Big Benches

Puglia, Italy  Saturday/Sunday 27/28-June-2026.

We first came across the Big Bench project back in 2023 whilst on an inter railing journey to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary [Tirano]. Whilst out walking we spotted a red dot on the distant hillside. A bit of internet and map searching we found out that it was a “Panchina Grande” or “Big Bench” so we went off to investigate.

Big Bench #218.

It is big! There was a clue in the name after all.

The Big Bench Community Project (BBCP) is a non-profit initiative launched by American designer Chris Bangle. It features oversized, brightly coloured public benches placed in scenic, easily accessible spots that make adults feel like children again. It started in 2010 in Clavesana, Piedmont, Italy. Bangle provides the design and building instructions for free to local communities and private sponsors, but the towns themselves are responsible for funding and construction.

The criteria for a bench were that it must be on accessible public land, in the countryside and have beautiful views. Access to the bench must be free and unhindered 24/7. This bench certainly fits the bill apart from the accessibility bit as it was poorly signposted over the last stretch and it took us a while to find it as you can see from all the backtracking.

Big Bench #056.

Very shortly after Mary‘s sister, Sandra, found one in Scotland whilst visiting Arbroath for a parkrun in October 2023. It turns out to be the only one in Scotland and she only stumbled upon it because of some dodgy satnav directions.

Big Bench #457. 

Sandra then came across another one whilst touring Italy this year. Here is brother-in-law George sitting on the one they found during a slow stroll through an affluent area of Cuneo.

Big Bench #451.

Sandra was now winning in the big bench competition 2 to 1. Having forgotten all about them, Mary was inspired to check out the Big Bench Community Project website and discovered there were two in Puglia including a new one had been installed very close to us only last year (October 2025). 

When we first found out about them we thought they were all red but now know different. The icons on the map indicate the colour of the seat and legs.

It had to be done: Saturday on the way back from parkrun we took a little detour to see Big Bench #451 and admire the stunning views from the Belvedere di Caranna over the coastal plain.

Big Bench #194.

It was now Mary 2, Sandra 2 so we just had to visit the other bench in Puglia. Sunday morning, we drove to the outskirts of Taranto to find Big Bench #194. It was a 50 minute drive to near Taranto, then a dirt road for about 1km and a walk around a melon field, only just resisting the temptation to scrump a delicious looking melon! 

I predict we will all be checking out the map whenever we are visiting other parts of Italy and elsewhere to see if we can bag a few more. Nothing like a bit of sibling rivalry!

Palazzo Lagravinese, Cisternino

Via La Fiera, Cisternino, Puglia.

We live next door to the Palazzo Gravinese: "A private noble residence from the late 18th century, recognised as being of historical and artistic interest, it was purchased by the Municipality of Cisternino in 2011 and restored to become a museum".

Over the years the plaque to the right of the entrance telling the story of the Lagrvinese family had become weathered and faded. Last year (May 2025) from our terrace we saw woman there for the better part of a week painstakingly cleaning and repainting the engraving.

"Conservative and aesthetic restoration of the writings on the plaque placed on the facade of the Palazzo Lagravinese in Via La Fiera" according to the notice on the scaffolding. 

Work complete.

The restored plaque.

In this ancient palace the siblings of the esteemed Lagravinese family opened themselves to the light and noble ideals of life:

Nicola (1883 - 1971)
Head surgeon of international fame he always worked with a spirit of christian charity in the service of man and in defence of life;

Pasquale (1884 - 1963）
Lawyer, speaker and writer, eloquent
Refined and witty known for his honesty and wise humanity;

Giovanni (1895 - 1927)
Passionate culturalist of socio-economic studies of Puglia
A generous heart that illuminated with goodness the skies of his youth;

The Misses Maria and Rita
Delicate and sensitive souls lived in the cult of beauty art and poetry

The people of Cisternino
In memory
Placed
August 1985.

We regularly see educational tour groups, both school children and adults, gathered round the plaque having the history and significance explained to them.

Pasqua in Puglia 2026

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. 03/06-April-2026.

Friday 03-April-2026.

Surprisingly for a Catholic country, Good Friday is not a public holiday, it is business as usual. My Easter usually starts with a chocolate Easter egg from Mary. One thing I like about this small town is that I even know the chocolatier personally. Antonietta from Chocolab customised this egg for me. This year she is experimenting with a fruity, dark chocolate, flavoured with red fruits. Crunchy and delicious!

Friday evening was a Processione dei Misteri (Parade of the Mysteries). It consists of several floats decorated with wooden, canvas, and glue sculptures representing the passion and death of Jesus. These are paraded around the town on the shoulders of the faithful.

Normally I observe the parade from our top terrace. This year I decided to go down and stand in our doorway for a ringside seat.

Another statue.

Heading for the crucifixion.

I’m guessing this is Christ risen.

And this Christ demonstrating the stigmata.

Saturday 04-April-2026.

Salento 04/06/26 29:47 [10/20].

Saturday in Italy means an early alarm for the hour and 10 minutes drive down to our nearest parkrun. We had to be especially early this week as we were picking up a couple of tourists from Lecce, holidaying there without a car.

Mary striding in at the finish.

As always, it’s a picnic in the park at the end of parkrun, today featuring a Colomba Pasquale a traditional Easter cake vaguely in the shape of a dove. It tastes very like the panettone that you get at Christmas. There was also a "Ramo di Primavera" - the Spring Branch - another typical Easter cake.

I get a volunteer credit for post event clear up: I drive round the course picking up the signs. I was pleased to see a hoopoe strutting along the track giving me this photo opportunity.

Sunday 05-April-2026.

A quiet day. We tried the special Easter menu at our local nearest restaurant Osteria Lagravinese. A ridiculous number of dishes and all excellent. We were completely stuffed by the end and had to go for a lie down.

Menu di Pasqua

Antipasti

• Carpaccio de pesce spada su julienne de finocchio
• Gambero mazzancolle con ananas e melone
• Riso Venere al pesto con pomodorini e sfilaco di cacioricotta
• Sformatino de patate e mousse ai porcini
• Cozza nero ripiena con pomodorini
• Mazzancolle con coda croccante alla speck
• Misto fritto del osteria (polpetta de patate con salmone, verdure miste pastellate)

Primi Piatti

• Tagliolini al nera de seppia, gamberetto dell'Adriatico, pomodorini e pesto al pistacchio
• Pacchero, carciafo croccante e pancetta

Secondo Piatto

• Agnello cotto a bassa temperatura con contorno de patate
• Frittura mista dell'Adriatico

Dolce della Tradizione

• Bevande e digestivi.

Monday 06-April-2026.

After the horrible wet weather of the last couple of weeks, it really brightened up over the weekend. We decided to do one of our favourite walks that we call the Hidden Valley as it is a bit of a unspoiled gem. A big loop of just over 8km through some quiet countryside with lovely spring flowers starting to emerge.

Flowers plus a common brimstone butterfly (on the yellow daisy).

Easter Monday is the big religious day here in Cisternino celebrating of Madonna d'Ibernia with various religious events during the day and a parade round the town which we missed.

Concluding with a huge firework display visible from our terrace.

As always photos do not do them justice.

That's Easter for another year.

Terrace Storage Box

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. June-2025/March-2026.

Part 1: Construction.

We got bored of dismantling the terrace furniture every autumn and carting it all down the stairs into the living room then reversing the process in the spring.

Since the furniture included a couple of daybeds, there were no storage boxes large enough to accommodate two bed bases and all the other stuff. We got creative and found a bicycle store which was just large enough to take the bases and everything else.

Duly purchased from Leroy Merlin (Italy’s equivalent of the British home improvement store B&Q) we took delivery of the flat pack. I thought assembling IKEA furniture was tough but this took the biscuit.

Stage one was assemble the base and install the uprights. The illustrations were unclear so, having slotted in all the side panels I discovered they were upside down, had to undo it all, turn them over and reassemble.

Once completed, it was, indeed, capacious enough for everything on the terrace: two daybeds, two tables, six chairs, two sun loungers and a barbecue. 

Part 2: Destruction.

In February, Cisternino had gusts of wind up to 100kph (62 mph). Despite us having fitted additional padlocks and clips, the winds ripped the lid off the storage box and deposited it down in the street. We were alerted by the very nice Gaetano who runs the linen shop and apartments along the street. Luckily no-one seems to have been around when it happened. It is only light plastic however it still could have injured someone or, at the very least, given them a nasty shock if they had been in that part of the street at that time.

Our friend Pietro went round later that day to check it out and secure the contents. 

Whilst he was there he spotted that the chimney cowl belonging to the restaurant on the ground floor was looking a bit precarious.

Pietro alerted the fire brigade who came and made it safe. Being metal and heavy if that had fallen and hit anyone or anything it would have been disastrous!

The cowl has since been chopped down and reinstated with copious numbers of rivets to hold it in place. 

Part 3: Re-construction.

That left us with the problem of how to replace the lid of the box to keep the contents dry. Eventually the answer was a return trip to Leroy Merlin where we found a sturdy sheet of plastic roofing that was just the right size.

The first step was to move the box across the terrace to over the gully that separates us from our neighbours where it is sheltered by the roof stairs next door and further from the edge of the terrace.

We installed the new cover with a nut and bolt at each corner, extra bungees along the long edge and a long bungee around the whole thing.

We are more confident with this arrangement: the box is in a more sheltered position; the cover and bungees are flexible so hopefully will flex in the wind rather than break; and if anything snaps off it should fall onto the terrace or into the gulley rather than fall to the street.

This last week has seen torrential rain most days and it seems to be doing a good job of keeping the contents dry. The real test is the next time we have hurricane force winds!

Antiques and Food Markets in Puglia

“When is the market in such-and-such town?” is an FAQ that crops up regularly on Facebook expats groups. And this is my answer:

Antique Markets

Antique markets are always held on Sunday morning starting around 10.00. 

1st Sunday of the month: 

• Bari Vecchia (also Saturday)
• Grottaglie
• Nardo
• San Vito dei Normanni (Exfadda)

2nd Sunday of the month: 

• Monopoli
• Ostuni

3rd Sunday of the month: 

• Cisternino
• Galatina
• Martina Franca
• Mesagne

4th Sunday of the month: 

• Ceglie Messapica
• Francavilla Fontana 
• Lecce (always last Sunday)

Market days
(fruit and veg, clothes, shoes, homewares, etc.)

Monday: 

• Andria
• Cisternino
• Lecce
• Montalbano
• San Vito dei Normanni
• Vieste

Tuesday: 

• Bisceglie 
• Carovigno
• Monopoli
• Noci

Wednesday: 

• Fasano
• Gallipoli
• Martina Franca
• Otranto

Thursday: 

• Alberobello
• Brindisi
• Polignano a Mare
• Porto Cesareo

Friday: 

• Conversano 
• Fasano
• Giovinazzo
• Locorotondo
• Lecce (again)

Saturday: 

• Barletta
• Castellana Grotte
• Francavilla Fontana
• Ostuni
• Terlizzi

Sunday:

• Savelletri

Feel free to let me know of any errors or omissions in the comments but this is the list I have.

Friday Night is Music Night

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. September-2025. 

One of the things I like about Cisternino is the amount of live music mostly free. For the last four weeks we have had live jazz on a Friday night courtesy of Bar Fod interspersed with one evening of classical guitar thanks to the Valle D’Itria Guitar Festival.

Bar Fod used to put on a series of Sunday lunchtime concerts in the summer but they were proving a little too hot for the performers. Instead, they switched to Friday evening jazz concerts.

Friday 05-September.

We booked a table and met up with friends for the first of the September concerts following our return from the UK. An excellent pair of musicians - we spent an enjoyable and relaxing hour and a half sipping our wine and being entertained with some cool jazz. 

Claudio Chiarelli /sax
Aldo Di Paolo / piano.

I liked the keyboardist’s shirt clearly inspired by Mondrian with added cats.

Friday 12-September.

The following Friday we had a collection of jazz standards from a lady with a very pleasant voice although we did agree she had a somewhat narrow dynamic range.

Serena Grittani /vocal
Bruno Montrone / piano

Friday, 19 September.

This concert was part of the Valle D’Itria Guitar Festival, mostly held in Martina Franca but this particular concert was in Cisternino. The venue was the evocative Chiesa di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli (aka The church with the skull and crossbones). 

Giovanni Masi / Chitarra.

An award-winning young guitarist, his fingers were flying all over the fretboard. The acoustics in the church were great for such a small intimate concert.

Programma

• N. Paganini (1782.-1840) 
• Dalle 37 Sonate per chitarra: Sonata n. 16 - Sonata n. 33
• M. Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895-1968) 
• Capriccio diabolico (Omaggio a Paganini), op. 85
• G. Sanz (1640-17109 / M. Castelnuovo-Tedesco 
• Suite Española di Sanz Espanoleta - Gallarda - Villano
• Escarraman, op. 177 di Castelnuovo-Tedesco "Pesame dello amor..." Danza de las Hachas Rujero y Paradetas
• Zarabanda al Ayre Español El Rey Don Alfonso el Bueno Canario
• M. Castelnuovo-Tedesco 
• Caprichos de Goya, op. 195: No hubo remedio
• E. Morricone (1928-2020) 
• Quattro pezzi per chitarra sola: Calmo - Poco più - Andantino - Meno 
• Nuovo Cinema Paradiso: Prima gioventu
• Quattro pezzi per chitarra sola Western Suite: IV. Adagio molto.

Friday, 26 September.

The final concert in the series and, by general consensus, the best in terms of quality of the musicianship. They clearly had great rapport and were enjoying themselves. They played two encores at the insistence of the crowd.

Alberto Di Leone / tromba
Antonio Laviero / piano.

Footnote: the title of this blog is a nod to the world's longest-running, live, orchestral music, radio programme on the BBC Friday Night is Music Night .