We loved the day trip to the beautiful seaside village of Otranto….less than 100 miles away from Albania. In 1480 the city was sacked by the Turks and 800 citizens barricaded themselves in their church with their bishop and were slaughtered.  Their bones are viewed behind the altar.  

The bit off finger of a saint, a cure for frenetic dancing and a beautifully frescoed church make a visit to Galatina worthwhile.

The 14th-century Basilica  di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria houses well preserved vivid  frescos that are gorgeous. Inside the basilica is also the saint’s finger?  Legend has it that a crusader stopped at the monastery on Mt Sinai and kissed the saint’s hand, bit off her finger and brought the relic home to Galatina.. 

We sampled Il Pasticciotto di Galatina which was heavenly, a custard filled delight.

Our guide Dino stops to tell the story of cult tarantism, the illness caused by the bite of a tarantula spider after which the victim dances a frenzied dance until they collapse. Once a year on June 29, the cult followers make a pilgrimage to Galatina to pray to St Paul, the protector against animal and insect bites.  On the feast day of St Paul, cultists (women) come to drink the water from the well of St Paul and spit it back in to be exorcised.  In the 1960’s the    cult was condemned by the church and banned by the city.

On the way to Lecce we are treated to views from the Greek-like White City of Ostuni with a view of the Adriatic Sea. After lunch we are treated to a sample of amaro liqueur.  Olive oil making,  tasting and harvesting in both the old way and the new automated method to make extra virgin organic olive oil is our next stop.  Our tasting teaches us to differentiate pungent, spicy and fruity types by smell and taste.

The city of Lecce in Puglia is a star. The city houses baroque buildings, an ancient Roman amphitheater and theater  and amazing papier-mâché artists. The symbol of the city, a she-wolf and an oak tree appear everywhere.  The patron saint of the city, Sant’Oronzo is marked with a gigantic bronze sculpture.

Lonely Planet describes Alberobello, Italy as an urban sprawl for gnomes… and it does stand out with streets filled with trullis (white cone shaped houses made of limestone) some dating back to the 14th century.  It’s a charming place to visit and souvenir shop.  We came out with pistachio, lemon and melon flavored liqueurs.

 We again hopped on board a train at Rome Termini to Bari then a short taxi to the airport to catch a bus to Matera. Remember the opening scenes of the James Bond movie “A Time to Die”?  It was partially filmed in Matera!  You will recognize it! 

Matera, is on the edge of the southern province of Puglia.  The city may be the world’s third longest continuously inhabited human settlement.  Natural caves in the tufa limestone are built on top of one another and  several churches are scattered throughout the city.  It’s a hilly charming town that is a must.  We hauled our suitcases up and down to the top of  beautiful Locanda di San Martino.  Highlights of the city include a Salvador Dalí museum in an old monastery and a bread making session. 

Appalling poverty led to Matera being labeled the ‘shame of Italy’ in the 1950’s but redevelopment led the city to be recognized as a European Capital of Culture.

 We learned about the ancient art of bread making in the city.  They started with communal ovens and every family had their own stamp on their bread.  Large loaves were made to last the week. Eventually artists emerged that are active today.

WHO DOESN’T LOVE ROME? The gelato, the Borghese, the pasta, the Vatican, the cappuccino , the Trevi, the parmigiana, the piazzas, the pizzas and the shopping? Sitting at an outside table and people watching…not the taxi drivers though! Rome is one of our favorite cities.

The three and a half hour train ride was relaxing from Milan to Rome and we are loving our small hotel, Hotel Mozart near the Spanish Steps.

We started  our Roman holiday with a climb to the top of St. Peter’s dome in the Vatican. Whew…. 350 steps after the elevator!  It is a little scary and close quarters but we made it.  Then we toured St. Peter’s and attended mass at St. Joseph’s Altar which is to the left of the  Baldacchino built by Bernini from bronze taken from the Pantheon.  Since we were seeing the highs and the lows we descended into the crypt where the popes including St. Peter are buried.

After a noon breakfast we walked to the Pantheon to see a glimpse of pagan Rome. It’s easy to remember when this great Roman temple was begun because it was started by Cesar Augustus when all the empire would be taxed before Jesus’ birth and finished by Hadrian. The Pantheon was the largest unsupported cement dome in the world at the time and perhaps still is. It was the inspiration for Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. It is made of a mixture of volcanic ash and limestone with more ash as you ascend the dome. Inside it is hollowed out to decrease the weight and the thickness of the wall goes from six feet at the bottom to two feet at the top. There is a twenty seven foot opening at the top called the oculus which lets the elements in but the floor was built as a concave with holes so the rain could drain! It also shows the movement of the sun through the opening and thus is a sundial. Fascinating!

The Borghese Gallery in Rome is one of my favorite museums. It is located in an old palace of the XVII century. The original collection was built by Cardinal Borghese. Inside you will find masterpieces by important Italian artists such as Bernini, Raffaello, Caravaggio and Canova. The ticket reservation for this museum is mandatory and can be done online. After a two hour visit, you can stroll out the beautiful gardens.