyards and balconies awash in flowers. The Torre Civica is the gateway to the historic centre that seems to be remained virtually intact for centuries. Visit the 13th century Church of San Nicola sits on the foundation of the former Greek orthodox monastery and breath in the countryside views spotting cone-shaped trulli roofs in one of the cozy parks. Elderly men sit in shaded park benches in little groups and elderly women often sweep in front of their homes arranging flower pots keeping everything in pristine condition. Cisternino has a similar look to Locorotondo and it’s easy to fall in love with its understated charm.

The day starts with locals sipping on espresso at little piazzas with large white umbrellas, when the town only starts to awake. Boutiques open far later in little towns in the South and here, it’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy a slow morning while reading the paper. Nobody is running around and there is a respect for time here. As evening progresses, people gather for an aperitivo to wind down from the day. Community seems to be tight, a bit artsy and the ambiance is charming. For the size of the little town, it seems to have a numerous amount of different cafes and restaurants, and macelleria-eateries, meat markets where you choose what you want and they grill or roast it for you while you wait. Little did we know that this town is famous for its barbecuing butchers, this was a total treat for my meat lover husband. We ate ourselves into a total food coma from having a 1kg t-bone steak, local sausages/parcels (filled with mince, cheese and ham, carpaccio, baked potato etc. We sat outside with a carafe of local wine and indulged in total goodness, finishing the meal off with a strong espresso from little plastic cups. Not only is this eating style economical, it brings a sense of togetherness, you see the fresh produce in front of you and it’s simple, the way it should be.

The darling square of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele seems to be the heart of the town. With a tiny chocolate shop (chocolab) to your right and the clock tower in front, let the little roads lead you its tiny charming streets. Start your morning at the tiny cafe ‘Bistrot food art & design’ and sip on some rich cappuccino sitting in the light sun in one of the mosaic tables observing people go by. Have a bruschetta and extra avocados and let the coffee work it’s magic on you. Stroll around the beautiful town, make sure to stop at the Via Giulio II for the most envious flower spilling balconies. Visit the little boutiques and make your way to lunch at the butcher style Al Vecchio Fornello.