Puglia is a gentle land of immense character and a wealth of architectural sights and glorious scenery , on the coast and in the interior . One of the most startling impressions of Puglia must be the contrasting colours of azure and white , enhanced by the green of olives and vines . Typical sights must be the trulli , the low lying white�washed houses with beehive�like conical grey roofs , flat fields of grain , olives and vines and here and there perfect examples of mediaeval castles or splendid Byzantine�influenced Norman churches and cathedrals . Red chillies can be seen drying from the wrought�iron balconies of white�washed houses in the villages . Broom and mint grow wild in the fields . The coastline is noted for its long sandy beaches and the beauty of the hilly Gargano peninsula with bays sheltering beneath dramatic cliffs .