4th+Day+-+Puglia

(Ital.  Puglia   ), region, SE Italy. It is on the Gulf of Taranto, an arm of the Ionian Sea, and on the Adriatic Sea, opposite Albania. The southernmost part of Apulia forms the topographical heel of the Italian boot. The region, which consists of the five provinces of Bari, Brindisi, Foggia, Lecce, and Taranto, is primarily a plain. It also contains hills that are part of the plateaus of the E Apennines. The Testa del Gargano, a peninsula in NE Apulia, rises to about 1000 m (about 3280 ft); it has a steep rocky coast spotted by inlets where the Adriatic towns of Rodi, Peschici, and Viesti are nested. Facing the peninsula are the Tremiti Islands, with grottoes, castles, and monasteries. To the S of the Gargano is the Tavoliere, a vast grain-growing plain extending to the Ofanto R.; farther S are hills and the plains of Bari and of the Salento Peninsula, where olives, almonds, and grapes are cultivated. The coastline of Apulia is lined with fishing villages and resorts. Among the many major attractions are Castellana Caves, the marine grotto of Polignano, and the 13th-century stone-turreted fortress of the Castel del Monte in Andria. The industry that exists in Apulia, such as winemaking and olive-oil refining, is linked to the agriculture of the region. The raising of sheep and livestock is also important. The region has little water, but the Apulian Aqueduct conducts water into the region from the Sele R. through the Apennines via a tunnel. Major cities are Bari (the capital), Foggia, Lecce, Margherita di Savoia, and Taranto.