Our Family Trip to Puglia, Italy

Ciao from New York!! Last week, I returned home from a lovely 12-day trip to Europe, and I can't wait to share every detail with you. My family traveled to Puglia, Italy to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday, and from there, Joe and I adventured over to Portugal (first time!). We got so lucky with smooth travels, the most incredible rental property, and perfect weather. Let's recap the first leg of the trip: our five days in Puglia!

Travel Day

Puglia is the boot heel of Italy, so we flew JFK to Rome on Wednesday evening 7/30, and Rome to Brindisi after landing on Thursday 7/31. The flights were both very smooth, but our layover was definitely long. Most of my family was on the same second flight, and we were in the airport for almost 6 hours! I'm not sure if there's a more ideal travel journey; I think it would've taken about the same time to just drive from Rome to the house... but either way, it was a fairly smooth travel day, and for that I was grateful!

The House

Once we finally landed in Brindisi, it was a 45 minute drive to our rental house in Grottaglie. Oh my gosh, the house, which they call a Masseria, was SO incredible! There were 13 of us, and the Masseria fit us all perfectly. The property was a former barn and winery, so it had a ton of space, charm, and character. There were vineyards surrounding the entire house, a gorgeous, large pool, a pool table, and the most beautiful outdoor dining space where we enjoyed every meal. The Masseria came with a chef who made us dinner every night and served breakfast every morning, and he was the kindest man! There were also three cute little cats who lived outside and wandered around, which added to the charm. 

First Day

We finally arrived to the house around 4:30 PM on Thursday after our two flights and the drive over. We were greeted with wine, cheese and olives put out by the chef, and immediately jumped in the pool. We ended up just having a relaxing pool evening with cocktails, snacks, and swimming, before the chef served us a casual dinner outside at the table. The house also had three different rooftops, so we hung out up there to watch the sunset and listen to music for the rest of the night! It was just such a lovely, gorgeous evening - perfect way to kick off the trip. 

Beach Day

Friday was our first full day. Joe and I started the morning with a walk around the property before the chef served breakfast. We then got ready for the beach club!

I loved my outfit for the beach club; I felt so chic in my silk scarf and flowy dress! We drove about an hour to Lido Beach where we just enjoyed spritzes and swimming for the entire afternoon. It was the loveliest way to spend the day!! The water was the perfect temperature -- just sooo nice. 

We did a family late lunch at Lido around 4pm, swam for a few more hours, and then headed home. The fish at the restaurant was so fresh - Joe and I shared a whole grilled fish and loved it!

Birthday & White Party

Saturday was my dad's birthday!!! My aunt, Joe, and I started the day by driving about 20 mins into the nearest big town, Taranto, for a coffee and a little exploring. We wanted to check out the town and we were so surprised by how big it was! Taranto is one of the larger cities in Puglia, and while it was fun to check out for a coffee since our masseria was nearby, I would say it's probably not necessary if you're planning a Puglia trip; there are SO many cities and cute towns, all very spread out, that I preferred!

After our morning coffee outing, we went back to the house for a pool day. The pool was seriously just so amazing; I loved lounging in a floatie with a cocktail for hours on end. We listened to music, chit chatted, even played a little pool volleyball, and had, of course, a few Peronis. Loved it. 

Eventually myself, Joe, brother, cousins and I jumped in the car and headed to Grottaglie to pick up a few more drinks and things before our party at the house on Saturday night! We took a quick trip into town before getting ready for the evening. My dad's one big birthday request for the trip was a white party; we all wore our best white outfits and had the loveliest evening at the house.

I was between a couple of dresses, but ended up wearing this one that I found in store from Zara, of all places! It was around $100 and I thought the embroidery was perfect for Puglia. A different chef came that night to make us all a lovely coursed meal, and we just hung out, enjoyed wine and dinner and music, and had another lovely night!

Boat Day

Sunday was one of my favorite days of the trip; my aunt organized a boat ride for us over in Polignano a Mare, which is absolutely a must if you're ever in Puglia! The beaches, the views, and the caves were beyond gorgeous. We had such a nice boat ride, and then grabbed spritzes before swimming for a while.

After Polignano a Mare, we went to a winery for lunch. We had delicious wines, some incredible cheeses, and a lovely afternoon.

Alberobello

Following the winery, we drove to the town of Alberobello, famously known for their trulli. I can't begin to describe how lovely of an evening this was! We arrived to the UNESCO World Heritage site around 7pm, just before sunset. I wasn't very familiar with trulli, but they're conical stone houses, with whitewashed walls and gray slate roofs, that this town is known for. It was kind of crazy how one block just seemed like a normal town, and all of a sudden, we rounded a corner to the most magical view of all of the trulli. It really looked like something out of a fairytale. 

Ostuni

Sunday was our last full day in Puglia. I started my day with a long walk around the property with my aunt, before the Masseria chef put out breakfast. We enjoyed another lovely breakfast outside before changing into our suits and enjoying the pool once more!

In the early afternoon, we all got ready to head to Ostuni, famously known as "the white city." We had a walking tour planned, and I was so glad I chose to wear this comfortable dress and my favorite sandals—perfect for all the walking we were about to do. We explored the city, popping into historic churches, learning about its rich history, and stopping for a spritz, of course. 

For our final dinner, we drove about 15 minutes to Masseria Il Frantoio, a beautiful farmhouse where we enjoyed one last family dinner in their stunning garden. The meal was lovely, with many delicious courses made from fresh, local ingredients. Everything—the setting, the atmosphere, and the food—was absolutely amazing.

Travel Day

Up next: Porto, Portugal! Coming soon...

xoxo