Puglia 17°C
Poznan, Poland 8°C
Spring is now here. The weather in Puglia in April is balmy – the average temperature is a comfortable 16-17°C (62°F). Wildflowers bloom in the hedgerows and fields. Puglia has a pleasant climate year-round, but Spring is one of the loveliest times of year to visit. April showers can surprise you with a sudden downpour, but they disappear as quickly as they arrive and the sun filters through the clouds. It’s one of the wettest times of year – but that still means only 69mm spread over the month.
April is a good time to explore the towns and villages in the heart of Salento known as Grecia Salentina. Once settled by the Greeks, the white architecture reflects the Greek heritage while the people who live here still speak an Italian Greek dialect called Griko. Many of the signs are also still in Italian and Greek. One of the highlights is Corigliano d’Otranto with its golden castle surrounded by a moat. The weather in April in Salento is perfect for meandering the historic streets of Martano, the largest of the Greek towns, with its ornate balconies, hidden courtyards, and 16th-century churches.
When Easter falls in April, Castello di Ugento’s kitchen cooks up a feast including Scarcella a traditional shortbread treat encasing whole eggs in a lattice pastry mesh and heralding the end of Lent. The cakes are carried during the Easter procession to church. Shaped like baskets, chickens, lambs or doves, they are sometimes iced or filled with plum jam or almond paste. Temperatures in Salento in April are now warm enough to sit outside for breakfast in the courtyard with your cappuccino, protected by the ancient stone walls.
Pack a raincoat and umbrella. April is the wettest month – but rain falls as short sharp showers and you’ll need your sunglasses too. A light sweater or jacket is all you’ll need for the evenings.
