In Trulli country, where clusters of hobbit-like, whitewashed, dome-roofed houses, whose origins are anyone’s guess, create a fairy-tale landscape. Most owners are happy to give you a tour.
The old Palazzo Ducale and the cathedral of San Martino lend an air of gentle nobility – both are venues in the annual opera festival.
Puglia is laced with caves which provide welcome relief from the heat. This is a spectacular, glistening example with vast canopies of stalactites. Tours of half a mile or around two miles available.
A scenic coastal town set high on limestone cliffs, nearby Puglia. Despite the dreadful name the N€uro (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II) offers a delicious meal with wine for about €15 euros each.
...or blow the lot at the superb Hotel Ristorante Grotta Palazzesi (Via Narciso 59; grottapalazzese.it): appetisers cost from €40 a head.
Drive to Bari from Polignano A Mare for a stroll along the seafront and through the historic centre of Bari Vecchia.
A final, unexpected twist. Here lie the mortal remains of Saint Nicholas, stolen from Turkey in the 11th century by Barese merchantmen. It’s no Florence, but it’s got Father Christmas.
