Monopoli

Our decision to base ourselves out of Monopoli for the first part of our holiday had been well rewarded.

I was already liking the region and I was very quickly becoming enamoured with this town in particular.  

Unlike some of the other towns in the area, Monopoli seemed to have everything needed for a long and comfortable stay.  It had a lovely old town, but since it didn't seem to have the same big singular tourist attraction of other towns, the town seemed to avoid many of the quick day trip visits of those who came to look at that attraction and then leave (much like what we were doing in other towns in the area).  Instead, what made Monopoli special was the entire way the entire sum of what the town had to offer.

For a town on the water, it had a lovely waterfront.  None of it was derelict or run down, and it had a nice variety of sections both developed and more natural.  It stretched out over the entire length of the town and out towards walking paths that led to small little coves and beaches on the outskirts.  None of these were particularly large and so they seemed to retain their local only charm, with families and the like enjoying the water and swimming.  Within the old town itself, the "boardwalk" area was well developed and it was very easy to walk around the outside of the town, well protected from the water with lots of room to move.  Was this still an area to be called a "boardwalk", there was no wood after all and it was all just paved with stone with small walls enclosing the area from the sea.  A nice area to enjoy a walk regardless of the name.

Within the old town itself, it felt vibrant and happy.  It was a beautiful and at times maze-like old town, with small lanes and alleys leading in and out of piazzas that were sometimes busy with people and shops, and in other instances empty of anything at all.  Along the narrow lanes, the locals hung their clothes on lines stretching across the buildings, but also decorated many of the streets brightly to an extent I hadn't seen elsewhere before.  There were small shops, restaurants and cafes to explore and enjoy throughout.  There was also a size to the place that gave it a bigger population of both visitors and locals to support a wider range of services and shops.  On the weekend evenings, the town seemed to draw in locals from the entire region to enjoy its offerings and it created a buzz that seemed more authentic that if it were merely tourists like ourselves.  

 

The food options in the old town were fantastic.  We were enjoying the cuisine of the region.  Like most parts of Italy, there is a strong focus on the local produce, and given the strong agricultural and seafood industries in Puglia, everything we ate seemed to be of the highest quality.  Fresh, seasonal and from the region.  For all the tradition, there also seemed to be a greater willingness to do things a little bit differently.  We ate more crudos and "sashimi" style dishes than anywhere else in Italy and yet everything still maintained its distinctive Italian taste and characteristic.

What was great for us within the old town was the safety and the kindness of the locals.  There were few areas that allowed cars, and most of the streets seemed quite enclosed.  It made for a nicely protected place for baby Pickle to run and explore whilst we ate and enjoyed our time at the restaurants.  More often than not, the staff of the restaurants and cafes seemed to become completely captivated by baby Pickle and would entertain him for us or start to bring us random additional dishes or drinks on top of what we ordered.  These were all simple little things, but each gesture was greatly appreciated and it made us feel all the more welcome in their beautiful town.

Immediately outside of the old town of the Monopoli was the large modern piazza.  It was lined with trees and had a large fountain on one side.  On the long and comfortable summer evenings, this seemed to be a meeting point for the locals to congregate.  Children ran around playing, families went for walks and the elderly sat long the benches next to the fountain chatting and enjoying their time outside.  We came here for our own walks and with the wide open space, it seemed like the perfect place to let baby Pickle stretch his legs and run.  Taking him out of the stroller, he quickly picked up speed and ran quickly across the space.  He seemed to particularly enjoy visiting all of the elderly people seated around the fountain, and they were all enamoured with his visits as he ran back and forth.

It was one of the other great things about Monopoli.  The fact that it wasn't so small meant that it was able to have far more amenities and services than other towns in the region.  Further out from the central area, there were large shops and supermarkets, all perfect for the day to day necessities at far better prices than the little tourist shops.  It made everything a bit easier and more convenient, as well as making the stay in the town all the less stressful.  

  

This was a lovely town.  A beautiful town.  I felt at ease and at home here.  It had the balance of everything I wanted in an Italian town without surrendering itself to the rush of tourists.  It was beautifully old and still had all the amenities needed for a longer stay.  I started to think more about it.  Was this the place I was looking for?  It was a strange feeling.  Was it possible?  Maybe it was time to make a greater commitment to my love of this Italian lifestyle?