Scusateci la digressione personale,ma è con una certa soddisfazione che oggi riportiamo questo articolo di Suzy Strutner, Associate Lifestyle Editor, pubblicato nel The Huffington Post del 19 giugno su Polignano a Mare,nostro buen retiro ormai da oltre venti anni.

Le immagini si commentano da sole.

D.F.

Stop Right Now, This Is The Most Precious Beach Town You'll Ever See

Breathtaking is really the only word.

Polignano a Mare | Getty Images/Moment Open

Balconata | Getty Images/Flickr RF

If you're not in Polignano a Mare, then you're doing it wrong.

That's because this gem of an Italian beach town is situated on the edge of a craggy ravine, high above the electric-blue ocean. Home to humans since prehistoric times, Polignano oozes charm to this day. Its collection of stone streets, pleasant piazzas and mysterious sea caves practically begs you to come and explore.

Breathtaking is really the only word.

Polignano's dark, shadowy grottoes were home to people in the Neolithic era. The town later fell to Norman conquerors, and various families feuded over the village until the 19th century.

Now, Red Bull uses Polignano's soaring cliffs for its Cliff Diving World Series, and visitors from around the world come for shops, a beach club and a gelateria so authentically local, all the TripAdvisor reviews are in Italian. The beach is part of the illustrious Costa dei Trulli, a collection of coastlines that meet high standards for water quality and environmental excellence.

Stay in a cliffside bed and breakfast, or rent a charming Airbnb apartment for about $70 per night. Buses and trains usually make multiple trips a day from the nearby city of Bari, which has an international airport. However, some say it's easier to rent a car and drive from Bari, instead.

But no matter how you get to Polignano, you're on the right track, because this place is a treasure. Ciao, indeed.