The ancient city of Bari is the capital of Puglia. A place steeped in rich history, traceable through the narrow streets and alleyways, which resonates with the voices of fishermen and women selling homemade orecchiette from their doorsteps. The passage of time continues along the Murattiano waterfront and into Sparano street with its stores and jewellery stores.

Heading south, we reach the enchanting Polignano a Mare, home to Domenico Modugno, a famous Italian singer from the 1950s. His most famous songs featured lyrics about the dream landscape and the colour of the sky and sea and could have been about Pietrablu Resort & SPA, famous for comfort, fun and good taste.

Travelling south, we find Monopoli (in the photo), a delightful old fishing town on the east peninsula with a port and castle. On the beach of Capitolo, the marina of Monopoli is Porto Giardino with green spaces, charming rooms and delicious food.

nopoli nasce Porto Giardino, con i suoi spazi verdi, le sue sale e la sua buona cucina.

The Trulli Riviera goes from Torre Canne in the north to Torre Guaceto in the south. A stretch of coastline of about 50 kilometres of long sandy beaches, dunes and Mediterranean vegetation, alternating with rocky terrain, small lakes and groves. It has long stretches of national parks and nature reserves, including the Coastal Dune park and the Nature Reserve of Torre Guaceto.

Traditional Trulli, farms and tiny quaint towns scatter the hinterland. Carovigno is home to a marvellous castle that overlooks the coast. In Riva Marina Resort, a stunning resort surrounded by a lush park, Specchiolla, is the ideal spot for an unforgettable vacation just a few steps from the sea.

Who has not heard of the Trulli in Puglia, the typical stone houses with cone-shaped roofs? Here is where you will find them nestled among narrow streets of the historic centres of Valle d’Itria, where everything is white, the walls of the houses, the footpaths and walled gardens, and the white reflects the sun and white stand out against the blue sky. The area is brimming with local agricultural and natural delights, olive groves, vineyards, ancient woods, hills and greenhouses, not to mention the ever-present scent of grilled meat, the mouth-watering “bombette” from Martina Franca, that spreads through the alleys of towns and villages.

Valle d’Itria is one of the best-known areas in Puglia,places worth visiting include: Martina Franca, Locorotondo and Cisternino to which we can add Fasano, Ceglie Messapica, Ostuni (pictured), the white city and Alberobello, the city of Trulli.

Itria Valley is easily accessible from:
Polignano a Mare, Pietrablu Resort & SPA
Monopoli Porto Giardino
Carovigno Riva Marina Resort.

“The Florence of the South”, “the epitome of Baroque” is what makes Lecce’s historic centre (in the photo, Piazza del Duomo) and capital of Salento, a world-famous destination. The late style Baroque churches and buildings carved in local stone at the end of ‘600. But, modern-day Lecce is also known for its hustle and bustle, the cultural and culinary delights hidden around every corner, which makes it a part of Italy that never ceases to surprise.

Relais Masseria Le Cesine and Marelive lie to the east of the city on the Adriatic coast road from Lecce to Melendugno. The beautiful beaches and crystal clear sea make it one of the most popular destinations in Italy.

Some roads are iconic, remain fixed in the memories of those who travel them, and in the imagination of those who would like to. The coastal road from Otranto to Santa Maria di Leuca is one of these roads.

It starts from Otranto, the Gateway to the East, a medieval town perched on the sea, with its walled castle and cathedral. CDSHotels welcomes you to Otranto with the Basilian and Corte di Nettuno.

Driving through long stretches of the idyllic southern Italian countryside, past olive groves, vineyards, dry-stone walls and local farms, you eventually reach the watchtower in Castro and then Marina di Marittima with its Acquaviva cove where you will find the Marenea Suite Hotel. Continuing along the coast is Santa Maria di Leuca, the most southern point in the Mediterranean where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet.

From the southern peninsula in Santa Maria di Leuca (in the photo) take the cape of Leuca, up the Ionian coast where you’ll find some of Salento’s hidden gems in villages like San Gregorio, with its tiny piazza on the seafront and long fine sand beaches,it makes a perfect location for a sunset drink. Further along the coast is Ugento with its beautiful castle, a statue of Zeus dating back to 531 BC was found there in 1961.
The Ugento marine drive is home to a number of Lidos including Lido Marini, a small resort characterized by long beaches, sand dunes and Mediterranean scrub where the Costa del Salento is located.

The historic centre of Gallipoli (AKA the beautiful city) is on a small island with a splendid castle, which is now home to a museum that hosts various exhibitions. The winding, narrow streets and the walled city, dotted with bars and eateries, swarm with people sipping cocktails and gazing out to the horizon to watch incredible colours as the sun dives into the sea. It is the perfect spot for a sunset aperitif.

Beyond Gallipoli is the lighthouse island of Santa Maria al Bagno, a small fishing village with a slightly Art Nouveau style that, together with Santa Caterina, in the coastal area of Nardò with the splendid natural park of Porto Selvaggio. Among sumptuous nature and beautiful seaside houses Grand Hotel Riviera, 4-star superior hotel is overlooking the cliffs.

Sicily is a spectacular region in all respects, its sea, nature, history and art are unique and unmistakable, and Palermo has both ancient history and inimitable elegance.

CDSHotels Terrasini – Città del Mare, a vacation village unique in its style for an unforgettable vacation, overlooking one of the most beautiful and renowned stretches of coastline in northwestern Sicily, the Gulf of Castellammare. Terrasini is a fishing village just a few kilometres from Palermo and Agrigento with its Valley of the Temples, Segesta, Erice (in the picture).