Sunny and dry Puglia (or Apulia in English) is easy to find on any map: it's the high heel on the Italian "boot". Located in the Southeast of the country, it is like an impressionistic painting: colorful, rich and unusual. Splashes of white, blue and green almost overwhelm the senses, blurring the line between fantasy and reality.

Surrounded by the Adriatic to the east, the Ionian Sea and the Gulf of Taranto to the south, Puglia has everything: sea coasts, medieval castles, bell towers, olive trees and the kind of sunshine that makes you wonder: how do people live in the cold climates?

Puglia's history, like its landscape, is incredibly diverse, which created a culture of tolerance and amazing hospitality. Yet it is rarely visited by English-speaking travelers, remaining a land of mystery to most tourists who identify Italy with Rome, Florence, Venice and other well-known "classic" Italian destinations. I offer you 10 places in Puglia that left me amazed.

As I've mentioned, Puglia is full of medieval castles, but the octagonal Castle del Monte is definitely a must-see. It was built in 1240 by emperor Frederick II, one of the most eccentric Roman emperors. His interests in math, philosophy, poetry and astronomy earned him the title “Stupor Mundi” (the wonder of the world).

The curious thing is that the scholars are still debating the castle's purpose. Typically, castles had an explicit military function, where its defensive structures were meant to protect the owner from an unexpected enemy attack. Aside from lacking a moat, underground passageways and a drawbridge, the absolute necessities of the defensive fortress, castle's location on top of the hill suggests that it was built with another intention in mind. The modern theories range from calling it a simple watchtower to declaring it an ancient alien outpost, like the pyramids of Egypt.

The number 8 that seems to be essential to the castle's design could mean a number of things: infinity (in mathematics), the orientation towards the Holy Grail, the Pyramids, the Fibonacci number series, ratios of musical intervals, the temple of Solomon, the queen of Sheba, the traditional image of Jerusalem as an octagonal city and the union of divinity (infinity) and humanity (finiteness). Either way, Castel del Monte is one of the most fascinating and mysterious places in Italy and, possibly, on Earth.

First mentioned in the 13 century AD, Trani was an important trading and political center of Medieval Europe, with the largest Jewish population in Southern Italy. Now it's mostly a seaport with marvelous harbor views.The main place to visit is the  Cathedral di Trani, built in the 12th century. Its Romanesque exterior and the bronze doors will delight those who are longing for a bit of carved stone simplicity and the Byzantine mosaic splendor.

The best thing about Trani: it's the most stress-free travel sight possible. It's picturesque and historical, yet it is as low-key as it gets. Simply strolling down the city's streets and enjoying the views of the churches, castles and ships will make you fall in love with this gentle and enchanting place.

If you love animals, there is no better place to visit than Fasano ZooSafari. Established in 1972, Fasano ZooSafari is packed with wild animals you can't help but worship. Tigers, camels, lions, giraffes, bears, elephants and zebras are just some of a hundred different animal species from all over the world that this amazing animal park features.

I don't think I need to remind you of the horrors of regular zoos - cramped spaces, dirt, apathetic depressed animals... I was terrified of zoos since I was a little girl. Fasano ZooSafari is a different story: only accessible by car for the safari part (there is also the amusement park “Fasanolandia”), it reminds us, arrogant humans, that the Earth belongs to all of us, not just the ones with the weapons. Trapped in our mechanical mobility devices for safety, we look at all the gracious splendid animal creatures and we are forced to wonder: are we really special?

Another example of the Romanesque style in Puglia, Ruvo is a rural paradise of olive groves and vineyards. Dating back to the 9th century BC, the ancient Greek town Rubi was a famous pottery center of the region. It has seen Romans, Byzantines, Goths, Saracens, Swabians, Normans, the Spanish, the French, the Templar Knights on their way to the Holy Land - and survived.

The sights include a beautiful 13th century Romanesque cathedral (Cathedral di Ruvo), the Annunziata Church, the Castle and Fondo Marasco and the Jatta Museum, containing exponats from the Helenistic era. If you happen to be in Ruvo during Christmas, the town stages a full-blown traditional reenactment of the birth of Christ ("Presidio").

40 km from Bari, Grotte di Castellana is an enormous constellation of underground caves. It was first mentioned in 1852 and actually discovered in 1938, as part of an expedition to uncover tourist-worthy sites in Puglia. The grotto has long been the subject of stories about ghosts and monsters of "the Deep", partly because it was emitting a horrible smell from all the garbage thrown in, and partly because of all the people who were throwing themselves in (apparently, suicide by jumping into a cave was very fashionable in those days).

After the clean-up, it became a world-famous sight now visited by over 14 million people, including Ashanti kings, presidents, cardinals, admirals, intellectuals, actors (Gina Lollobrigida) and football superstars (Franco Ossola, Eusebio Castigliano, Aldo Ballarin, Guglielmo Gabetto, Valerio Bacigalupo, Ezio Loich, Mario Rigamonti) - not that it's reason enough to see the grotto...

The truth is: it's a natural wonder, much like the Grand Canyon or the Niagara Falls. The massive stalagmites, pure white speleothems, stalactites, calcite crystals and helictites inside the caves and alcoves took over a thousand years to form; they stretch over 3 km and cover most of the ground, the walls and the ceiling. The tour lasts about 2 hours and as you go deeper into the grotto, it gets colder and more humid, so you MUST bring an extra sweater and wear comfortable non-slippery shoes.