Apulia, in the heel of the boot of Italy, packs in everything you could wish for from a holiday destination: a warm and sunny climate, long sandy beaches, medieval hilltop towns, historic palaces and churches, endless olive groves and delectable culinary traditions.
Strung along its 800 km of sun-baked coast are pretty seaside villages, beaches, coves and bustling port towns, as well as the singular fortified island town of Galipoli, making it a firm favourite among both Italian and foreign holiday makers.
Away from the coast there are wonderful historic towns and cities to explore, from the beautiful Baroque architecture of Lecce, dubbed the Florence of the South, to the unique ‘trulli’ – the stone huts with conical roofs peculiar to the region – that line the streets in Alberobello, a UNSECO World Heritage Site, and the Egnazia Archaeological Park that dates back 3000 years.
Travel inland and you find yourself in the midst of acres of bucolic farmland, vineyards and olive groves. Indeed, Apulia is one of the main olive oil producing regions in Italy – just one of its culinary offerings. Dining out is a highlight in Apulia: this is the birthplace of the rich and creamy buratta, of the curiously shaped orechiette pasta and of ‘fave e cicoria’ a broad bean pate served with chicory – all of which pair perfectly with the region’s distinctive red wines.
Activities for adults
AT THE PROPERTY
Spa
Escape into a world of relaxation and pampering at the VAIR Spa, which has been named the Best Wellness Spa in the World! Treatments are based on ancient Puglian rituals and are truly heavenly!
Golf
Borgo Egnazia overlooks the championship golf course San Domenico Golf Club. Opened in 2003, it has hosted a number of major national and international golf tournaments and is surrounded by the beautiful Puglian countryside. The 18-hole course has a par of 72.
Swimming pools
There are three large outdoor pools (one of which is heated) plus one heated indoor pool and they are located throughout the grounds, which means plenty of space to swim some lengths or splash around.
Fitness
The indoor fitness centre is equipped with all the latest gear. State of the art Technogym cardio and weight training machines are available around the clock. A highly qualified personal trainer is available at the gym every day, ready to help with personal fitness goals or suggest any number of personal training programs.
Tennis
The hotel offers four tennis courts where guests can either play a match or take lessons. Racquets and balls are available at the hotel.
Water Sports
The hotel owns two private beaches. Only a 5-minute walk from the hotel, at the rocky Cala Masciola beach, you will find the Water Sports centre. Thanks to its crystal clear waters the beach was awarded the highly prestigious Bandiera Blu prize in 2012. You can organise fishing trips, boat trips, diving sessions, and much more. Lessons and equipment rentals are also available, which will make your holidays even more fun and exciting!
FURTHER AFIELD
Locorotondo
Locorotondo really does keep the promise of its proud title “One of Italy’s most beautiful villages”. The historical town centre is especially well-kept and looked after. This is mainly due to the fact that most of the houses are being lived in which is not always the case in other small villages. You will find lovingly restored facades, lots of beautiful flowers and plants on the balconies and many little restaurants that offer great local cuisine. The city is also famous for its wines and the name derives from its circular structure which means "Round place".
Alberobello
A must-see place when visiting Puglia. The lovely village in Southern Italy is a Unesco site with 1500 perfectly preserved trulli (white, cone-roofed stone huts) and it is the only town built entirely of Trulli houses. Please note due to its popularity It can get quite busy there, so it makes sense to visit the town if possible early morning. A great place to stop for ice cream: Gelateria Arte Fredda is right on the main road.
Matera
Matera is the other Unesco World Heritage site in the area. Its setting is truly spectacular as it is built around a small canyon which has been eroded over the course of time. It is one of the oldest inhabited cities of the world and world famous for its “Sassi”, houses dug into the chalkstone rocks - characteristic of this area. Today many of the cave houses are being lovingly restored and turned into shops, bars, restaurants, or B&B’s. Thanks to its amazing scenery Matera is also frequently turned into a movie set.
If you have the time, it makes sense to book a guide as there is a lot to see and learn.
Lecce
A bit further away but definitely worth a visit is Lecce. It is a proud small city (90.000 inhabitants) set in the heart of the Salento region, in the south of Puglia and it is to many the true capital of Baroque. It is also a very young, creative, and vibrant city, home to several renowned fine art schools and a very interesting music scene. The centre of town is breathtakingly beautiful with its richly decorated churches, buildings, and arches. There are also several sites from the Roman era and of course many bars and restaurants. Many churches are closed in the afternoons so it is best to get there in the morning.
Activities for kids
AT THE PROPERTY
Creche & Kids Club
Children are both welcome and well looked after at Borgo Egnazia. For children up to 7 years old there is the Trullalleri Kids Club and the Marinai Junior Club for kids age 8-12 years. Both are next to the family pool and offer a mix of supervised indoor and outdoor activities.
Teens Club
For the oldest, there is the Tarantari Teen Club. Aside from swimming and games, the club offers experiences around the local area with workshops to discover ancient traditions. There are cooking classes to prepare “taralli” and “focaccia”, lessons about ceramics, surprising treasure hunts, and much more.
Playground
There is a fun communal playground on site for little ones including swings, climbing frames and slides.
Bike hire
On site they have lots of adult and children’s bikes which are free for guests to use on a first reserved, first served basis. Pick up a bike and explore the area, there is a lot to experience and see!
FURTHER AFIELD
Ice Cream
We all know taking out the kids for some ice-cream is always a good plan and Polignano a Mare has some of the best ice-cream places in the region!
Beach
The hotel offers a free shuttle service to two private beaches with beach clubs right next to the property. The sandy La Fonte beach is ideal for families as it offers a nice Kids Area.
Besides these two, there are many beautiful beaches in the region so why not pack a picnic and some beach gear and spend the day building sandcastles, jumping in the waves and relaxing in the sun?
Fasano Zoo Safari & Fasanolandia
The Zoo Safari is one of Europe’s largest Safari Parks and a fun combination of drive-around safari, walk-around zoo, and an amusement park. Fasanolandia is the name of the amusement park right next to the Safari with rides and attractions for all ages. Entrance is included in your ticket for the zoo.
http://www.zoosafari.it
Water park
Acquapark Egnazia is southern Italy’s largest water park and offers endless fun for sure for the little ones. Open every day from 17th June until 10th September. (Try to avoid the weekends as it gets quite busy.)
www.acquaparkegnazia.it
The Caves of Castellana
The famous Grotte di Castellana began to form about 90 million years ago and is without doubt one of the main tourist attractions when visiting Puglia. It’s a truly magical experience for both kids and adults.
There are two different tours: The first is suitable for children and stretches over about 1 km lasting approximately 50 minutes and the second tour is 3 km long and lasts about 2 hours. We advise you to bring along a sweater as the air in the caves is very humid and it might get a bit chilly.
www.grottedicastellana.it
Adventure Park Castellana Grotte
Here you can find several climbing trails for kids from age 2 years (there is a “Baby Park”) until adult age. There is a very nice picnic area as well!
Open every day from March 10 - November 10.
www.castellana.indianapark.it
