Authentic Puglia

It’s throw-back Thursday, when I recall a past trip which I should have blogged about at the time, but was too busy enjoying the place to write about it in the moment.  Just yesterday, I saw a photo on Facebook from the good people at Agriturismo Masseria Aprile, celebrating another tourist season with some well-earned rest in the Autumn sunshine.

In the photo (in the link above) you see the matriarch of Agriturismo Masseria Aprile, Anna Maria Aprile, with her daughter and son-in-law.  Together with the rest of the family, they provide the utmost in Puglian hospitality to happy guests from all over the world.  Mrs. Aprile is the twelfth generation owner of the Masseria, located in the idyllic Valle d’Tria, just outside of the town of Locorotondo. I’ve never seen a more charming town than Locorotondo. Just look at this:

In case you haven’t encountered the word Masseria before, let me give you a brief explanation.  A Masseria is a type of large farm in the Puglia region of Italy. Historically, these farms were pretty much self-sufficient to the point that they could even be fortified against pirates and bandits. Now, there are no bandits or pirates, just tourists. Many masserias have been converted into beautiful agriturismos where guests can relax in the Puglian countryside in comfortable to luxurious accommodations while enjoying the bucolic surroundings and homemade farm-to-table food.  They often have gardens, orchards, olive groves and even a few farm animals. Staying at a Masseria can be a romantic escape for couples and a fun adventurous vacation for families.

Masseria Aprile is certainly romantic.  Our room was in an authentic trullo, with a heated stone floor, luxurious bed, a modern bathroom and its own little terrace with chairs and a view of olive groves. It was a cozy little hideaway that we enjoyed returning to after our days of exploring the Valle d’Itria by car and on foot. In the evenings, we would relax after our adventures with a glass of wine on the stone terrace. In the mornings, we would walk a few steps to the dining room with views of the gardens and orchard to enjoy a sumptuous spread of homemade goodies all made by Signora Anna and her daughter. I had the most special cappuccino of my life there – each one made individually by Signora Anna with an old-fashioned manual plunger to create clouds of silky milk foam. After breakfast, we would go looking for the two friendly donkeys who roam the property, who love attention and head scratches.

Masseria Aprile is a great central location to explore the Valle d’Itria.  From there, we explored local towns such as Alberobello, Cisternino, Ostuni, Martina Franca and Monopoli.  We took leisurely walks in the surrounding countryside, which was just stunning, blanketed in spring flowers and dotted with trulli and miles and miles of olive trees.

• Things to know if you go:
  • a car is essential for exploring the area. Driving in Puglia is easy. Roads are good and well marked.
  • make dinner reservations in town, as the masseria serves only breakfast. We often had a large lunch and just a snack for dinner – such as focaccia enjoyed with our wine in the evening.
  • booking directly on their website gets you the best rates.
  • stay at least three nights to really enjoy the place, we would have stayed for an entire week if we could.
  • get a map of Puglia to plan day trips.
  • reach out to me and I will send you our Puglian road trip itinerary, starting in Bari.