It’s that time of year again when I am headed back to Italy with Alan and my Curated Journey travel partner, John Maguire…..in Florence, the place I like to call my second home even though we wish we could be there more often! Every year is different. This year we are starting in Florence before taking off to train-it to Puglia, with full days planned for each. Florence, is this year, as it always has been, high on our list as an annual must do for us…..we don’t really feel that we have made a visit to our homeland without a stay in our favorite Italian city of Firenze, our Italian ‘home’! Many plans for our Florentine week which is including some never-before-visits to new restaurants (yes, there is always NEW places) and some old favorite dining hautes and sites and always visits with our special friends we have made there.
As we sit here in a Florence Rooftop Bar No. 701 that is one of our favorites atop the Gallery Hotel Art waiting to get another taste of this fab city, I can’t restrain from the excitement that I always feel when we are on our way to another Italia community that we are waiting to share with our friends…..this year that is Puglia!
As I make another trip around the sun, I have come to the realization that I am now living my bucket list and have every intention of living it to the fullest! The time is NOW and we are ready to do it. I am starting by showing you just a small overview of my last Puglia visit as many of you have asked me for and invite you to stay tuned to my social media this week as we share our adventures for this coming week’s excursions!
Plans for Puglia Visit….2026
Some of the highlights we are planning and looking forward to sharing are the capital city of Bari where we will visit the new modern city that has been taking shape and Bari Vecchia (Old Bari) with its special charm. From the Nonnas rolling fresh pasta in the streets to the fishermen on the long piers shooting into the beautiful blue waters, who love to share their very fresh wares…..fish so fresh from the ocean that they are still moving on their plates (yes, a local adventure not to be missed if only to watch and not partake!). Orchards full of thousands of olive trees abound all across the region, resulting in some of the finest olive oil in Italy and all of Europe. The miles and miles of unique towns that lace the stunning Adriatic Sea, where the water is clear blue, the cliffs are high and each town has a unique story to tell. Lastly we are most excited to visit the newest rage in Puglia……the Masserias, begun in Puglia and has been described as the soul of Puglia’s historic and restored timeless farmhouses. They have evolved into rustickly charming boutique hotels in that farmhouse style that have been an inspiration to the farm to table interior design trend that has taken many parts of the world by storm. There are hundreds available in Puglia and part of our challenge is to pick just the right ones that will become part of our group’s luxury accomodations! Please follow us on MyRedGlasses.com and CuratedJourney.net as we share daily updates on our adventures…….and if you are interested in joining us in May 2027, please don’t hesitate to give us a chat!
Snaps of Trips to Puglia in days past………excited about 2027!!
Buon Viaggio to all of you that are out there, I know many of you are sharing similar experiences, as so many travelers have or are interested in Italy this year, as well…..have fun enjoy soaking in the culture that is Italia!
