Day dreaming of Italy? Check out Polignano a Mare...

Imagine all the best things that come to mind when someone says Italy…
The language, the people, the irreverence and sense of joy overflowing from it’s lively inhabitants…and of course the food! All these things and more, you will find in Polignano a Mare. For these reasons it remains one of my absolute favourite places in the world.

A small walled city dating back to Roman times, Polignano a Mare is perched on a cliff on the heel of Italy’s beautiful boot and boasts perhaps the most picturesque tiny pebbled beach in the region. This little town is a mecca for Italian tourists in the hot summer months, but is little known to others making it a truly special Italian experience. This is a town where everyone knows everyone, and possibly where Italian hospitality gets it’s reputation. People here want to share their love of the place, and will welcome you as if you are family. And the food..so much incredible food!Fresh figs, peaches, pizza, pasta, pastries and focaccia to die for. This is truly a place where incredible ingredients are mixed with love in every meal.

It was here that I started my solo adventure. I had flown to Europe and spent a couple of weeks with some of my most beautiful friends in Malta. After the final tearful goodbyes I was full of apprehension as to what was to come. But everything about this place reassured me I was doing the right thing and that this journey would be incredible. The people who ran the Torres Suites apartment I stayed in were simply beautiful. Our conversations where mostly charades with a little broken Italian and English thrown in, but nonetheless friendships were formed. I will always remember their kindness, infectious happiness, and perfectly Italian hospitality. For them, nothing was too much trouble, the breakfast spreads provided were surely the best in the world. They even gave me a present when I left – a local ceramic piece to bring good luck for my travels. Divine.

Against this backdrop, I filled days drifting in and out of the crystal clear waters, and getting lost in the tiny streets finding gorgeousness around every corner. I took a boat trip to explore the stunning coastline and spent meandering sleepy days hopping from meal to meal, taking in every incredible flavour this place has to offer. If you visit, take the time to speak to the locals too – they love nothing more than making a new friend. Plus a little help finding the freshest, juiciest peaches or the most delicious local cheese to go with the local wine never goes astray!

At the end of the day, behind a simple green door nestled into a tiny cobble-stoned street was my haven from the summer heat. A beautiful space to rest after a busy day complete with balconette to watch life unfold in the bustling streets below. From the living room, an ancient narrow stone staircase lead up to the sun-drenched rooftop terrace – there couldn’t be a more perfect place to enjoy the late afternoon sun. Just add some delicious antipasto and a glass of local wine and your day is complete. With a view across the red-tiled roofs of the city and out to the crystal blue waters of the Adriatic sea, this is a place you will never want to leave.