Roberta Battaglia

Eleven-year-old singer Roberta Battaglia made history this fall as the youngest Canadian to ever reach NBC’s America’s Got Talent (AGT) finals.

The Brampton, Ontario native earned her fourth-place finish in September after performing Alessia Cara’s hit single “Scars to Your Beautiful”—an incredible ac- complishment considering the 2.5 million submissions received for Season 15. “I’m feeling so grateful and am thankful to all my supporters and fans,” she said to cele- brity judges and television audiences during an episode.

Battaglia began her musical journey as a toddler when she picked up a microphone at a local restaurant and began singing with her musician father. Mentored by her dad, her weekends consisted of restaurant, festival and gala gigs, including special appearances celebrating Italian Heritage Month and her Italian-Canadian community of Toronto.

Despite having performed on many stages since age three, nothing could have prepared Battaglia for the emo- tion she felt upon receiving the show’s coveted Golden Buzzer. “It was surreal. I didn’t think it would happen, and it was unexpected.”

Left mesmerized by Battaglia’s rendition of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow” prior to the live shows in June, AGT judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum were also moved when she publicly confessed to being bullied. This compelled Vergara to send a strong message to the audience “Let’s see who is going to bully you after this,” right before she “buzzed” Roberta through, catapulting her to the semifinals—and to stardom.

Italy’s most south-eastern region boasts 800 kilometres of coastline between two incredible seas—the Ionian and Adriatic—with steep cliffs overlooking golden beaches sloping into crystal-clear waters.

It is no wonder that sun, sand and sea are the words that typically come to mind when we think of a holiday in Puglia. Add four UNESCO sites, spectacular cavernous caves that inhabit both the coast and inland, where luxuriant nature continues to astonish with verdant forests, rolling hills intertwined with fertile valleys covered with olive trees, vineyards as well as ravines, and you have all the makings for a spectacular vacation. Remember those?

Come December, this stunning backdrop is only a prelude to a
truly exceptional sojourn in Puglia—an idyllic setting for a storybook Christmas embodying all the particularities of the region such as artisanship, pastry and tradition. Here are some of the must-see places (once the tan lines start to fade) where you can uncover the wonders
of Puglia. From Christmas markets to live Nativity scenes, the spirit of the season offers a next-level sensorial experience that will nourish your soul and delight your tastebuds.