Cisternino and Valle Itria traditional cuisine 2Comments
Posted on
September 11, 2007 by
Stile Mediterraneo
Cisternino, ranked among the most beautiful small villages within Italy, is a small hilltop town with a spectacular panorama of the countryside. The streets are narrow and maze-like, whitewashed like in Greece.
Cisternino is an enchanting medieval village surrounded by fertile fields of Olive groves and vineyards, some of the most abundant in Puglia. Its historic center is characterized by its architecture of the 16th and 17th centuries. Visitors will undoubtedly be struck by the predominance of white buildings. This small village is the classic example of “spontaneous architecture,” designed not by architects following a preestablished plan, but rather by human relations to be fit together, among whitewashed houses and narrow streets, the tiny courtyards and outside stairs, the arches and flower-filled balconies: spaces to appear at, look and lean out from, where people can meet and gather; shared spaces, both public and private.
In the unreal silence of summer afternoons, when the drowsy village abandons itself to indolence before the coming to life again in the evening, it is nice to walk down the chianche (stone-paved streets) among the play of light and shadow created by the narrow streets, the arches, the underpasses. Dazzling white walls and blue sky: this is the poetry of the south.
There’s no better place to savour the regional Puglian cuisine than Cisternino which is dubbed a town of gastronomy. Restaurants and trattorias are here at every turn and set their tables out in the narrow whitewashed streets and piazzas. You have to visit the market and buy locally-produced ingredients such as pecorino cheese, local sausage, fresh capers and scarlet peppers. …but also olives and famous bread.
Cisternino also has an irresistible lamb meat tradition: you personally choose your own meat from the butcher shop and have it barbecued at the attached restaurant!
Cisternino also has an irresistible lamb meat tradition: you personally choose your own meat from the butcher shop and have it barbecued at the attached restaurant!
At night the historic heart of town wakes up and musicians of all ages play traditional music.
Cisternino is one of the most beautiful places in Italy and in Puglia. It is still very authentic. People are so nice! and i think it is very romantic as well. I hope it stays like this for many years!!
My family came to the usa from cisternino in the very early 1900′s. My father went back for the summer of 1930 and he still tells stories of the time. He also went back in the 1970′s. My wife and I are now in our 50′s and are hoping to go back soon.