Italy’s Heel Has Appeal
Date: 04/12/2008Sunday, April 13, 2008
Learn more about Italy in International Living Postcards—your daily escape
I’m not an expert on Italy, but I’m learning quickly thanks to Leigh Fergus, our European editor.
Right now Leigh is in the region of Apulia…called Puglia in Italian. Apulia makes up the heel and much of the Achilles tendon of the Italian boot, and Leigh describes it as a beautiful region with long stretches of sun-baked coastline on both the Adriatic and Ionic seas. Inland Apulia sounds like an Italian postcard…rolling, sunny plains and uplands that are a major source for much of Italy’s grain, wine, and olive oil.
“Basically,” says Leigh, “my impression is ‘wow.’ Everybody I’ve met here has been unfailingly courteous, helpful, and friendly. The local locksmith wouldn’t take any payment for opening the door to our rental car when we locked in our keys. Some local kids in an off-season seaside town let us join in their karaoke session in a pizzeria, and local estate agents have driven miles to direct us into tricky streets to find our hotel. And we haven’t had a bad meal yet.”
Leigh says the region’s coasts are becoming increasingly popular with German and British vacation homebuyers, and during vacation season, the region fills with Italians from the north, as well. But so far it has managed to avoid the curse of high-priced overdevelopment.
“Today I saw some good-quality new apartments on the Ionian coast,” says Leigh. “They’re in San Pietro di Bevagna, east of the industrial city of Taranto. Clean, sandy beaches here, and second-floor, two-bedroom apartments of 60 square meters with sea-view roof terraces start at $188,260. Ground-floor units can be had for $172,830.”
Leigh reports that she also saw a four-bedroom, 110-square-meter village house, built and whitewashed in Greek style, outside of Lecce near the Adriatic coast, for $208,325.
Architecture isn’t the only thing affected by Greek culture here, says Leigh. There are still parts of the region where non-classic Greek is spoken. That’s because the Greeks actively colonized Apulia for several centuries starting in the 8th century B.C., and the influence has remained ever since.
Dan Prescher
Publisher, International Living
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