Apulia, a wonderful region to explore even better in this Covid19 aftermath
At the end of the last July, quite unexpectedly, I was asked by the magazine I usually work with, Conde Nast Traveller, to leave on assignment for Apulia, the easternmost Italian region touched both by the Adriatic as well as the Ionian sea. Region of crystal clear waters and white coves as well as great food, it has always been one of my favorite spots to photograph, on assignment, like in this case or working on personal projects. I said “unexpectedly” though, for a bunch of reasons. First, because the end of July as well as August, here in Italy and particularly in the South, it is a bad time for a professional photo shooting because the light is already too “dirt” due to the heat and humidity surging from the soil. The “green” of the vegetation is dull, far from the brilliant tint of Spring or late September when the warm light blesses every situation. On top of that, all of the popular spots are packed with tourists and visitors and finding a “clean” shot, for a photographer, turns in a nightmare or it means hours of waiting for the people to leave. Second reason and partly being a consequence of what said above about the touristic flow, finding a place to stay tend to be difficult during the high season. Either it is difficult to find an accommodation right on the spot where you need to work or, if available, rates rump easily up to the double with a standard lower than average. Third point, the last but not the least, is that at the end of July, even tough I’m not working behind a desk 9 to 5, it is that time of the year where you start to mentally slow down, getting ready to relax for the oncoming August when finally you can complete all the duties left over during the year. For all these reasons I was quite surprised of being asked to leave on assignment those days. It eventually became clear to me that there was a commercial agreement between the local Board of Commerce and the Editor to quickly produce an high quality content to promote the Region right after the lockdown to fight, in some way, specially trough communication, the Covid impact. I had some strict rules to obey and some mandatory subjects to develop on this trip. But I took advantage of this assignment to get 4 more days by myself in the area, before the planned working week, to work about personal projects and locations I had in mind since long time. I made my itinerary trough Gargano as well as the salt pans of Regina Margherita di Savoia, north of Bari, during the best hours of the day with no rush to bring back images I already had formed in my mind. But also Castel del Monte, included in the World Heritage Sites List since 1996. Castel del Monte’s geometric design is unique. The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner and a must to photograph, particularly at sunrise and sunset time. By the way, speaking about light, as said before, my concern was all about the bad quality of light that this period of the year brings along. On the contrary, thanks to a couple of days of heavy rain right before my arrival, the light was enough clean to allow me some very good shots also during critical time of day or long range views. The other concern of mine, related to overcrowded places, turned to be an half problem. Covid19 aftermath impacted negatively the tourism industry worldwide and Apulia did not escape this trend. So I found almost no foreigners and a reasonable amount of Italian vacationers. The result was a more livable “movida” in all the usual packed places like Polignano a Mare or Monopoli. Every now and then I came across a line to get some food, but nothing very bad or not manageable. Back to my work, the following pictures are a quick tale of my trip from the north of the Region, like Bitonto, the capital of olive oil or Taranto with a visit to the National Museum to the very end of Apulia, to Ostuni, the white city and Otranto, with its small green lake in the middle of a red dismissed bauxite mine, few meters away from a transparent sea water. Hope that watching at these pictures you get what I tried to communicate about this wonderful Italian territory that stroke me with its ageless beauty like its olive trees and sincerity like the transparency of its shores.
Italy, Puglia, Bari – aerial view over Bari with the Teatro Margherita right in the middle of the bay
Italy, Puglia, Bari – Arco Basso, in the very heart of Bari Vecchia, is famous for the women sweeping the stone floor and scattering their homemade orecchiette, the city’s renowned ear-shaped pasta, on the mesh screens of wooden trays, out of ground-floor kitchens that opened directly onto the street
Italy, Puglia, Bari – Arco Basso, in the very heart of Bari Vecchia, is famous for the women sweeping the stone floor and scattering their homemade orecchiette, the city’s renowned ear-shaped pasta, on the mesh screens of wooden trays, out of ground-floor kitchens that opened directly onto the street
Italy, Puglia, Bari – Basilica di San Nicola
Italy, Puglia, Bitonto (province of Bari)
Italy, Puglia, Bitonto (province of Bari) – Basilica Pontificia Concattedrale di Maria SS. Assunta in Cielo also know as Duomo. A floor below there is the crypt. The statues are of the Vergine Assunta by XVIII centuries and Giovanni De Ferraris buried in the sarcophagus below
Italy, Puglia, Bitonto (province of Bari) – near Bitonto, Palombaio, is a small village where the Azienda Agricola Cuonzo has its premises. Run as a traditional family farm, it has about 30 hectares of olive groves immersed in the hills of Bitonto, already known as the ”city of oil”. Ogliarola and Coratina are the selected quality of olives that give a rich and smooth extra virgin oil
Italy, Puglia, Crispiano, province of Taranto – Masseria Amastuola, wine maker
Italy, Puglia, Crispiano, province of Taranto – Masseria Amastuola, wine maker
Italy, Puglia, Crispiano, province of Taranto – Masseria Amastuola, wine maker
Italy, Puglia, Grottaglie, province of Taranto – famous for its pottery. Carmelo Vestita is working at the lathe
Italy, Puglia, Grottaglie, province of Taranto – famous for its pottery. Carmelo Vestita is working at the lathe
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari) – Porta Vecchia
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari)
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari) – lungomare Santamaria
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari) – the Lighthouse
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari)
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari)
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli – the Cathedral
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari)
Italy, Puglia, pedalling between Torre Canne, Montalbano and Egnazia along the ancient roman thoroughfare Via Traiana with the association called Albergabici which is located in the core of the of the Parco delle Dune Costiere. In the distance, the “white city”, Ostuni
Italy, Puglia, pedalling between Torre Canne, Montalbano and Egnazia along the ancient roman thoroughfare Via Traiana with the association called Albergabici which is located in the core of the of the Parco delle Dune Costiere
Italy, Puglia, Fasano, province of Brindisi – Archeolido Pennagrande is a well organized beach next to the historical remains of Egnazia inside the area of the Regional Natural Park Dune Costiere (costal dunes). Salento IGP Negroamaro Rosato
Italy, Puglia, pedaling between Torre Canne and Egnazia along the ancient roman thoroughfare Via Traiana. L’Albergabici è situato nella frazione di Montalbano tra i comuni di Ostuni e Fasano, nel cuore del Parco delle Dune Costiere
Italy, Puglia, between Torre Canne and Egnazia along the ancient roman thoroughfare Via Traiana. The Park, with its numerous natural habitats, the extensive arable land, protagonists of projects aiming at protecting crops organically, the ancient olive groves; the Regional Natural Park Dune Costiere (costal dunes) develops, among the most interesting of South Italy, playing an important role in the environmental protection and relevant sustainable economic development
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari) – Egnazia archeological site as seen from above
Italy, Puglia, Monopoli (province of Bari) – fields near Egnazia archeological site
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city. Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – the white city
Italy, Puglia, Ostuni (province of Brindisi) – trulli in the fields
Italy, Puglia, Otranto – Food truck with chef Davide Potente
Italy, Puglia, Otranto – Fling Yoga Dance, relaxing massage in hammocks by Cristian Bevilaqua inside the premises of Tenuta Centoporte resort in Giurdignano, near Lecce
Italy, Puglia, Otranto – Lighthouse of Punta Palascìa, the easternmost point in Italy
Italy, Puglia, Otranto – Ape Calessino just outside the Cathedral
Italy, Puglia, Otranto – the small lake, inside a dismissed bauxite mine, is a must to see just outside Otranto
Italy, Puglia, Otranto – the small lake, inside a dismissed bauxite mine, is a must to see just outside Otranto
Italy, Puglia, Otranto – the walled city
Italy, Puglia, Otranto – the walled city
Italy, Puglia, Taranto – view over the old city
Italy, Puglia, Taranto – MarTa Museum, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Taranto
Italy, Puglia, Taranto – MarTa Museum, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Taranto
Italy, Puglia, Taranto – strolling around the old city
Italy, Puglia, Taranto – aerial view over the old city which is a small island linked to the mainland by bridge. An old castle is still visible which was used as defensive measure against the Turks. Nowadays it’s part of the Navy property
Italy, Puglia, Taranto – crystal clear water around the island of the old city also known as Taranto vecchia
Italy, Puglia, Taranto – San Cataldo Cathedral. The Cappellone
Italy, Puglia, Taranto – San Cataldo Cathedral. The Cappellone
Italy, Puglia, Andria, province of Barletta – Castel del Monte
Italy, Puglia, Andria, province of Barletta – Castel del Monte
Italy, Puglia, Andria, province of Barletta – Castel del Monte
Italy, Puglia, Andria, province of Barletta – Castel del Monte
Italy, Puglia, Andria, province of Barletta – Castel del Monte
Italy, Puglia, Andria, province of Barletta – Castel del Monte
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Polignano a Mare (Bari province)
Italy, Puglia, Barletta – Saline Margherita di Savoia
Italy, Puglia, Barletta – Saline Margherita di Savoia. Pink flamingoes
Italy, Puglia, Barletta – Saline Margherita di Savoia. Pink flamingoes
Italy, Puglia, Barletta – Saline Margherita di Savoia. Pink flamingoes
Italy, Puglia, Barletta – Saline Margherita di Savoia
Italy, Puglia, Barletta – Saline Margherita di Savoia
Italy, Puglia, Gargano – Foresta Umbra
Italy, Puglia, Gargano – San Felice bay
iItaly, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste – sunset over Vieste
Italy, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste
Italy, Puglia, Gargano – Peschici
Italy, Puglia, Gargano – Vieste – Gusmay beach
iItaly, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste – torre di Sfinale
Italy, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste – La Chianca island with its own trabucco
Italy, Puglia, Gargano, Peschici
Italy, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste – Tower and beach of Sfinale
Italy, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste – La Chianca island with its own trabucco
Italy, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste – aerial view over Vieste
Italy, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste – aerial view over Vieste
Italy, Puglia, Gargano, Vieste – San Francesco church
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