From The TV Show: Trulli in Alberobello in Puglia

In the Puglia episode of the first season of Dream of Italy on PBS, Kathy learns the history of the exotic cone-shaped houses famous to the region. The landscape of Puglia’s Itria Valley feels otherworldy, most because of the unusual cone- shaped house that dot the landscape. These house are called trulli and the town of Alberobello is home to …

From The TV Show: Cooking With a Mama in Puglia

In the Puglia episode of the first season of Dream of Italy on PBS, Kathy learns how to make a very famous and traditional dish of the region. One of the most enjoyable activities in Puglia is eating the simple food passed down from the peasants of yesteryear or cucina povera. Even better? Learning how to make dishes like orecchiette …

From The TV Show: Paper Mâché in Puglia

In the Puglia episode of the first season of Dream of Italy on PBS, Kathy visits a family workshop to observe the unique process of making many icons used for religious processions. Paper mâché was introduced to Italy from Spain in the late 17th century. It had a practical purpose – to create lightweight icons for Italy’s sometimes days-long religious …

From The TV Show: Passeggiata in Puglia

In the Puglia episode of the first season of Dream of Italy on PBS, Kathy joins in the most popular evening stroll in all of Italy. Every Saturday and Sunday, throughout the year, the Leccese flock to the historic center and engage in a grand passeggiata. The passeggiata is the nightly stroll most Italians take, usually before and sometimes after …

From The TV Show: Classic Car Ride in Puglia

In the Puglia episode of the first season of Dream of Italy on PBS, Kathy learns about the history of Lecce while cruising around in an early 1930s model car. Tonino Benincasa gives Kathy a tour of Lecce in his 1935 Morris Model 8. A classic car ride is a unique way to experience Puglia. Yltour can arrange for a …

From The TV Show: Lecce in Puglia

In the Puglia episode of the first season of Dream of Italy on PBS, Kathy visits the heel of Italy’s boot and the world famous Baroque city of Lecce. The Baroque city of Lecce has been called “the Florence of the South.” The historic center is constructed almost entirely from the same material – known as Lecce stone, or pietra …

Learn the Traditional Pizzica Dance in Puglia

Updated 2018.  At Dream of Italy, we love the southern Italian region of Puglia! So much so that we devoted an entire episode of our PBS travel series to the region. One of our segments was devoted to the pizzica – watch below: When the Pugliese want to socialize or celebrate, they turn to an age-old traditional dance, the pizzica (similar …