To immerse yourself in the landscapes of the Valle d’Itria during the summer, relax in the open air and bask in the sun there is nothing better than organizing a nice picnic.
Here you will find the ingredients for a perfect spring picnic in Valle d’Itria.
A great desire to relax, a blanket to spread out on the grass and something good to eat. Essential for the success of a picnic is the organization of the basket, to be filled with the best local products, easy to purchase and above all immediately ready to eat.
In a perfect Apulian picnic basket, you can’t miss the cold cuts, first of all the King, Mr. Capocollo Dop of Martina Franca and the soppressata. The meats must be able to count on excellent local cheeses and in this case we recommend the caciocavallo and mozzarella, but if you love strong flavours, choose also the delicious strong ricotta spread on homemade bread.
Speaking of bread, the choice of the best one is fundamental for the success of a picnic lunch, so it is better to prefer artisan bakery’s. Among these there are some that produce completely zero km products and since you are in the bakery let yourself be conquered also by a rounded focaccia with cherry tomatoes and olives.
In a self-respecting picnic you cannot miss the wine, you can choose for example a Susumaniello (red wine), a very fragrant native wine, made from vines grown in the province of Brindisi.
Obviously you can’t miss the seasonal fruit, so a nice basket of local cherries, maybe picked directly from the tree!.
All that remains is to conclude with a sweet note. We recommend a good supply of Cegliesi biscuits: almond paste and cherry jam or grapes enriched with a light lemon fragrance.
Well your basket is ready, now where can you spread the blanket?
The Valle d’Itria is the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature and offers different locations for an “open air†picnic between dry stone walls, olive trees and small countryside trulli. We are proposing to you five.
# REGIONAL NATURAL RESERVE POINT “BOSCO DELLE PIANELLE – Martina Franca
A spectacular reserve just a few kilometres from the centre of Martina Franca, 21 routes and 15 kilometres of freely accessible trails to discover the landscape, flora and fauna of one of the last great Apulian forests. Along the Martina Franca – Massafra at some point you will find on your right the main entrance to the reserve. A small parking lot, a visitor centre and a large area equipped in the shade with tables and benches where you will be welcomed upon your arrival. The routes are well signposted on the site and you can download the map of the trails and read a brief description for each of them.
#CASALE DEI PINI – Martina Franca
Also in Martina Franca there is a farmhouse surrounded by unspoilt nature just three kilometres from the historic centre surrounded by a large forest. The farmhouse, inside the picnic area, offers the possibility of using barbecue stations. So, if the basket we have proposed looks like a beginner version, you can enrich your picnic with delicious bombette (meat rolls) and local sausages and show your fellow travellers that you are the magician of the embers!
#BOSCO COMUNALE DI CARAMIA – Locorotondo
Forests, meadows and many paths to take with the family just a short distance from the centre of Locorotondo. In this area there are no picnic posts, only benches and a few toys for the children, but a large field will open as soon as you take the path from the service road. Here is the ideal place to spread out your blanket! After your picnic we advise you to continue in the forest, taking one of the two paths that open at the edge of the field, to discover the mark of the Mediterranean.
#BOSCO SELVA – Alberobello
A town park located about two kilometres from the centre of Alberobello, with an area equipped with benches, picnic tables and a playground for children. Within the forest you can find marked gymnastic paths and trails. Ideal for family walks, outdoor days and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the woods.
#BELVEDERE MONTE PIZZUTO, CONTRADA CARANNA – Cisternino
A hilly area, that of Monte Pizzuto – in the hamlet of Caranna in Cisternino – of a bewildering beauty and of great naturalistic value. There are no picnic areas, but it is an itinerary that we suggest learning about the still wild nature of that part of the hill that looks like a balcony over the Adriatic Sea. You can go along the main path that will lead you to a higher vantage point from which to admire the plain of ancient olive trees which slope towards the sea.
#PINETA ULMO – Ceglie Messapica
A rich forest of Pini d’Aleppo, which covers about 10 hectares, with a copious presence of Mediterranean growth. Inside the pine forest there is a path of beaten earth of about 900 metres ideal for excursions and walks by bicycle and a large area equipped with tables and benches.
These are just some of the places where you can have a picnic immersed in nature, breathing pure air and enjoying panoramic views. The Valle d’Itria is a magical place, it will be almost impossible not to fall in love with the landscape in which you are immersed!