Waiting for more!

Talk about leaving us hanging! I'm really looking forward to this!!

I'm really looking forward to reading each installment!

Me too, but please use paragraphs. Very hard to read solid blocks of print.

Bookmarking

I was cautious about writing too long a piece because yesterday when I was much further into Ascoli,my computer froze and i lost the entire piece.I wondered if Fodor limits the length of an entry,or if it was just a frustrating glitch.So..We drove into Centro Storico,filled to over-flowing. with people gathered for a provincial fair.Without a GPS we had no way to find our Albergo,and the streams of people in narrow lanes made driving unnerving.We managed to find a parking space and merged into the crowd moving towards p.del Popolo.Traveling without a cellphone,we could not phone the hotel for directions,and the people we approached were not able to help us.We wandered around looking for a police uniform,and then magically noticed a SMALL sign for Albergo Piceno,pointing us up an alley and eventually to a large doorway with the wonderous name of our destination.Albergo Piceno is a beautifully" re-habbed" palazzo,contemporary and still retaining lots of charm

Looking forward to reading about Puglia.

PLEASE use paragraphs! I really want to read your trip report, but run-on solid text is just to difficult to decipher for my aging eyes, as I suspect it may be for other Fodorites.

There is no limit to posts, particularly trip reports, on Fodor's that I know of.

See, that was a paragraph.

We were shown to a lovely room with huge bathroom with hydrospa,and a small private terrace.
after having retrieving our car and parking it near-by.It had been a long night/day of travel,and after long soaks in the tub and a nap we went downstairs and got a restaurant suggestion form Gabriele,the excellent manager,and took off for a brief tour of the old town and a most delicious dinner at a small restaurant serving locally sourced food and run by the owner chefICOLO TEATRO.En route to dinner we stopped at a cafe on the p.del Popolo,one of the most exquisite public gathering places imaginable.This entire huge square is paved with terrazzo marble,as are all the buildings lining the piazza,which is pleasantly filled with people strolling;visiting;sitting.It filled us with wonder,and during our stay we would return to it often,just to experience it's pleasant civility.My favorite time to be there was just after breakfast,when there would be the occasional cyclist gliding slowly across,often engaged in talking with a friend who was walking along side.Ascoli 's old town is a lovely,lively compact place very much peopled by the town at large.It is trying hard to be more of a player in the world of tourism while retaining its historic intergity.For the next 2 days,after a very generous breakfast and endless excellent cappucinos,we we went off on drives plotted for us by the charming desk clerk.One day we went North to the village of Offida,a 15c.gem way up high and overlooking af antastic patchwork of green.We arrive in time to pick up provisions for our lunch:exquisite proscuitto,carved of the leg for us;two kinds of pecorino;pears and grapes.We are given directions to the forno and arrive justin time to purchase the last panini.Then following Cristina's directions we walk to S. Maria del Rocca with its ancient vaulted interior.We have our lunch in the garden at the rear of the church,with exquisite views and only the sound sof birds .Offida is a beautiful place.We then set off for the coast Gottamura,on the coast,a "piu bella villagio>What we encounter is huge resort sprawl:concrete build everywhere.We try to find the old town,but after driving thru so much concrete we give up and drive a bit south to wards S.Benedetto .The building surge is so extensive that it continues and virtually links the two towns.We decide to explore one more inland town and head for another inland town,Aquaviva,another gem,and enroute we seee a sign for "Capecci ....vini del Colli Piceni" and we decide to stop.The young owner graciously offers us a glass of wine, a tour of his cellar ,another glass of his excellent wine and a plate of very young,exquisite pecorino from just up the road.All the concrete madness melts away,and after purchasing 2 bottles of wine we drive slowly back to Albergo Picino followed by an apperativo in the piazza and dinner at a pizzeria Gabriele recommendseopoldus.We order a grilled vegetable antipasto,a large pizza, some contorni and beer.This is a very popular place with the locals.
I need to add that an excellent gelateria would bar our way each night as we returned to the Albergo,and we had no choice but to enter,purchase a picolo and wend our way slowly through the piazza.For our last day in Ascoli,Caterina directed us into the Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini,where we climbed and climbed, stoppingLo at a number of small towns and villages along the switchbacks.Way up high we stopped in a bar for a drink and next door bought a large bag of locally picked/dried porcini;a jar of local truffles and "fetti" of some of the fantastic salami made by the owner,who insisted on giving me many samples. It was a gorgeous and exhausting ride.Dinner that night was La Locandiera where we were fortunate to be served the best ricotta I have ever eaten,along with other vegetable antipasti;broad strips of superb pasta heaped with cardoncelli mushrooms;roast lamb;rucola....huge portions of delicious,hearty food.The next morning,after a last stroll in the piazza,and a warm farewell from Gabriele,we departe Ascoli for Trani,and the start of our Puglia idyll.

Sorry for the typos. I do not know why some of the capitol letters were replaced with smiley faces: Picolo Teatro/Leopoldus.I will try to remember paragraphs.
Before I go any further,a think it would be helpful to list our full itinerary:
3 nights in Ascoli: Albergo Piceno
2 nights in Trani: Albergo Lucy
1 night in Matera: Hotel S. Domenica
4 nights near Ostuni: La Rascina
1 night near Otranto: La Tenuta de Gambero
3 nights in Lecce: Palazzo Persone

Eagerly awaiting your ongoing report!

Me, too! Great start!

I really want to read this, but could you please just hit "enter" or " return" every few sentences? Then you will have paragraphs. They don't have to be grammatically correct paragraphs, but it would make your report much easier reading for these old eyes. Many thanks, and keep reporting, it's really good information.

Great report! We are headed to Ascoli in October as this is my father's birthplace. I will use your report in my planning.

Actually, you make a new paragraph when you start talking about a new subject. Not trying to be preachy, but an example would be when you said, "It was a gorgeous and exhausting ride." The next sentence is, "Dinner that night --- "

New subject. New paragraph.

It mimics the way one talks. One talks about the ride. Then you pause. Then you talk about the dinner.

Carolina,
Really enjoying your report as we will be in Ascoli and Puglia in the fall.

Just a suggestion.
Before you submit your report, hit preview, and use that for a visual of where we, your readers, might appreciate a pause, or a new paragraph.

Looking forward to your further adventures....

Cant wait for more!! We are going to Le Marche and Puglia next month so I am hanging onto every word!!

ttt 4 later

read it.

great start; this is an area I am very interesting in planning a trip to [along with Sicily - how to decide????]

can i add my voice to the polite plea for paragraphs?

a line in between helps too!

I will attempt to curb my enthusiasm,and pay attention to paragraphs!!I need to get this all down in a short period of time since once we leave town for our summer place my computer assumes a Pugliese style and takes VERY lengthy rests!!

TRANI:It takes us 3 1/2 hours to drive from Ascoli to Trani via Autostrada to a connector road at Altamura.We approach Trani on roads lined with marble fabricators,huge stretches of them,with piles of marble slabs everywhere.We enter Trani's "new town" and thread our way thru to the "lungomare" and finally to p. Pleblecito and Albergo Lucy,which occupies 3 stories of a building on the square and facing the truly lovely public gardens.We Meet Luca, the manager,and are shown to our immaculate,simply furnished room with balcony on the third floor.It is Saturday in Trani,the"pearl of Puglia" and we join the streams of people strolling everywhere.We start with the 'lungomare",the broad street that skirts that gorgeous,brilliant blue sea. The fishing boats are all painted an even deeper blue ;the cafes are full;the streets are full,and everyone seems happy.Eventually we find our way to p.Duomo,an enormous white,open space leading to the tall,glistening cathedral with its backdrop of blue,blue sea.We join one of the many high-schools groups crowded around the ornate entry and listen to their teacher as he calls attention to the carvings illustrating the birth of Christ;the flora;the fauna,the richness of it all.We entered a stunningly plain interior,the result of restoration work which stripped away the Baroque embellishments of the 19C ......Lots to see and worth a leisurely visit.

Leaving the church,we set out to explore the really narrow streets of the old town,with some marvelous facades hinting at Trani's prosperous past,and found ourselves in front of DUE CORTI where we had hoped to have dinner that night.It was not to be,since it was closed to the public that night for a wedding party.The manager kindly suggested we try il Gallo on the Lungomare,for dinner.We walked by on our return to our albergo,but it was already shut.

As we were returning to our room for a rest we met the manager,Luca and asked if he knew anything about GPS complications.Within five minutes he had re-programed and re-loaded our GPS,which functioned perfectly for the remainder of our time in Puglia.Its name now, is Luca .

After a rest and time to look down from our balcony at the passing parade,at around 8:30 we joined the passagiatta [ ?] and to il Gallo for dinner.





Leaving the cool beauty of the church,we wended our way thru tiny streets and found ourselves near Due Corti

4carolina - love the paragraphs - thanks!

we need to hear about the dinner at Due Corti though.

Super! I'm still here (although I'd prefer to be in Trani!)

That linen of marble yards was fascinating. Pietra di Trani..I noticed it elsewhere in Italy after I drove that road.



http://www.pietraditrani.net/

Annhig,we were not able to dine at Due Corti.it was closed for a wedding party.
eks...The plethora of marble everywhere along that road was not artful.it seemed mostly abandoned.I thought about the cost of my neighbors gorgeous marble counters,and decided I would not tell her about that bit !!

We entered il Gallo about 8;30,passing 15 or so, empty outside tables,asked the manager for a table and were informed the were 'complete"...not a table to be had!!My husband indicated we had been sent over by Due Corte people,and we would not have another opportunity for an evening meal in Trani.Miraculously he relented and we were shown to a small side table inside the arched,white-washed dining-room with touches of chartreuse and beautifully appointed tables.Were it not for the gorgeous basket of tiny rolls flecked with pepper and lovely small taralli,we could have been in New York City or L.A.This was not 'cucina povera'!! Tall,slim stems filled with prosecco were placed in front of us along with a small sampling of crudite.Then a waiter served us a starter of carrot custard topped with tiny,fresh pink peppercorns...in a martini glass....Molto elegante and delicious.The menu featured various large platters of mixed "crudo"....selections of raw fish and shellfish as well as generous offerings of fresh fish,and I was eager to sample them,but we opted for a more traditional start for our first meal in Puglia,and ordered a primo of "gnoccitini"....capsule-sized,and topped with tiny mussels and octopus,also tiny.It was delicious.We followed with a grilled Dorata,which was superb and was served with some mixed vegetables.A crisp,white Puglia chardonnay was a perfect pairing for the food,which we enjoyed in our very private dining-room.When we left the restaurant,around 10;30,people were just beginning to be seated inside.The out-side tables were full.

We entered the streams of people on the street,many eating huge ice-creams cones...everybody happy....and it soon seemed as though the throngs of people had massed in the piazza of our albergo...but not really!!We retired to our room,closed the shutters to block out the sounds of laughter,shouting,loud-speakers blasting music,and then around mid-night ,fireworks.It did not quiet down until 2 A.M.We began to wonder if our "room with a view" was a good idea.We also needed a solid night's sleep to prepare us for the rigors of the next day....lunch at Massiera Barbera

Can't wait for Masseria Barbera!

I know what you mean about that line of marble yards...it was so unexpected to see them there, in such profusion, one after another. And now that you mention it, we did not see any activity when we were there, either, but our visit was on a Monday.

Take a look at the website for Il Gallo restaurant (note music):

http://www.ristorantegallotrani.it/

Am loving your report. We are planning a trip to Puglia, though not until fall of 2013, but still!

ek...Thanks for the lead to il Gallo.Ironically,the background music playing is the "first song " my husband and I danced to at our wedding....long ago !!
I seem to have a disturbing Mac/Fodor glitch.For the second time,I have lost a lengthy piece i have written.My computer freezes, all attempts to proceed fail,and for the second time I lost what I had spent a long time composing.It is LOST.I will get an appointment at the Apple store and see if they can help.in the meanwhile I will try to reconstruct what i had just written,but in shorter sequences.UGGH !!! If anyone has any suggestions...

We awake to a silent Sunday morning Trani,after a night of talk,laughter,loud-speakers blasting music,fireworks at midnight,and finally quiet at 2 A.M.After cappucino "con doppio"....a double shot of espresso cappucino,we set off for Bisceglie,just down the coast,and what a beautiful place it is with acres of gleaming white marble slabs against the bright blue Adriatic.As we stroll,with just a very few people on the Lungomare,we first notice two or three divers,withe masks and spears swimming, and then a line of colorful umbrellas with tables piled high with........??
As we approach we realize they are selling Ricchi...sea urchins,as well as heaps of sea barnacles,and out in the water were the guys spearing them.As we walked cars would drive up,and sacks of urchins would be carried away for Sunday dinner.Repeatedly we were offered samples,but because I have a violent reaction to clams,and we feared a possible allergic reaction,we declined,and continued our walk in lovely Bisceglie.

It was a perfect morning,the only kind we had during our entire stay in Puglia,as we set forth for Minervino Murge on the SP230,with Luca confidently guiding us through miles of wheat fields,acres of poppies...and olive trees.We drove through the Parco Nazionale dell"Alta Murgia,and the "Strada del Olio" to the edge of Minervino with numerous steel tanks....filled with olive oil.Driving up and into the town,we parked and walked up the stairs to the church at the top of the hill for a view down the main street.From inside the church came the sweet sounds of violin and piano and the voices of people singing.WOW !!

We walked down the long street lined...and I mean lined....with groups of men;men sitting or standing in groups,talking...with not a single woman in sight.As we started back up the hill again,past all the men.....women and children were pouring out of the church.Minervino is a lovely town,but it was almost 1 P.M.,and time to drive up the long,cyprus lined drive to Massiera Barbera.

carolina, weird glitch. I have a mac and when I used to use firefox it would often freeze. Since changing to chrome, no problems.

We arrive 15 minutes early at Masseria Barbara,with just a few cars in the lot,and stroll through the lovely grounds,Only a few GROUPS of people are milling around,and we are not sure of where the entry is.We sit on a stone wall under a glorious flowering tree and soak in the loveliness of the day and the place.Eventually a young man approaches us and asks if we have a reservation.We tell him we had booked months ago,he thanks us and leaves.A few minutes later we notice people drifting towards a door,and we join them.The young man who had spoken to us earlier guides us to a table for 2 in an entryway....a space isolated from all the other guests.We explain that we would so much like to be in the midst of things,he smiles and takes us inside to one of the large dining-rooms where huge potted plants are moved,a table is carried in from another room,and we are settled into a spot where we can truly be a part of Sunday at Masseria Barbera.the kind young man who moved the furniture to make a place for us told us that groups of people make reservations a year or more in advance,and it is unusual to have just 2 guests to a table.He asked where we were from,and is delighted to learn we live in the same town as President Obama.

Within moments,the room begins to fill with families,strollers and kids,all assembled at long tables,all talking,hugging,talking and talking!!They glance at us momentarily .....The strange sight of just 2 people sitting down for dinner...solo due!!!!!Then the parade of food begins with the antipasti.This is our introduction to antipasti Puglia style,and we are so delighted to finally have the EXPERIENCE.As each plate is put before us,the waiter tells us what we are about to eat:Fresh ricotta with "vino cotto" served in its own little pitcher;triangles of pecorino,some fresh;some aged;focaccia grano arso.....a gorgeous,amazing parade that goes on for 15 or more dishes,energetically described in her trip report by EKS.We are delighted,ecstatic and by the time the Antipasti della Masseria is over we are satiated;we are full,and yet the meal has hardly begun.AND....oh that bread basket !!!We drink some of the excellent wine produced at the massiera,watch the going back and forth of our neighbors at the large tables,and are stunned when TWO pasta dishes are put before us:trofie al pesto AND Troccoli alla campagnola con formaggio dei poveri.We hear the people at the next table laughing about this.Formaggio dei poveri are breadcrumbs,for a people so poor they could not afford cheese for their pasta.We appreciate the nostalgic pull these foods have for the family groups assembled around these tables.

Before the meat course is served,we notice the room has almost emptied,and wonder if it the custom for people to go outside for a break between.The waiters carry on,setting huge platters of Arrosto Misto on tables largely deserted.We feel too full to eat another bite,and can only nibble at some of the lamb chops;lamb ribs;sausages;tiny potatoes roasted in olive oil.By this time the diners are back at their tables,refreshed and hungry.It is now about 2 1/2 hours since we took our first bite of a taralli We are stuffed,and sadly cannot even consider the fruit and "Dolcetti Tipici" still to come.We offer profound thanks to our waiter,and leave.We feel uncomfortable with our departure,and realize we should have done what the locals did.....take a walk,mid-stream,but we could not face another bite.We left the very beautiful,never-to-be-forgotten Masseria Barbera,changed our shoes and went for VERY long walk.
"

Thanks,Jubilada.I don't know what i have and will ask the Apple guys.Until then,I write with fear and trembling.I have lost so much,and have had to write once again,re-constructingwhat I had already written...and I am running out of time.UGH

Carolina your recounting brought back such lovely memories!

I'm in no place to give computer advice, and I'm probably just stating the obvious here, but I'll just ask this: Would it be possible for you to write out your sections of report on Word, or Mac Pages, or some other application and then just cut and paste that to the Fodor's site? I used to try and write directly onto Fodors but I had so many problems with editing and sections vanishing that I now write in one place and just transfer. To lost a long section of text that you've labored at for so long is just so frustrating!

Sorry about your computer issues -- that is so frustrating. I 2nd eks about writing it in Word or whatever and cutting and pasting into Fodors.
Your TR is great--other than its making me very hungry. Do you, or eks, happen to recall the hours on a Sunday for Masseria Barbera. Did u call for a reservation? I hope we can fit it in.

Thanks for persevering despite the Mac troubles!

I had asked my hotel to book Masseria Barbera, and I did this about a week or two in advance.
I don't know when they open for Sunday lunch (maybe 12:30??) but I do know that I tried to move our booking to 2:30pm since this was the day of arrival for us, and they told us that that was too late.

Does anyone know if Masseria Barbara now indeed has rooms as eks thought they would in her trip report?
I cannot see any on the website?

Jubilada,Massiera Barbera DOES NOT have rooms,I asked.Also,I phoned for a reservation,about 6 weeks in advance.it is a one seating resto. and the dining-rooms were full by 1:30. We were the first to "roll out" 2 1/2 to 3 hours later !!!

I'm enjoying your report too. Thanks for taking the time to share.

I always type everything by opening an email page first and write it out there, then transfer it to a website by copying and pasting. I remember typing out a wonderful recommendation to a store only to hit submit and have it disappear by telling me the website timed out. Very frustrating. Typing first on email pages then transferring has never let me down!

Thanks, 4carolina, for the info on the seatings at Masseria Barbera. Do they speak any English? I noticed on TA someone is responding to the TA reviews in English.

As I remember, there is very little, if any, English spoken by the staff but the charming owner, Dr. Barbera, does speak English.

The Sunday evening Trani “passeggiata” was even more extraordinary !! I found a delightful definition: La Passeggiata,the art of taking a walk in the evening,is an italian social ritual everyone can participate in”......and we did!! We strolled the Lungomare,smiling at all the kids;checking out the heel-heights on women’s shoes....some looked at least 6”...and stopped to listen to a rock band on a make-shift stage.So many people and not a single altercation.Imagine that in the U.S !!!

Monday morning we left Trani,our first stop in Puglia set Luca,our born-again GPS on the dash-board of the car and had Luca guide us out of Trani and on to the road through the verdant,agticultural southern Murge to Matera...and Hotel S Domenica,one block off P.Veneto.My husband was not interested in “staying in a cave”,and we were concerned about parking,so we settled for this hotel,so well situated and so inexpensive I feared it would be unpleasant.What a huge surprise !! We drove directly into the underground garage,checked in and took the elevator up to a third floor room:immaculate;spacious; excellent roomy bathroom and great bed !!

It was only 11 A.M. and we were free to explore P. Veneto and then descend into the Sassi,stopping first at an over-look in the piazza.initially,it is difficult for me to comprehend what was before me.As much as I had read,the reality,initially, is so puzzling.We descended the steps and began to explore.We went up and down and around,marvelling at it all,eager to re-trace our steps with our guide Nadia, at 2 P.M.Hungry andtired we returned to the square in the “new town”,to “Pane e Pane” where we purchased a huge slab of fantastic pizza....thick crust made with semolina flour and topped with proscuitto,artichokes,cardoncelli mushrooms and fresh mozzarella.Along with cold bottles of lemon soda we had a fantastic lunch sharing a bench with pizza-munching Dutch tourists.

Just before 2 P.M. we returned to our hotel to meet:

........... nadiagarlatti@tiscali.it 01133 835 333 214

Who ever the Fodorite was,who discovered Nadia and then provided her contact information........Thank you !!! Nadia provided so much more than history and dates.She was born in the upper town and never knew the Sassi existed until she was a teen-ager.For over 3 hours,our hottest day,we explored the street;the homes;the churches and the remnant frescos.All the while,Nadia talked about the Sassi clans;the separation between the two Sassis.......stories defies comprehension.When we finally retreated to a bar for “espresso freddo” we felt so gifted by all Nadia had shared with us.Before we parted,she directed us to a restaurant off the piazza,instructing us to order THE specialty of Matera,CIALLED .

Marking!

ditto me. trying to decide between visiting Sicily next spring, or Puglia. [or Umbria and le marche].

every time i read a TR like this one, it pulls me one way, then i read another, and it sways me back again.

help!

4carolina-- loving this trip report... and will post mine in the next week. i read your report of masseria barbara and it was so exactly like our experience-- only you said it so much more beautifully than i ever could!!

That evening we set off to find the restaurant Nadia suggested.We entered the narrow street off the piazza and walked down a steep staircase to the outdoor portion of restaurant ,IL Terrazzino Sui Sasse,and made a beeline for the last empty table on the terrace,overlooking the lighted Sassi .The view was exquisite.As I glanced across the room,trying to check out what people were eating,I noticed two dishes appearing over and over.The first was a brown crock ,from which diners were spooning what had to be la Cialled,the Panzanella like bread soup of Matera....prepared with varieties of beans;vegetables and a hunk of stale bread topped with a poached egg soaking up the lovely broth.: as Nadia explained,it was a way to make something from nothing!!!The most dramatic sight was the large platters heaped with Peperoni Secchi Cruschi....about 5 “ long and glowing red!!!! We ordered an antipasto di Ortagg...a wonderful assortment of roasted vegetables, enough for four people;Cialled;Cavatelli;contorno of steamed escarole dressed with olive oil and the peperoni,and vino locale in carafe.The bread was exquisite.Each dish was very simply prepared,made with excellent ingredients.The peperoni had been “sotto olio”,and was just a tad leathery and very mild.As we ate we were gifted with the glowing Sassi just below us.It was a beautiful night,and we joined the passiaggatta.

Next morning we went downstairs to the terrace of the hotel,expecting cornetti and espresso.....and,instead,were welcomed by a very long table heaped with breads,cornetti,cheese,salumi,fresh fruit,yogurt,and at least 3 fruit tarts...and much more!!!Matera was quiet and exquisite as we set off to wander through the upper town.Everything was shuttered.it was 1 May.

Around 11A.M. we set off to Ostuni with stops in Alberobello and Locorotundo.We had a fantastic time during our 1 1/2 days in Matera.We had learned so much about a people and a culture utterly baffling;an upper town that was so close and yet so apart from the Sassi below and we had walked the streets with an intelligent,fascinating local.

4carolina be sure to read Carlo Levi's book, Christ Stopped at Eboli . It will give you an amazing insight into the culture of the South, and add even more meaning to your visit to the hauntingly beautiful city of Matera.

So you fell under the spell of Matera, too!

So glad you enjoyed your time with Nadia. She is a delight.

If you are still in the area, you might want to see if you can find some of those dried red peppers to take home; they keep for months and months and are the basis for a wonderful pasta dish.
Ask for Peperoni Cruschi.

Isn't that bread divine!?

Loving this report! Once again u r making me very hungry.

ttt

Continuing this trip report is an act of true devotion.I am no longer at our city home and my brain has switched gears....but I will persevere.The trip from Matersa to Ostuni via Alberobello and Locorotondo was a lovely one thru endless olive groves carpeted with poppies;miles of grape vines and fields of greens.Our time in Alberobello was brief.it was 1 May and the town was packed with people.Locorotondo was deserted.!!!! t is a beautiful,gleaming white town and after a walk and a search,unsuccessful,for a place to eat,we settled for the ONLY open bar.Fortified,we drove on towards Ostuni,passing farms with clusters of Trulli very much in use by the locals and encorporated into more traditionally designed dwellings.

Our destination outside Ostuni in the village of Rosa Marina,was La Rascina, a totally wonderful place.Knowing we would be a bit travel weary by this point,I had strategically planned 4 nights in a place I hoped would be lovely,restful and well placed for touring.Our choice was all that and so much more.La Rascina is a 20th century inn surrounded by ancient olive trees,some 1,500 years old.The 10 apartmenti are situated around a pool.Our rooms consisted of an outdoor living-room;an indoor one;a fully equipped little kitchen, bedroom and bath.Furnishings were chic,contemporary and totally comfortable.The main house was elegantly furnished and surrounded by gorgeous shaded terraces,including one where breakfast was served.We swooned when we arrived....!!

Carolina I understand how difficult it is to continue the saga once you've reached home, but I just want to let you know that I'm sure I speak for many when I say that this is really appreciated. I've wondered about La Rascina, as it looks lovely online, and it is good to read the confirmation of this from you. I'm hanging on every word, so please continue!!

So appreciate your continuing & hope u will complete the TR. Have been considering staying at La Rascina for our trip this fall so really appreciate your description.

The owners of La Rascina are wonderfully friendly,welcoming,informative and urbane....They really are !!!Our first evening,hoping for a restaurant near-by,we asked them for a suggestion and were rewarded with directions to Maurizio’s pizzeria....not only for superb pizza,but for CRUDO...a vast selection of raw fish and shellfish.Less than a 10 minute drive was this large,popular,very simple place with a vast menu.I focused on the crudo and had huge,brilliant red shrimp from Gallipoli;tuna carpaccio,swordfish carpaccio;tiny mussels... and then pasta gamberoni e zucchini.Everything was exquisitely fresh and delicious,and I was hooked on crudo !!

Breakfast,next morning,was served at a long table on the terrace.A huge bowl of fresh fruit....apricots,strawberries,nespole,blood oranges,baskets of panini and chunks of pane d’Altamura and as much espresso as we could drink.We met a couple from Germany and another from France who were as pleased with La Rascina as we were.

After breakfast we headed up the coast to Torre Cane,pulling off the road whenever we needed to pause and soak in the exquisite views.The white “tufa” at our feet was scattered with sea urchin shells.We had the entire coast just for us.Fantastico !!!Late April is not tourist season.The fish shacks were closed and we encountered very few tourists.We had the most perfect weather and all this ‘gorgeousness’ to ourselves!!! As we continued our drive towards Monopoli we stopped often to take photos of enormous,ancient olive trees.....many 1,500 years old.This area will soon be declared a World Heritage Site.These trees are honored,like totems and are a most extraordinary site.This was a magical morning;just us,the sea and the trees.

We got to Monopoli at noon.The harbor with its bright blue fishing boats is a lovely place.We wandered around this really nice old town and then drove on to Polignano,another white town,but very different.The buildings are almost Bauhaus style,with their cube-like architecture.Leoni had given us a restaurant suggestion for lunch,but my husband,who rarely eats a restaurant lunch,wasn’t interested.We had purchased some apricots and ate them while sitting on a stone wall and looking out to sea and past these white houses on the cliffs.Before we left Polignano I insisted in stopping at the famous gelateria ....for a double scoop of nocciola and cafe.

WOW! What a marvelous day! Now you must give us the details of where to find Maurizio's pizzeria with the crudi selection. From what you write, it sounds as if it is south of Torre Canne (??)

carolina - i had a look at la rascina website, but didn't really get much an idea of prices. Care to tell us how much you paid? do they serve any meals besides breakfast?

Annhig, I was looking at the site too. Fairly sure no restaurant ( too bad, for our first few days we want an onsite resto), but lovely looking.

What a perfect day 4carolina.
Is it La Taverna da Mauritzio in Ostuni which you describe?

Sounds like a beautiful day!

@annhig -- the price that I was quoted for a B&B room @ LaRascina in September is 120€.

thanks, yestravel. looks quite good for that, though I try to keep our accommodations under £100 per night. [though, suppose with the drop in the €, €120 is about right].

jubilada - I agree. if not an on-site restaurant, the least I want is to be be able to walk to and from a restaurant.

it's not that we drink a lot but we like to be able to share a bottle of wine without worrying about which of us is going to drive home.

I'm wondering how the B&B rooms compare to the apt/suites which sound like what 4carolina may have had.

annhig, in that area we are interested in Masseria Rienza which we found in the slow food guide.
It seems lovely, with a great restaurant and quite reasonable.

grazie, jubilada.

i found it.

just a word of warning - I think that the prices given are per person, not per room.

i didn't find any prices or hours for the restaurant, not even on the italian site where you often get more info.

yes, the prices are usually per person it seems. Thanks. Restaurant open on demand was all I could find. I think that in the Slow Food book it says meals are 20e.

J: The English-language SlowFood guide, published about 5 years ago, says that the meals cost 20 euro for guests and 30 euro for non-guests. I could not find the Masseria in the latest (2012) Italian language edition of the guide.

eks - could u pls do me a favor and c if Masseria Serra dell'Isola is in the latest SlowFood Guide? I'd really appreciate it as its a place we're considering.

A couple of you responded to a significant down-side of La Rascina.....NO restaurants close by.Ostuni is a hike...and we never did drive in at night.One night we got lost and never did find the restaurant Paolo recommended "close by".Fortunately,we had stopped at a great little market in Rosa Marina that afternoon,for water and fruit and could not resist the selection of cheeses and salumi,and so we had an excellent picnic supper when we finally found our way back.We ended up eating at Maurizio's 2 nights because it was too much of a hassle to go elsewhere.My husband who truly has "an inner GPS" discovered it no longer functions at night.

"LA TAVERNA da Maurizio":www.latavernadamaurizio.it is in Rosa Marina,which is a tiny beach with nothing else there but the super mercado and Maurizio !!!

We stayed in a suite.....which they 'up-graded' at no additional cost,and they are lovely.I suggest you review the web-site which has lots of photos,or email Paolo and Leoni.They speak perfect English having lived in Australia for years and they respond promptly.We very much enjoyed our stay with them,but had I realized how far from Ostuni we would be.......

Crudo is on the menu at many restaurants near the coast.In Trani the two best restaurants,Due Corti and il Gallo had huge Crudo listings.Later on in this report I will describe further Crudo adventures.

thanks, caroline.

i can see that this is another area that I am going to have to add to my ever growing list of places in Italy I MUST visit.

Our last day of touring from Ostuni,weset out for Ceglie Messapica,mid-way between Ostuni and Martina...and what a find it is;a lovely,cared for and unspoiled by concrete urban sprawl.we followed the winding medieval streets leading up to the Palazzo Ducale,with its pink and green tiled roof.As we approached we heard a lovely soprano voice with piano accompaniment,filling the courtyard.We climbed the steps of the palazzo,enchanted by the place and the music.A man standing at the top of the stairs informed us that the palazzo housed a music conservatory Spring and Fall,and that although the Palazzo was private property,he,as a member of the music faculty could invite us into the large performance space.....and a view of the exquisite private gardens.It was one of those very special moments lucky tourists have sometimes.We chatted,as best we could,in our fractured Italian,and he rewarded us with a suggestion for lunch.....TAVERNA DEI DOMENICANI..... and that is where we had a most fantastic Antipasto,our most favorite of our entire time in Puglia.

Our entire morning in Ceglie was a series of wonderful surprises.We took a series of small roads back to La Rascina,stopping at the wonderful market in Rosa Marina for bags of their taralli,a bottle of wine and the makings for a modest picnic supper which we would have very late in the evening after we had recovered from lunch.

The next morning,after breakfast,photos and farewells we set off for Otranto on the Autostrada,and then the coastal road......Gorgeous and beyond gorgeous:turquoise sea;brilliant blue sky;wild flowers everywhere....fields of yellow,blue and red .....the poppies!!

We had decided to leave La Rascina one day early,and spend a night near Otranto.We did this impulsively,and chose a small ‘tenuta’ outside Otranto for the night.We deposited our bags,and went into explore the lovely town.It was Saturday,and the beach was FULL of young people.....hundreds of them sunning and checking each other out.

We strolled the lungomare,watching the scene and looking for a place for lunch,and settle on a place filled with peopleROFUMO di MARE......again a “pizzeria”!!We watched as plate after gorgeous plate of pastas and seafood went by and settled on a huge pot of mussels cooked in a piquant tomato sauce;swordfish carpaccio;pasta with an amazing assortment of shellfish [enough for a large family] and escarole with hot pepper and lots of great olive oil.AND the bread...It was brown bread.The waiter said it was made in house,with ORZO..barley.It was amazing.

We walked around Otranto:the castle;drawbridge;pleasant streets and so many people out enjoying the glorious day,and then returned to our Tenuta for a read and a nap.

Next day,we drive south along the coast for even more eye-popping views.There is no development here.It is magnificent:roads cut thru tufa reveal one astounding vista after another.We stop in Porto Badisco.It is difficult to describe the beauty of this place......little inlets of azure water against WHITE rocks.People climbing to claim their private perches;kids in the water;quiet;beautiful.

ttt

Yestravel: Not in the 2012 book. But I wouldn't let that stop you since reviews seem to be good.

Carolina: Porto Badisco: It comes to me in my dreams!

The Tenuta near Otranto..Tenuta Belvedere?

Please continue.....we are all traveling along wishing we were there right now..

ttt

@eks -- thanks for checking.

Yes, pls do continue. I love getting my daily doses of Puglia

Carolina,where to next? I'm trying to anticipate your next adventure......

I have so enjoyed re-living/sharing our time in Puglia with receptive "Fodoristas" and now demands on my time dictate I must transition to a brief summary of the remainder of our trip. SO....Porto Badisco: If you go therebe sure to have lunch at the little bar/restaurant right there!!! We had "Puntilli"....octopus the size of a finger nail and tiny sardines.Wonderful !!

Then off to Lecce and PALAZZO PERSONE for three nights........a most wonderful place to stay in Lecce.Not only are the rooms unusual and architecturally wonderful,the management is helpful and the location is great.Check out their web-site...and the S.Croce suite !!!

Lecce's Baroque architecture is overwhelming,to say the least,but there are also surprising remains left by the Roams and Venetians,and historical background reading enhances the experience.
Our dinners in Lecce were at DUE CORTE and LE ZIE;the former excellent the latter,because we would have felt we had missed something if we had skipped it.

Our last day in Puglia we drive to Galatina for the extraordinary frescoes in S.Caterina....really fantastic,and then on to Gallipoli and a long walk on the Lungomare followed by a lunch feasting on the bright red Gamberi that exist only there...at restaurant under the bridge.

Next morning we drove to Brindisi and flew to Rome and then home.It was a remarkable two weeks,and we are still tasting Puglia in the coffee from Avia we drink each morning!! I would be happy to share additional information/impressions when I check back,but I must end my report here.It was great fun,sharing with the "Fodoristas"!!!!

thanks so much. really enjoyed reading this.

Appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences. Will certainly use it during our trip to Puglia in September.

4carolina, thanks again for taking the time to write this.

I have a question about the drive south from Lecce: if we only have time to do the coastal drive from Lecce to Otranto, OR, from Otranto south to (as far as we get) maybe Tricase, which part is more spectacular? I'm thinking it's south of Otranto.
Another question about Palazzo Persone: it sounds wonderful, but some people have said there is street noise. I have reservations at Risorgamento hotel, because I like the rooftop patio idea but am thinking of changing to PP. Did you find it noisy?

Thanks in advance.

I'm not Carolina, but I do agree that the most spectacular coastal drive in that area is the drive from Otranto south to Leuca.

The Risorgamiento is a good hotel with minimalist design and very little, if any, sense of place. It could be anywhere. I would check with the hotel to make sure that the rooftop patio will be open during your stay.

Sounded like a wonderful trip. Thanks for doing a TR!

Thanks ekscrunchy.

Sun......The drive south from Otranto is spectacular.We went only as far as Porto Badisco,before heading IN-LAND to Lecce.The rooms at Palazzo Persone are either on the piazza,or just off it,and one can hear noisy passers-by.Italians on holiday stay up late !!