#takewalks

On any given day, cyclists, runners and trekkers alike take to the E2 anello, a 68 km ring that circumnavigates the Parco Regionale dei Colli Euganei. Located in the province of Padova in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, the circuit passes by undulating vineyards, olive groves, wheat and corn fields, irrigation waterways, castles, noble villas of the old Venetian Republic, religious…

Up and at ‘Em: Reclaiming our Coastline

The onslaught of tourists that held our adopted hometown of Ostuni hostage throughout the summer have finally departed. And, that means our nearby Adriatic coastline, in the Alto Salento of Puglia, is now free and clear of loungers, umbrellas and traffic. With Orna behind the wheel of her panna cotta-colored Cinquecento, we cruised down to the impromptu carpark at Fontanelle, laced ‘em up and…

Villa Allegra for Sale

Abandoned under the Pugliese Blue

When I’m not in my wellies tending to our two-acre plot of olive trees, tucked inside the Valle d’Itria of the Alto Salento sub-region of Puglia in the southeastern reaches of Italy, I like to lace up my hiking boots, grab my camera and walking stick and head out on long, photo-shoot treks around my ‘hood. With an abundance of sunshine cascading down from the incredibly blue Pugliese sky, I’m…

More Abandoned Abodes of the Valle d’Itria

Ulysses, Christopher Columbus, Sir Galahad, Don Quixote and Phileas Fogg, among others, all had one thing in common: The Quest, a perilous journey toward a specific mission or goal. And, me? Well, all I want to do is meander close to home in search for more abandoned abodes that pepper the rustic landscape around the Valle d’Itria of Puglia in southeastern Italy. According to some archeological…

Up and At ‘Em: A Walk Through Paradise

I don’t want to jinx the weather, but we’ve been on a roll here of late with sunny skies, warm temps and no tree-bending winds around the Valle d’Itria of Puglia in southeastern Italy. In the words of Eddy and Patsy, “It’s absolutely fabulous” out there. The changing of the seasons is definitely in the air around La Terra dei Trulli (Land of the Trulli) and also in my giddyup, as I logged 13k…