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In a way it's a shame that most foreigners think of Apulia as nothing more than a place from which to sail to Greece - but then perhaps that is one of the reasons this region is so blessedly free of crowds. They don't know about the whispering olive groves, about the sugary white walls and narrow flagstone streets in town after town after town, about the almost comical and equally mystical ancient trulli, whose tiny hex-marked domes are surrounded by a sea of colorful poppies in springtime, about the lazy little harbors where housewives buy freshly caught fish right off the boats every morning, about the ornate rococo cupolas hovering above almost every horizon, about the semi-deserted beaches that line the cleanest waters in the Mediterranean. They don't know - and are we really sure we want to tell them?
There is one expression used over and over to describe Apulia: fairy tale. Maybe that is a throwback to the Arabian Nights, since the Byzantine and Oriental influence is evident throughout the region. Indeed, if you look at the little town of Monopoli from the sea, with its fortification wall right on the beach, followed by layer upon layer of cubical whitewashed houses leading back to the egg-shaped dome of the cathedral, you might think you're about to land in a North African kasbah. Monopoli's history is Textbook Southern Italian. Originally this was a Roman town, built as a rest stop along the Appian Way which served to move merchandise and legionnaires between the Eternal City and Greece. The Goths razed it to the ground in the 6th century, but ample remains have survived and can be seen everywhere. After that the Byzantines ruled for four centuries, followed by the Normans, the Swabians and the Anjovins. The town's two annual festivals still take place on the same days of the year (in mid-August and mid-December) that were originally decreed by Robert D'Anjou in the 14th century.
Thanks to the massive amounts of olive oil produced in the area, Monopoli was always rich enough to buy its independence, unlike most southern towns which were passed from one noble family to another for centuries. Its wealth and prosperity attracted the Venetians, who were allies long enough to leave behind their surnames, their dialect and a few paintings by the masters. Then came the Spanish, the Austrians and the Bourbons. As happened almost everywhere in the South, the last foreign oppressors were Napoleon's French - after which the fed-up population participated in the Risorgimento uprising that finally led to a unified Italy. If you know how to look, you can find traces of each of these cultures in the lanes and waterfront of Monopoli, be it the ancient Roman town of Egnatia, the 11th-century cathedral and Santo Stefano castle, the Romanesque Santa Maria degli Amalfitani, the intriguing fortified farmhouses built to defend wealthy farmers from each successive wave of foreign invaders, the Venetian-style piazza, the cave-churches which are unique to Apulia, or the Spanish castle right in the middle of town.
Our apartment makes the perfect base to temporarily become a part of this fascinating world. Completely restructured in 1999, it is on the first floor of a modern building on a quiet side street in the very center of town and has plenty of room for two couples or a family of five. There's a spacious living/dining room (with a TV), a separate kitchen with fridge, stove and cook top, a bedroom with two twin beds, a double bedroom with en suite bathroom, and a second bathroom across the hall from the twin bedroom. This room and the living room both open onto a balcony which overlooks the street, and each bedroom has a closet. The double bedroom has a large window that looks out on a courtyard. For occasional guests or a child, the living room couch opens up to sleep one.
Most people travel to Puglia in the summer, to make use of the staggering array of beaches and coves that line the shores. Some of the nicest are within half an hour of Monopoli - the owner's favorite is at Santo Stefano castle, but you can take your pick among a vast selection that ranges from tiny deserted coves to broad beaches with every facility imaginable. And remember, this is a year-round paradise, because it has the mildest weather in Italy. Everything is close at hand. Spend the morning at the beach, come home for lunch and a siesta, then spend the afternoon visiting the Baroque town of Martina Franca, the trulli capital of Alberobello, the alabaster caves at Castellana, the vineyards of Locorotondo, the pure-white beehive town of Ostuni, the astounding Castel del Monte. Or take a full day to visit Matera, one of Unesco's World Heritage Sites, only an hour-and-a-half drive away.
Whatever you do, be sure to save plenty of time just to blend into the daily life of ageold Monopoli. Purchase your fish, vegetables and fruits at the open air market around the corner from the apartment, befriend the folks who make fresh mozzarella on the ground floor of the building, try out the many different types of local bread baked just next door, take a ten-minute stroll and have dinner at any of the extremely characteristic restaurants lining the waterfront. Soon you too will become hopelessly enamored of the wonderful lifestyle in this part of the world, which does not rely on riches but on the pleasures of everyday life in sunny Apulia.
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| 2008 & 2009 Prices (per apartment) | ||
| Jan. 1-May 31 Sept. 1-Dec. 31 |
June 1-Aug. 31 | |
| 4 Nights | 619.00 EURO | 669.00 EURO |
| 5 Nights | 718.00 EURO | 768.00 EURO |
| 6 Nights | 817.00 EURO | 867.00 EURO |
| 7 Nights | 855.00 EURO | 905.00 EURO |
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Prices include: all taxes, electricity, water, gas, one change of linens and weekly cleaning.
Check-in: 4-7pm Click here for information about private transfers to the property. |
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