For those of us who have been to Rome numerous times and have seen all or most of the city’s major monuments and museums, it’s great to come across two lesser-known attractions.  These two museums are complete opposites to each other: one being a small, very fine Renaissance villa set in a beautiful garden, while the other is Rome’s newest gallery of contemporary art and architecture, housed in a former automobile factory with a dramatic extension by the late Zaha Hadid, one of the 21^st century’s most gifted architects.

Not to be missed on a visit to Puglia is a 13^th century citadel, the magnificent Castel del Monte, about 70kms north of Matera.  Strategically perched on a hilltop in the Murgia region at an altitude of 540m that can be seen from many kms away, it seems to dominate the entire Kingdom of Sicily, of which Puglia was a part at that time.  Another site, that’s one of the country’s most historically important, is Cannae.  Anyone who has ever heard of Hannibal will doubtless know that his Carthaginian forces defeated the Roman army on numerous occasions, and the battle at Cannae in 216 BCE during the Second Punic War, was the most significant of these.  It’s regarded as one the bloodiest battles in Roman history—definitely something for those of us with an interest in ancient history.

Italy’s southernmost region has many great sights and attractions, including huge fortress palaces, white-washed towns and villages, the extraordinary trullis that are only found in the Valle d’Itria, and some stunning beaches.  As well as these treasures, there is one spectacular place that no visitor should miss.  Matera is one of the most extraordinary destinations in Italy.  This remarkable city, the third oldest continuously inhabited in the world, that once held so much sorrow for so many of its inhabitants, is perhaps one of the most fascinating you will ever visit.

The Valle d’Itria is, for many people, the heart of Puglia.  It’s where you’ll see the white rendered trulli houses with their stone conical roofs for which Puglia is famous, along with white-washed villages such as Alberobello and Locorotondo, and larger towns like Martina Franca and Ostuni.  The rolling green valley is criss-crossed by dry-stone walls, vineyards, ancient olive and almond groves and winding country lanes.  It’s a visitor’s dream location.

Puglia is a land of conquests and domination.  Strongholds and castles stud the countryside throughout the region, majestic symbols of ancient nobility, but also a turbulent past.  The castles were not built purely as residences, but rather as heavily-fortified bastions that could stand strong and invincible against all comers, whether by land or by sea.  There are no mountain peaks for Puglia’s castle strongholds.  Instead, its horizon traces, almost without interruption, a flat line lacking any elevations.  There are around 49 great fortresses across Puglia, a number of which can be visited.  No trip to this fascinating region would be complete without visiting some of these great landmarks.