What to Do in Locorotondo: Unique Stays and Experiences in the Itria Valley
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Villages become more intimate, flavours grow deeper, and days unfold at a pace that invites you to breathe more slowly and consciously.
A softer light takes over, creating a sincere atmosphere that wraps around every alleyway. This is the ideal moment to discover Puglia as you’ve never seen it before, far from the crowded summer season and close to the true soul of the Itria Valley.
At Raro Villas we offer you the opportunity to experience this landscape from a privileged perspective: that of a refined villa set amid the countryside of the Itria Valley. Here, mornings begin with the colours of rolling hills, privacy is guaranteed by generous outdoor spaces, and each day can be shaped freely, following your own rhythm and desires.
Authentic Experiences to Enjoy in and Around Locorotondo
During this time of year, every experience feels richer, enhanced by the tranquillity of the season and the closeness to the everyday life of those who care for this land year-round.
In Locorotondo and its surroundings, you can:
- Taste local wines among vineyards and cellars, listening to producers share their stories and the memories of a recently completed harvest.
- Discover winter cuisine, rooted in seasonal dishes, family recipes, freshly pressed olive oil, new wines, mushrooms and produce from the surrounding countryside.
- Embrace the silence of the Apulian countryside, moving between masserias, rows of vines and open landscapes where time truly seems to slow down.
Within just a few hours of walking or short drives, you can move seamlessly from one experience to another—without hurry, guided only by daylight and the desire to explore.
Where to Stay to Experience Locorotondo at Its Best
If the goal is to experience Locorotondo in a truly distinctive way, choosing the right accommodation makes all the difference. Staying in a countryside villa allows you to connect naturally with the territory: no rigid schedules, no shared spaces, just personal rhythms and a direct relationship with the landscape.
The villas selected by RARO VILLAS offer generous spaces, carefully curated interiors and secluded settings that enhance the Itria Valley experience. Returning in the evening after a stroll through the village or a wine tasting becomes part of an authentic way of living Puglia quiet, unforced and deeply rooted in place.
To explore the properties closest to Locorotondo, simply click here.
This allows travellers to choose the solution best suited to their needs, while remaining within easy reach of the area’s most meaningful experiences.
Winter Authenticity Through the Lens of Puglia Tourism Reports
In recent years, Puglia has experienced significant growth during the winter months as well, driven by a form of travel increasingly focused on authenticity, local cuisine, villages and countryside living. According to Pugliapromozione, seasonal diversification is one of the region’s strategic goals, supported by experiences centred on wine, freshly pressed olive oil, rural routes and small historic towns, places that come alive under a different kind of light than the one we usually associate with them.
Datas from ISTAT also highlight growth in the non-hotel sector, with rising stays in holiday homes, apartments and independent villas. This trend is particularly evident in inland areas and districts such as the Itria Valley, where travellers increasingly seek privacy, nature, authenticity and flexibility.
In this context, professionally managed villas represent the ideal meeting point between modern comfort and deep connection to the land: private spaces, direct contact with the countryside and a way of travelling shaped by slower rhythms and conscious choices.
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Locorotondo is an invitation to slow down: to wander without haste among trulli and dry-stone walls, to savour seasonal wines and dishes, to be surprised by sunsets that paint the village’s white houses in shades of gold. It’s a place best experienced when you have time to listen to the land, to the silence, to the small moments that give meaning to a journey.
Choosing a villa in the countryside of the Itria Valley allows this atmosphere to become part of everyday life. Each return feels like coming home, every outing becomes a new discovery, and each day finds its balance between quiet, flavour and beauty.
Winter in Locorotondo has a character all its own: a different way of discovering Puglia more intimate, more genuine, closer to its heart.
Puglia Vibes: Analysis and Trends of a Rapidly Evolving Tourism Market
The first edition of Puglia Vibes has confirmed a fundamental fact: the need for dialogue on the future of Apulian tourism is real and deeply felt. As highlighted by the Fondazione Re Manfredi, the event saw high and diverse participation, a sign that the region is ready to build a system to meet the challenges of an increasingly demanding global market.
A moment of discussion during Puglia Vibes: networking and new professional connections
THE FOUNDATION'S ANALYSIS: A FORMAT LOOKING AHEAD
The public enthusiastically welcomed a formula capable of uniting institutions with private operators. According to data released by the Foundation's press office, the audience included qualified attendees from across the region, consolidating the B2B area and the light lunch as strategic networking spaces. "Puglia Vibes was born from a community working together that will treasure this experience to return with an even stronger project," stated President Michele De Meo.
DESTINATION MARKETING AWARDS: THE HOSPITALITY LEADERS RESHAPING PUGLIA
Within this growth scenario, the ceremony for the VI Edition of the Destination Marketing Awards took place. Among the protagonists of this edition, the award was presented to Luigi Fusco, CEO and Co-Founder of Raro Real Estate & Hospitality, for his contribution to redefining the relationship between territory and hospitality, promoting a development model capable of attracting international clientele and returning value to local communities.
Luigi Fusco (CEO Raro Real Estate & Hospitality) awarded for his exemplary vision in the evolution of the Apulian economy
THE STORY OF A CHALLENGE: "RETURN, STAY, AND BELIEVE"
During his acceptance speech, Luigi Fusco traced the stages of a journey that began in 2000, when Puglia was still a "land to be explained" to foreign travelers. "In 2004, at the London fairs, I had to explain what trulli were. There were no low-cost flights, and getting here was almost an odyssey," recalled the CEO of Raro Real Estate & Hospitality with emotion.
Today, with Puglia having become a mature and desired market, the focus shifts to the quality of human relationships. Fusco dedicated the award to those who, like him, decided to bet on the unexpressed potential of their land: "We have proven that we have what it takes to compete in the global high-spending tourism sector. This award is not a finish line, but the responsibility to continue working so that the beauty of Puglia becomes a concrete value for those who arrive and those who live here."
THE PILLARS OF THE TOURISM FUTURE
From the integration of the Foundation's data and Luigi Fusco’s vision, the trends that will drive 2026 emerge:
- System Synergy: Constant collaboration between institutional partners like Puglia Region and Pugliapromozione and private entities.
- Memory of Places: Hospitality that doesn't scream, made of authenticity, sunsets, and the soul of the homes.
- Emotional Connection: Apulian hospitality as an unbeatable added value.
- International Identity: A mature destination that speaks to the world without losing its roots.
"Travelers may forget the structure where they stayed, but they will never forget how we made them feel."
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When the Village Lights Up: Winter Lights, Traditions and Christmas Magic in Puglia
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- A Puglia That Glows: Villages, Lights and Winter Installations
- Tradizioni, sapori e rituali del Natale pugliese
- Le Ville Raro Villas in Puglia sono rifugi invernali tra pietra, luce e campagna
When winter arrives in Puglia, the region shifts its rhythm. Days become crisp and clear, the air carries the scent of citrus and fireplaces, and whitewashed villages glow with lights that bathe stone streets in warm, enveloping tones. Christmas in Puglia is experienced as a widespread celebration: shimmering alleyways, artistic installations, festive markets, living nativity scenes, age-old flavours and the unmistakable atmosphere that defines Mediterranean places in winter.
Staying in one of our villas allows you to discover this territory in an intimate and meaningful way. Set among the countryside or within historic villages, our properties become ideal starting points for exploring the season’s luminous magic, before returning to welcoming spaces that preserve the warmth and calm of a private, restorative stay.
A Puglia That Glows: Villages, Lights and Winter Installations
The tradition of luminarie in Puglia is far more than decoration: it is a cultural heritage that brings together craftsmanship, design and ritual. During the winter months, villages are transformed into luminous stages, reinterpreting this tradition through a contemporary lens.
From Bari with its installations around the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, the Christmas Village and festively adorned squares, to Polignano a Mare, renowned for its “Meraviglioso Natale” light displays, travelling south becomes a sequence of illuminated alleyways, tunnels of light and coastal views shimmering beneath thousands of bulbs.
Further along the route, Monopoli turns into a winter postcard between its historic harbour and old town; Alberobello and Locorotondo feel like a fairytale, with decorations, light games and artistic projections; Ostuni glows across its white façades, creating an almost dreamlike effect; Lecce lights up its Baroque architecture, enhancing the drama of squares, churches and palaces; while Maglie confirms itself as one of the most carefully curated Christmas villages in Salento, thanks to refined artistic installations and high-quality festive markets.
Walking through these places means stepping into an atmosphere that imitates nothing else, it is simply Puglia revealing one of its most captivating winter faces.
Traditions, Flavours and Rituals of Christmas in Puglia
Christmas in Puglia is made of recipes, aromas, ancient gestures and shared moments. Here, celebration is not merely visual, it is deeply cultural.
Among the most representative traditions are:
- Traditional sweets: pettole, cartellate drizzled with vincotto, purceddhuzzi, caramelised almonds, local breads and spiced biscuits.
- Living nativity scenes: among the most evocative in southern Italy, especially in Pezze di Greco, Cisternino, Tricase and Sanarica, where streets and courtyards become animated rural scenes.
- Artisan markets: filled with handmade goods, traditional decorations, terracotta nativity figures, ceramics and local food specialities.
- Festive cuisine: legumes, roasted meats, focaccia, warm bread, preserved vegetables, cheeses, local wine, freshly pressed olive oil and dishes that vary from village to village.
- Togetherness: long tables, shared plates, open kitchens and heartfelt hospitality, the true soul of Christmas in Puglia.
Each town adds its own nuance, yet all share the same essence: a celebration deeply rooted in local culture.
Le Ville Raro Villas in Puglia sono rifugi invernali tra pietra, luce e campagna
Three villas, three different ways to experience Puglia in winter.
Vico Bianco — Ostuni
A carefully restored historic residence in the heart of the White City. It offers a welcoming atmosphere and the rare opportunity to explore Ostuni’s illuminated streets on foot, fully immersed in a village that comes alive with light. Discover More
Corte dei Granai — Maglie
Elegant, discreet and refined, this property is ideal for exploring Salento’s festive villages, before returning to a warm, authentic and private setting. Click Here
Villa Augusta - Ostuni
With a breathtaking sea view and sunsets that feel almost unreal, this garden apartment with private pool is perfectly suited for unforgettable stays along Puglia’s Adriatic coast. Discover More
Masseria Tufo Bianco — Savelletri di Fasano
Surrounded by olive groves and close to the sea, it offers the ideal balance between days spent among lights and traditions and moments of quiet immersed in nature.Discover More