Explore the Region of Puglia Through Your Senses with 'Puglia in a Box'

Since the pandemic travel has been completely revolutionized. We were advised to shelter in place. Booking a random ticket to explore a new region was, unfortunately, not possible. With that said, tourism has reached a new low. Leaving destinations around the world having to get creative. That’s where opportunities like ‘Puglia in a Box’ comes to light.

Puglia in a Box was a box full of gems throughout the region of Puglia. The box was FULL of items to shed light on what truly makes Puglia such a unique destination.

Smell:

The box included a fragrance that truly captures Puglia. Aqua Pulia was created in 2017 by pharmacists and fragrance creators Maria Elia Perta and Paola Azzarone. The scent has a slight whimsical smell of the Adriatic Sea, wildflowers, with a touch of salt and olives.

It’s a smell that will draw you in for more.

Taste:

The best extra virgin olive oil in Europe is made in Puglia! We were able to sample top=tier olive oil by Olio Intini and were even taught the proper way to taste olive oil – by using the four S’s!

Swirl, Sniff Slurp, and Swallow. Intini is located about 20 acres of olive groves and happens to be one of the most prosperous and fascinating areas of Puglia. We were able to taste one of the most awarded companies in the world, which offers premium quality of oils.

The tasting portion didn’t stop there! The box also included a bottle of red wine by Puglia in Rosè. The step by step guide was very educational and as if we had our very own sommelier. Paired with impeccable marinated artichokes from Bio Orto and additional bites by DiGesu’. Created by the Passalacqua family, BioOrto is a brand where passion and culinary perfection unite. When it comes to organic fruit and vegetables, it’s a premium household name in Europe!

Nothing is complete without tasting a few goodies during your stay.

Touch:

To complete the Puglia in a box experience, we were able to feel top-tier craftsmanship from a ceramic plate by Carella Ostuni. In the early 1970s the Carella family realized that ceramics were more than kitchen ware commodities. They had the potential to be refined furnishing elements which colorful accents to garnish the attention of many. As Marco puts it, “To us, crafting and selling ceramics is the truest way to tell our story, and reveal our beloved Puglia too the world through one of its most excellent traditions.” It’s a ceramic piece that is guaranteed to get the room talking.  The box also included a t-shirt by Holystic, which is entirely made of fine bamboo fiber sourced from the most pristine areas of the planet.

How do you truly explore a region that you have yet to visit? Through all of your senses of course! Puglia in a box is a unique box that has compliments the region and gives individuals a glimpse of the region from the comfort of their own home. Puglia is full of beautiful small towns in shades of white and gold and unique architecture. Rich in churches and palaces, hidden piazzas and winding alleyways, markets and slow food trattorias, Puglia’s towns are a highlight of a visit to the region and reason to entice you away from the endless coastline.

Photo Courtesy of Puglia Instagram.

We may not fully be able to travel at the moment, however as restrictions rise we are gearing up for plenty of travel. Until then, this experience was not only incredible it was truly noteworthy and a great way to familiarize myself with the region and all that it has to offer from a different angle.