tdk320n

I am planning tho visit Puglia May 2014. Probably spending 2 or 3 days in Naples .
I will be taking train from Naples to spend about 6 days in Puglia, I will only be using public transportation .Which are the 1 or 2 best cities to be based in to be able to experience as much as possible.
Thank you

bilboburgler

it is confused because there are two train companies in this part of Italy. Taranto should be logical one but it is probably Lecce.

The line from Potenza to Gravina is interesting if it is still running and has not been replaced by a bus, it is single narrow line and wanders through the fields.

kja

It depends on what you want to see an experience, but in general, I would think Lecce would be a reasonable base for at least part of your stay. There have been several good threads about visiting Puglia recently; if you haven't already seen them, I would encourage you to do so.

tdk320n

Thanks bilboburgler and kja for your input.

From the research that I have done it seems that Lecce would be a good choice because of easy public transportation to other towns.
I really just want to experience the ambience of a small town in Puglia, eat some fabulous southern Italian food and do some sightseeing. My family roots are from Calabria and I have made several trips to southern Italy but never to Puglia.

If there are areas that I can not reach by public transportation I may consider using a guide for the day to explore those towns.
Does any one have any suggestions for a good guide based in Lecce?

Are there any other suggestions for a second base if I decide to split my stay?
I will be flying in and out of Naples.

Thanks

gertie3751

Here is my reply to your other thread in case you didn't see it

gertie3751 on Aug 20, 13 at 3:24am
Tdk320n
If you fly into Brindisi there is an airport bus direct to Lecce. If you fly into Bari or Naples, use the FS regular Italian train service. There is a train about every hour. Re hotels, I can't remember where I stayed but it was very central, about 2 minutes from the main square, in a pedestrian area in the old town. Very convenient. I'm a budget traveller and I paid about 50 euros a night. About a 10 minute walk to the train station. If you look on Tripadvisor or Booking.com you will find a lot of suggestions. Lecce is small and easy to get about on foot. There is quite a lot to see in the town itself and plenty of restaurants and shops.

tdk320n

gertie3751
Thanks, I did read your reply and that was helpful in my choosing Lecce as a base.
Now I am looking for a possible 2nd city to base myself in and a guide .

gertie3751

I haven't been there but I think people recommend Matera. I found it too difficult to get to by public transport so it might be a good candidate for using a guide. The other place that springs to mind would be somewhere to the north like Trani.

kja

I thought Trani well worth visiting -- it has a gorgeous harbor and a very interesting cathedral. And Matera is fascinating, although its not actually in Puglia. It's connected by train to Bari and so should be easy to reach by public transportation.