Italian Markets in the Puglia Region: A Blowout Sale Every Day of the Week

I don't know what it is about Italian markets, but there's something about the chaotic atmosphere that really appeals to me! And this -- coming from a guy who doesn't like to go shopping. But Italian markets -- man, they are something else!

Hundreds and hundreds of people milling about, vendors elbow-to-elbow: each one trying to out-scream the next as they brag about how their prices and merchandise are the very best! Markets are as part of the Italian culture as is pizza. But I'd like to think that the markets in Southern Italy -- especially in my neck of the woods in the Puglia Region -- are a little better than most.

Italian markets have long been known as a kind of traveling mall that goes from town to town, where merchants will sell everything from pants to belts to chickens to vacuum cleaners. At the markets around my local area (which I list below), the vendors don't use stalls, each will bring a few large tables to display their wares. Overhead, the merchants usually set up a large canopy in which they can hang up ever more articles of whatever it is they are pushing. And while I have occasionally poked fun at Italian markets and some of the items you can find (especially the markets in Naples wherebootleg DVD's and other "hot" items are big, big sellers) for the most part, Italian markets provide a great service to consumers who otherwise couldn't afford to purchase similar name-brand items for goods such as shoes and clothing.

In Southern Italy -- just like in the North -- there are big and small markets. But the main circuit usually goes like this:

Monday: Lecce(the biggest city next to Bari.Check the AC archives for lots of stories on Lecce).

Tuesday:San Vito (a small town that really relies on the weekly market, as it does not have much of a shopping district).

Wednesday: Mesagne (another small town, much like San Vito).

Thursday: Brindisi(not as big as Lecce, but bigger than San Vito, Mesagne and Latiano) Again, check the AC archives for lots of stories on Brindisi!

Friday: Latiano (Small town which gets really crowded when the market comes).

Saturday: Ostuni (a bigger city than Brindisi, but not quite as big as Lecce).