Locality..?
What DO you call a place as small as Carovigno? And how did I end up here? I’d say it’s for sure not a village, but still not that much bigger. It might complicate things here, english not being my mother tongue.
I guess ithe grandest search engine had something to do with me deciding to come here. I certainly didn’t get it as a recommendation, or had heard about it prior to booking my ticket here. I have an embarrisingly low intrest for geography. Amongst other things of course. But the other areas of no intrests are far less embarrassing than the… geography one. My plan was to go to Alberobello and their Trullis, but I realised I had enough of the over touristy places for a while, and “postponed” that visit. Regardless, I’m 100% sure a visit in Alberobello is worth it.
The train from Lecce to Brindisi, and then fore some wierd reason I take the bus… to Carovigno even though there are trains going there. As I leave by train I understand why the recommendation is taking the bus. But you CAN take the train here. And if you do, you better have a bicycle as a companion.
An orgie in Picturesque
That’s my general impression. There isn’t that much to do in this little place, locality, society. It’s like an white marble’ish anthill withour the inner castle. A steep one, and I like that a lot. In my view this place for sure is worth a visit even though it’s very small.
In some parts Carovigno feels lite a small town, but it’s for sure no town to speak of. It’s just a place, cause it’s on the map. And it is so very Italian.
At the top you’ll find a very beautiful piazza where parts of it is in marble. I find no name of the piazza, but if you go to the top, you pretty muich can’t miss it. Here are small cafés and restaurants. The streets are narrow, and in parts more like alleys. It’s obvious there is a careful renovation of many buildings with the amnition to maintain the rustic feel of the place. They do have beautiful, but exploited Ostuni as a warning example not that far away.
You’ll find castle like buildings, and of course a few churches. In general the higher up on the anthill, the more picturesque, and further down the hill less of that expression. Still, so very Italian. I really like the contrasts, it maintains my intrest and curiosity about a place. The further down the hill it’s also more of a town with a local business climate. Some sports store, a bar, some mechanics and some restaurants.
According to the owner of the OH SO NICE b&b Arya Nobile Dimera, there are ambitions so make Carovigno more of a spot to visit, but to maintain the balance so it doesn’t looses it’s authenticity. In my view… they DO need a general raise in the quality and ambition of the restaurants if they want more people to visit. There is no Italian wow food here. As an example, when I ordered a tiramisu for dessert in one of the few restaurants i got a frozen, not even thawed one. So the level is pretty low.
Genuine Italy
There is a high risk of uncontrollable … confetti of images. I loved my two days in Carovigno, as well as the major part of my bicycle ride to, and visiting the overexploited but beautiful Ostuni. Both of these places were completely unknown to me. Well… that goes for most of Italy but Venedig, Milan, Verona, Siena and Rome since I’ve been there already.
It’s so very beautiful in Carovigno. You can walk up and down the hills mornings and afternoon and still get new impressions. The worn facades, and the variation inbetween the newer and the old part of the place. Ok… I’ll switch over to calling it a town.
Of course there were moments when I felt like… oh, lets buy that old little house and renovate it. Into mental insanity that is. On the other hand, isn’t that what we are supposed to use the gift of… imagination for? You surf it, and then you land in reality and happily move on.
Arya Nobile Dimora B & B – but the luxurious kind
Now I’m at the stage where I need a brak from the… hostal travelling, and buffer up on a more fancy lodging. Oh boy was I happy with my choice!! I was upgraded to the room in the tower at Arya Nobile Dimora ♥️. It’s like a luxurious cave.
A room with a view, to say the least. In the evenings I sat with the door open, in a most comfy chair looking out over sunsets, the ocean afar, rainbows while listening to people below or the wonderful rain. The night after the loooong bicycleride to Ostuni I fell asleep while listening to a group of old men chatting outside of the bedside window.
Arya Nobile Dimora is located at the opening of the stretched out piazza without a name on top of the hill. A café and gelateria just below. Soooo very cozy.
Arya Nobile Dimora at Corso Vittorio Emanuele 23.
… Carovigno Trainstation