The Peucetians were one of the Messapic peoples who inhabited central Apulia before the Romans. They left extraordinary traces across the land: ancient dolmens, standing stones and cave settlements that still dot the Alta Murgia plateau today.
Distance: around 170 km — Stages: 8–10 days — Difficulty: easy to moderate
The Via Peuceta is a different kind of walk. Less known, less walked, less talked about. And perhaps more precious for that very reason. It takes its name from the Peucetians — one of the Messapic peoples who lived in central Apulia before the Romans arrived.
The route cuts through the inland side of Apulia — the side most people never see. The Alta Murgia is a bare plateau that looks desolate at first glance, but once you walk into it you realise it is alive in a way entirely its own.
You will find green hills, pastures, shepherds. I was lucky enough to sleep in a masseria and sit down to roast lamb and potatoes with the town mayor. Then you pass through stunning villages like Gravina in Puglia, Altamura and Santeramo in Colle — places that hide a wood-fired bread whose flavour you will never replace.
The cooking of the Alta Murgia is humble in the noblest sense of the word. Pane di Altamura — a Slow Food Presidium — with its thick crust, golden crumb and a scent that lingers for days. Broad beans and chicory. Lampascioni, the wild bitter bulbs they prepare in a thousand different ways here. Herb-roasted lamb. Primitivo wine served in terracotta pitchers.
It is a cuisine that makes no effort to impress. And it is often the best thing you have eaten in years. Each morning, my first stop was the bakery: freshly baked pizza, focaccia and warm bread were my closest companions for the opening hour of each day’s walk.
Do these walks in spring or autumn: the weather is on your side and the paths are almost empty. You can do it alone and discover a version of yourself you didn’t know existed. Or do it with someone and you will get to know that person in a way no other setting would allow.
For the pack: bring few things, the essentials only. Shoes are everything — choose them well. Do not underestimate your socks: good technical ones are a matter of survival. Give yourself a few days at the start and end of the journey to properly experience the departure and arrival towns — they are among the most beautiful you could visit in Italy. And finally, bring a small notebook: reading it back years later will be something special.