A Journey by car in the heel of Italy

This small book describes a fifteen-day car trip you can take in Apulia and the neighboring regions of Basilicata and Abruzzo, passing through important archeological, artistic, and cultural locations.



The itinerary starts from the town of Ortona, a Mare in Abruzzo. It goes through several Apulia cities and then to Matera, a stunning Basilicata city, vibrant with history, cave hotels, and authentic Italian food. The time to visit Matera is now. The ancient village, 2019 European Culture Capital, could be Italy's next great attraction.



The itinerary then returns to Apulia and touches several other cities to arrive in Alberobello, known for its Trulli, whitewashed stone huts with conical roofs - the hilltop Rione Monti district has hundreds of them. It continues with other towns in Apulia and the Gargano peninsula, with its National Park, home to the last remaining part of the oak and beech Forest Umbra that once covered most of central Europe. It passes through Termoli to end up again in Ortona al Mare.



It also describes a possible visit to the Tremiti Islands from Termoli and how to get there. Several ferry companies provide transportation services to these islands; the service is available from different ports, with or without the possibility of bringing your car with you.

Finding the right solution for your needs using Google is at least confusing if you don't understand Italian; you can spend a full day figuring out what is available and when. In the guide, I present you with the outcome of my research.



The guide includes a chapter on the food and wine of Apulia. A list of local recipes is present; the original recipes' links are active in the digital editions.