One of Italy’s lesser-known coastlines, dubbed the heel of the boot, is fast becoming a tourist hotspot. Savvy travellers are leaving the bustling (and often torturous) winding roads of the Amalfi Coast behind and opting for a much more relaxed, traffic- and selfie-stick-free holiday in Puglia. And there’s no compromising on crystal-clear waters or balding Italian men in budgie smugglers.

While I call the big smoke of Sydney my home, I’m lucky to call the small town of Giovinazzo il mio paesino – “my hometown”, but you knew that – and, never one to gatekeep, I’m happy to share its secrets.