Claudia Annie Carone

Puglia is a region of farmers. The land is generally flat, with huge swathes of the countryside set aside for agriculture which produces over 40% of Italy’s olive oil. It’s also a huge producer of durum wheat, which has resulted in Puglia becoming the home of some of Italy’s most famous pasta dishes and breads. The southern region has traditionally been a poor one, with cucina povera responsible for most Puglian dishes.

With an estimated sixty million olive trees in Puglia, it’s no wonder this region produces more olive oil than anywhere else in Europe. The vast majority of the region is given over to farming – be that olives, durum wheat, vineyards, vegetables or sheep – but there are plenty of medieval towns, bustling cities and historic landmarks to see too.

Perhaps more than the people of any other region in Italy, the pugliese love food. In fact, lots of pugliese make a living from food – whether it’s cooking and running restaurants, baking, farming, producing olive oil, or making burrata, Puglia is a region for food obsessives. When the pugliese aren’t sitting down for a meal, they’re usually snacking in between.