At the bottom of Italy’s eastern coast is the spur that makes up the heel of the Italian boot. Puglia gets its name from the ancient Roman province of Apulia. First discovered in the 8th century B.C. by the Spartans from Greece, they settled into the towns, which became Gallipoli and Taranto. By the 5th century B.C. they were the most important towns in the area and in the 3rd century B.C. the Romans took over. Puglia underwent a series of rulers from the Arabs to the Austrians, then in 1860 they united with the Kingdom of Italy.

Today Puglia enjoys a certain independence created by its numerous attractions and economy. Because it’s a peninsula it enjoys about 75% of beachfront that is engulfed by the Adriatico and Ionio seas. The regions capital Bari is a thriving port with over 500,000 people. Taranto, along the Ionic coast offers a look back into Greek culture as the regions first settlement. Lecce, the hidden gem of the South saw a period of prosperity not seen by any other city in the southeast and San Giovanni Rotondo is fast becoming the one of the most popular pilgrimages in the entire world.

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