BARI...four nights including day of arrival--too much? Three nights..inland Salento?
 

Once again I would like to thank Susan P for her most helpful information about her stay in Bari not long ago.

I am planning a return to Puglia next May; we were in the northern area, including the Gargano, last year, but I have not been anywhere south in about 12 years or so. I have flown into Bari a few times but never stayed in the city.

This May I am planning a stay of several days in a hotel near Fasano and, another, close to Otranto. (either or both can be changed)

But we will surely fly into Bari, a city I would like to explore. I found a great looking (and surprisingly expensive) hotel in Bari with the perhaps unfortunate name of BRA HOTEL.

SO: We will fly in from JFK with one connection, probably in FCO but who knows.

So arrival in Bari on Day #1.
Most of day will be at rest with dinner out.

Second day
Third day
Fourth day

???

I may be allowing too much time for the Bari stay....thisi would be three full days, albeit for two people who take it VERY slow, and one person who will likely be on her own for much of the time outside hotel.

All of you, especially Susan P: Three of four nights in Bari??

We would not likely take any day trips unless to places very close the we might get to by taxi. We have been to Puglia numerous times and have been to Alberobello, Locoratondo, Ostuni, and the like. I ADORE Matera and might include a day trip there, OR to Altamura, where I have been only to the outskirts on a fruitless search for a particular bakery; we were flummoxed by the traffic and lack of parking so ended up just driving through on a main road, but perhaps a day trip to Altamura, from Bari???

The big question is: Are four nights too long?
Mind you, there is nothing I like more than to just wander around walking (but NOT if temperature is much over 72F) and talking with anyone who seems to have the most minimal interest in anything an American tourist might say, in very broken Italian.

I must try that spicy spaghetti alle assassins--surely I have the name wrong but I will figure it our and you all know what I mean....

I also like to look around food markets and am not indisposed to just peek into shops for women's clothing.....anyplace that lets me chat with local people. (I had a wonderful time in Catania last month doing just that...I could pass hours and hours just roaming around, etc....but NOT if it is very hot and I know that weather is a fickle thing.....in any case, the hotel looks nice enough that if it is too hot, we can hang around there and make forays into the city.......)

After the 3 or 4 nights in Bari, we will rent a car (probably at the airport as that must be the easiest place to exit from although I do remember trying to go south from there and ending up about an hour's drive en route to Foggia, instead.......those were the days before I had anything like GPS and was relying on paper maps..it must have been a big annoyance since I still remember this, about 15 our more years later!).

From there, south to Savelletri di Fasano, where we have been a few times....

We are so much older now (or one of us is, as my ageing process has halted) that we just want to relax, eat well, roam around some interesting towns....it's really a relax vacation with a lot off attention to eating. This time I MUST make to Ceglie to which I have never been.

I will have three nights between the hotel in Fasano and the one near Otranto.....would welcome any ideas.....not Lecce, but maybe some inland town int he Salento?? I remember that Specchia and Ruffano were beautiful ( we only drove through and I was transfixed) and I always wanted to go back there...but stay where??
Also Taviano, and Galatina......as this point I have three open days between the hotels near Fasano and the one near Otranto....but this post is mostly about Bari..so I can confirm the number of nights there at the start of the trip.

We will take the car in Bari and probably return it in Brindisi if I can get a good flight back to JFKk from there......

So: 1. How many nights in Bari?

2. Where to stay for 3 nights inland Salento, or even as far west as Nardo/Galatina, Taviano, even the southern tip.....etc. Not Gallipoli, however....been there and have no desire to return....

No experience with Bari beyond flying into it and then heading directly to Polignano, but I did try the Assassin’s Pasta while I was in Matera and was not a fan. It wasn’t particularly spicy and the crunchy texture was off putting to me. I wonder if anyone else might have other opinions to share?

Interesting. Would you mind sharing where you ate this dish in Matera?

I'm surprised that it's even offered in Matera but I suppose it's become very famous due to the USA tv food programs (did I see it on the CNN Stanley Tucci show??) and I think the NYTIMEs ran a story about this dish as well, but I could be wrong there...

I hope you loved Matera; its among my favorite cities in Italy and I was happy that it did not seem to have suffered a huge influx of tourists since our last stay, which I think was about 2004 or so....
You know what I remember about that stay? We arrived just after the news had spread that Osama bin Laden had been captured. And everyone in Matera, once they learned we were Americans, were giving us the thumbs up and shouting how much they loved Obama! So I guess that should let me know exactly when I was in the city the first time!!

Thanks very much for your post.

Consider spending some time in Trani. It's waterfront cathedral is quite impressive, IMO.

Thanks, KJA...I've spent some time in Trani on earlier visits (not stayed there, though) and agree that the cathedral is stellar. That might be a good side trip from Bari on this trip..thanks for the reminder....it would also be great to spend a night or two there but I've already sorted out the plan, more or less, for this time....

You've been to Polignano a Mare?

ek, I spent three nights in Bari, but it was my last stop in Puglia before going to Rome. I generally like to have four nights in my first stop because, as I get older, jet lag seems to affect me more, so I know I won't get much done on the first day. You say you move slowly, but it would be difficult to imagine that you move more slowly than I do! :)

Whether or not I like a place has a lot to do with the vibe I get. Bari wasn't my favorite place as far as that goes at first, seemed like any city, but it was different just a couple of blocks away on the Adriatic. On the other hand, there didn't seem to be cafes or anything like that along the water to sit and have something to eat or drink while just enjoying the view (like there was in Brindisi, where I flew into out of Newark, which I actually liked better). In the Old Town, just a couple of blocks to the north, there was a much different vibe. Even as slowly as I move, I did the Old Town in one day. The main things are Basilica of St. Nicolas and Bari Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Sabino), both worth seeing. I'll note that in both churches, I didn't go down into the crypt (something I doubt your partner would want to do due to the stairs). I also didn't actually go inside the castle. And if you want to see the ladies making their orecchiette in the street leading to the castle entrance, do it earlier in the day. By the time I got there, it was after 4:00 pm, and they weren't there. I didn't see much in the way of markets except a very small one in between the two churches, nothing you would go out of the way for.

As far as food, I wasn't seeking out places that might be on your list, because, although a few splurges are definitely in order, the high-end places are not generally in my budget. Nice meals are important to me, though, and I look for places with good local food. I had great meals at Piccini 28 and Argiro 52 (I can still taste the Cacciocavalla al forno con pomodorni, origano, sale & olio evo :p). On the other hand, I went to Al Sorso Preferito, which is supposed to have the best Spaghetti all'assassina (confirmed by the host at my B&B), and was seriously underwhelmed. Maybe you feel you have to try it, but I agree that it was less spicy than anticipated and VERY dry. Not really good at all.

So, as to three or four nights - since it's your first stop, maybe four, otherwise I would say three. It's for you to decide!

Meant to add, I laughed out loud when you said your ageing process has halted! Please let me know how you managed that! :):)

I absolutely LOVED Matera! I’ve never seen anything else like it and was constantly picking my jaw up as we walked around.
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How can one not be awed?
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We had dinner here both nights we were in Matera and found the food, beyond the assassin’s pasta quite good.

I suspect your memories of Bin Laden being linked to your time in Matera will be replicated on a smaller scale with the connection between our time in Italy this summer when Kamala Harris became the presumed Democratic candidate after weeks of Italians asking us “wtf is going on in your country?” and “is old man Biden the best you can do?”

You guys are great!

KJA--Yes, been to Polignano a couple of times, but never actually went to that beach that is on every ad for Puglia. No...we had to go to Polignano mainly (please do not laugh) to see the statue of Domenico Mondugno. Had to see it on two different trips to Puglia. I,, of course, had never heard of Polignano's most famous home-town hero but my partner set me straight on that. That town is a jewel......the entire place..along the sea, and in the old area. I suppose we could go again to walk around and see DM again!! By the way, the people of Polignano because angry that once he got famous, he never returned to the town, not helped in any way with his newfound wealth and fame. All that is local gossip gleaned from about three people so who knows if it's true.

Those photos of Matera, NYLIlly, are glorious. I cannot get enough of that town. I also like very much the upper part, above the sassi, where the market is....
I keep repeating this here but if anyone is heading that way, see if you can fit in an overnight in Tursi, which is an easy drive and a fascinating place that I think will find its way onto the tourist map someday.....for the food alone: Wow!

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Devoted American fan paying homage to Sr. Mondugno, of Polignano a Mare..note the joy on the onlooker's face!
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Mondugno plaque next to statue in Polignano, Puglia
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Polignano, 2011--about ten sunbathers on that gorgeous beach, in September. I would give anything to be able to swim there!!!


SusanP: I read your report several times and I love your travel style. I was so surprised at how you loved Brindisi because, although I had flown in and out of there a few times, I never thought for a second about staying in the city. I don't know where I got the image of a scruffy town filled with scruffy ferry-goers. Pretty silly.... I am sure you are right about three days being better for Bari, but also yes, the first day will be a wash...we will rest and go out for dinner. But that still leaves three full days...... I was planning to rent a car upon exiting Bari (next stop is a hotel we've been several times before, outside Savelletri). The older I get, the longer I want to stay in a place....meaning even two nights is too rushed. BUT, we could stop for one overnight between Bari and Savelletri..I have to look at the map. Ceglie is a great food town, or so I've read--maybe find a hotel IN that town. Again, need to look at a map....

I also have three nights free between Savelletri and a place near Otranto.....I found this, which looks lovely; it's on the western side which we don't know as well. BTW: If anyone is heading to Puglia, I loved the small coastal town of Santa Maria al Bagno; these were taken LONG ago in that town, where we had a wonderful lunch, coming from Bernalda (Basilicata) and heading further south:

I can't get them all to post here.....anyway, it's a beautiful little town with a glorious small beach right in the center of town...
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Santa Maria al Bagno, Salento



Just to keep things together, this is a hotel I am looking at for the few nights between Savelletri and the Otranto area, outside Alliste. This is an area of Salento that I don't see many travelers on this site get to......true, it's not got the fame of Alberobello, Lecce, even Gallipoli (I did not love the latter town), but some of these small towns in the Salento are really interesting, as long as you keep in mind the there is nothing to do when they close up tight for that long lunch break. I think I mentioned driving through Specchia and Ruffano--those looked like glorious options if one could find a nice place to stay. With the way Puglia has exploded in popularity in the past decade, there are probably many options throughout the region......

Anyway, this is the hotel near Alliste:

GIARDINO DEI PINI
it's resort-ey but should be a great base to drive around, and also to relax. (As if the entire trip were not about eating and relaxing!)

I'd love to hear from anyone who has spent some time, or knows, the towns near the tip of Salento, especially inland and on the Ionian coast...we did stay near Ugento once and that area has lots to offer...

This is an interesting website:


https://italysegreta.com/5-beaches-t...ide-of-puglia/

Glad you enjoyed my report (which I still haven't finished, have to do the last part about Rome - maybe I should do that now!). Yes, I did like Brindisi, such a good vibe, the beautiful Adriatic, fantastic pizza, as good as Naples. Also liked Polignano a Mare and of course have a picture of the statue. I'm afraid I don't have information on the other ones you're talking about, since as usual, I wasn't driving.

I do have a question about Matera, though, since it looks so hilly. Are there a lot of stairs around town with no railing?

eks, I think you would enjoy three days in Bari, since you seem to keep yourself busy with lots of puttering around, poking into food shops, etc. But two full days might work for you as well.

I am one who really enjoyed the spaghetti all'assassina at Sorso Preferito, but I didn't expect it to be spicy and I didn't like my first few bites. It grew on me the more I ate it. Everyone at the restaurant seemed to order it as a true primo piatto, often shared, as part of a larger meal. (I had some tasty mussels as well).

Re: spicy Italian food. I remember once having dinner at Sepia by Niko, a restaurant in Senigallia with a Sicilian chef, and listening to a group of Italian men dining near me. I can't remember what the dish was, but they were opining that it was good but "molto piccante," sounding a bit shocked. And I thought, "What? It's not remotely spicy."

Yes Matera is hilly and there may be stairs without railings. BUT both of us, even when I was in my "bad" period with my back, were just fine......I am sorry I cannot remember all of the steps, but there was always a place I could hold on and not be nervous.

I wanted to stay in the Upper Town for a few reasons..it's flat, for one, and you can then walk down into the sassi area. I could not find a hotel I liked but that is an option for you. But no matter where you stay, you will spend much of your time in the sassi. The streets are mostly stones, and you will be careful about navigating. In no way should you miss this city; it sounds as if you and I are more or less int he same boat as far as mobility....you can walk slowly, like so many others do....and there is always the option of a taxi.....

Let's try to find you someplace near the walkway to the upper town but still IN the sassi areas.......



I meant to post some photos of Tursi, and the ORANGERY RETREAT, where we spent one night, and had a fantastic dinner within walking distance. Tursi is famous for its oranges, which feature in many of the dishes and combine wonderfully with the prime meats of the region.





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Our B&B in Tursi, owned and run by the lovely Martina, from London, who relocated to Tursi years ago and renovated this house, and others..
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Bathroom at Martina's house, where we stayed: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...asilicata.html
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Martina, in a typical Tursi cobbled street...NO OTHER tourists, unlike MAtera, which we also adore...staying here is like traveling back in time, in a delicious way....
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The rabatana of tutsi, at night...magical https://dooid.it/en/basilicata-discover-tursi/
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Tursi,, Basilicata..the ancient Arab quarter of the Rabatana....this is NOT the Italy you think you know!!!
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View of the calanches of Tursi...those folds in the landscape typical to some parts of Basilicata, places with which I have fallen in love...
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Main floor of Martina's B&B in Tursi; we had a FANTASTIC dinner in Tursi, at PALAZZO DEI POETI..worth the drive from Matera....Martina came from the fashion industry in London and has made a life for herself, alone, restoring several houses, one of which is the B&B where we stayed only one night.....we saw not ONE other tourists during our 20 hours or so in Tursi..there is also a modern town, below, with all conveniences......we met Martina at the car wash and followed her to our parking spot on the street near her B&B...no issue of leaving things in the car.....this is a magical area of Italy and one which I love very much........Basilicata does not have the tourism infrastructure of some other regions, so you have to dig yourself to find the many gems.......and oooh..the food!!!!
We arrived after our visit to the pepper farm outside Senise..roads are VERY easy and nary another car in sight.

Thanks for the info on Matera. If I were to go there, I would want a hotel with restaurants nearby. I prefer to not have to go far for dinner. I might need to add some to the budget for taxi rides but would rather not have to take one to and from dinner.

I am SURE we could find you great places to eat within an easy walk of your hotel....so start planning!!
And remember that you do not have to stay in a cave room. You can always peek into one, but many are dark inside and not good for reading in bed.
So many Italians came to Matera in the past two decades and opened up B&Bs..very nice ones. I think it's one city where there are plenty of accommodations in all price ranges....

Look, this one is right near TRATTORIA STANO, and the rooms are one flight up..could you manage that? If not, we will find someplace else:
If you do decide to go, I will write to the trattoria that we loved, STANO, and ask them where they recommend close to them, for a moderate price, for someone with some tourlbe walking or climbing.


https://giuliettaneisassi.it/?page_id=145&lang=en


Susan, you really ought to think about going there. It's one of the highlights of Europe, I think.....and lots of cafes to hang out over a limoncello!!!! (see, we know you by now!)





I just booked four nights at the new BRA HOTEL in Bari......arriving mid-May. It is expensive but looks very good. I keep rationalizing that this is the partner's birthday "year," so we can splash out with travel.......and since he, like SusanP, and myself, has trouble walking far and cannot walk fast, we can take it easy, and if we can do a day trip that would be lovely......after staying there, will go to airport to rent a car for the rest of the Puglia vacation. Again, Sixt will be my first choice for a rental.

Thanks for the ideas. I could do one flight of stairs at a hotel but would prefer not to. Is there such a thing as a hotel with an elevator in Matera?😁 You realize, of course, that you want me to go to both Sicily and Matera? Not that I don't want to! (And, believe it or not, Belgium/Paris is also on my list - too many places, not enough time!)

Hope you enjoy Bari. Your hotel is on the same street as where I stayed. Thinking back, there were a couple of clothing stores, although I wouldn't be able to give you a name. On Via Abate Gimma, it would have been in the three-four blocks west of Via Argiro. That is also where I had a great dinner at Argiro 52. If it looks as though the outdoor seating under the tent is full, they bring out many more tables.

So weird--I cannot recall, SusanP, if Hotel Italia, where I stayed in 2023, has an elevator. It seems like it would. It's right in the new part of town, great location, easy walk down to the sassi, but lots of cafes and restaurants to enjoy nearby in the flat part, including the easygoing La Latteria Rizzi. Stano, where I also had a great meal (believe it's in the Osterie d'Italia app, think that's how I chose the restaurant) is a not-steep downhill walk.

https://www.albergoitalia.com/

ek, that place looks good, and I love the price! They have a short YouTube video with outside stairs that I think goes up to the roof. I can do OK without railings if there is the wall of a building there, just need something for a little balance.

​​​​Thanks, Leely, I will take a look at that one as well.

I don't know if it would suit your travel style, but one thing you might consider in Matera is making lunch your major meal. In daylight it's easier to navigate stairs/steep-hills, using walls for a guide where there is no handrail. And then maybe an lighter dinner very near your accommodation, so no major hill or stair trekking in the dark. Just a thought because, although I don't have problems with stairs or walking long distances, I do remember thinking, "Oh, I hope I don't miss a step and trip on these hard stones" while walking around at night.

You might look at Locanda di San Marino -- I loved it!
https://www.locandadisanmartino.it/
Perhaps you know that you can search for hotels with elevators, and rooms that can be reached without stairs, on booking.com?

Leely, while I prefer to have my main meal at dinner, that is something to think about.

Kja, that hotel looks lovely but is a good deal above my budget. Of course, I know about searching on booking.com, but in the many times I have done so, when it lists your choices for things you want to filter on, an elevator is never listed.

I seem to have hijacked a thread about Bari (although with ek's help!). Maybe I should start a thread about Matera. While it was on my radar, I hadn't really looked into it. If I included it, it would be next year, possibly early May or September. Definitely not June! I spent 2-1/2 weeks in Puglia this past June, and it was too HOT!

It's under "Room Accessibility." You can search for "Upper floors accessible by elevator" or "entire unit located on grand floor."

ekscrunchy, in 2022 we spent 10 nights in a fabulous apartment in Nardo. The owner is Belgian and has now opened a hotel as well, I will search for the link. We were with our friend from Australia and all of us fell in love with this town. It's about 5 km from various beaches, we had a car so no problem going to different beach clubs in the area.
The old town is car free for the most part, fairly flat so easily walkable, has a wonderful piazza with restaurants around it, plus loads of restaurants down side streets. We loved having apertivo in the square, and then later dinner, and watching all the townspeople and their kids enjoying summer evenings until late. Still a local place, not many tourists....yet.

SusanP...you are NOT hijacking any thread..more interesting to offer advice to get you to Matera.

I also stayed for a few days, long time ago, at the hotel that KJA recommended, I think on our first visit to the city.....excellent but as we mentioned, there are lovely places in a lower price range, as well...you need only to have a good grip on the map and choose somewhere close to the access to the upper town.....but that Hotel was excellent! First time we had stayed in a cave room, or even seen a cave dwelling since a hundred years ago in Tunisia....where I went on my honey moon...marriage was a flop but the memories of that trip remain!!

Rainycity: Your advice on Nardo is spot on!! I would like to stay close to there, and I think the hotel I linked here is just that but I am open to all possibilities.
Remember the poster TEGDALE? I think he eventually purchased a place in Galatina called something like Giardino Secreto.....
This is the area of Puglia not inundated by foreign tourists or at least not as inundated as some of the Murge, Lecce, etc.....at this point, I just like walking around, eating, chatting with anyone I can find (!)......I want to explore the Ionian coast further....

One take-away is that Puglia is very LONG, and therefore very large. IN two weeks a travelers can barely scratch the surface.

I read a great book by an English-speaking man who married a woman from the Salento, from the town of Adriano, and it's interesting as it discusses daily life including out of season, and all the ins and outs of settling down to live there all year round.....pretty hysterical in parts and you can get it used.





Matthew Fort, from the Uk, has also written books about his travels through Italy....focus on food...recommend.

Palazzo Tafuri – a luxurious and elegant Boutique Hotel in ...

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Palazzo Tafuri
https://www.palazzotafuri.com
Here is the hotel in Nardo I mentioned ekscrunchy. Thanks for the book recommendation, I will look for it. I do remember Tedgale, didn't know he bought a place in Puglia.
There were a lot more tourists in Puglia on our last trip in 2022 compared to our first trip in 2014, but Nardo and the little beach towns nearby were still local which we enjoyed so much more. I'm like you, I like walking around, chatting to people, sitting in bars and cafes people watching, and I love going to the beach, my husband gets twitchy and does not like to talk to people lol. That's why he does his crazy cycling trips and I find a friend or go by myself, in fact I need to get busy planning for next June to October when he is off to ride the Silk Road. We may holiday in Turkey at his end point so if you have any hot tips about Turkey I'm all ears.

You know you are a "girl after my own heart," as your interests often coincide with mine.
I will look into the hotel in Nardo.....thank you for that..we will have four days, not the three I mentioned, between the hotel near Savelletri and the one outside Otranto......

He's RIDING the Silk Road???? Oh, boy....I assume he's read Colin Thurbron...if not, let me link the books by this UK author.....


There is a long-time poster here, Thursday, who has been to many of the designations on that route..see if you can find some of her threads, or I can try as well.....but she is a MUCH more intrepid traveler....no bikes but on her own in all sorts of non-touristed destinations..really a gem on this forum....and her reports are inspiring...

So: I first went to Turkey, as I think I mentioned, when I hitchiked through Europe in the early 70s and ended up in Istanbul, and then went on to near the Syrian border, by bus and boat.

Made a couple of trips since then but the last was about 2005 when, with a couple of friends, hired a driver and drove along the Aegean coast south from Istanbul to Foca and Izmir and, eventually, to Sirince. Stopped at Efes and other ancient sites.

I was bound by the group's preferences (they knew nothing about Turkey but had their own ideas on where to stop and what to see) and it was so long ago but back then, and I assume now, this coastline is not overly touristed.....BUT I am sure you can find more pretty and interesting areas apart from there.

My good friend from college is now in Gaziantep, supposedly the best food town in Turkey, but her trip focused on the ancient archeological sites in the east....

I did go on one trip long ago, solo, by bus, to Cappadocia, and thought that was marvelous but, again, long time ago, maybe the 1980s....always wanted to go to the Black Sea coast but never did get there...

So I am basically NO HELP at all; here is an attempt at my very first trip report on Fodors, which began running and then petered out quickly.....linking only for history's sake.
PLEASE let us know where. you plan to go.....and how that Rimowa bag fares..I think of you when I gaze at my new green carry on, and I imagine that will be only my first of several Rimowa purchases!!

So here, my not-so-glorious first trip report, and maybe among the first posts, I contributed to this site...2005.. To my chagrin, , the report leaves me still in Foca....but this coastline, I imagine, is still less known to foreign tourists than other coastal areas of turkey, and it makes an easy detour if one has only a few free days after Istanbul...I know it is considered a very important area for Australians to visit. One of my favorite films, ever, is Peter Weir's Gallipoli.

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...rt-one-565949/




Oh, boy..now two great-sounding hotels in the vicinity of Nardo in the Salento:

https://www.giardinodeipini.com/en-GB. (further south, large pool which not sure if it would be too cold to swim in mid-may....location out of town, easier to drive into and out.....further south)

https://www.palazzotafuri.com. (north of the one posted, above, but looks as if it is IN town, so easy to walk around from hotel.....diffcult to park and to drive in and out..?)

I am posting this to keep things together for myself.....RainyCityGirl always has taste that aligns with mine, so that is a plus for Palazzo Tafuri....

I know we cannot go wrong with either one, and have time to decide...bedies those four nights, all looks set for upcoming trip to Puglia in May.....we fell so in love with this region the we kept returning; I think we went five times since. Our last visit was to the northern area (near Minervino Murge) and two the Gargano (Wee were both charmed by Vieste, highly recommended by fellow poster Tina) September 2023, but that area is so far from the one we plan to visit next time, that it's almost like a totally different region of Italy.....


Anyone in the planning stages of a trip to Puglia in warm months ought to look closely at the Gargano peninsula.

And do not forget that Matera, while not in Puglia, is but an hour or so from Bari a likely entry point if you arrive by air.....

I've said this before and will repeat: Puglia is a very large area and to see just the highlights,, requires two weeks minimum, and more if you are looking for beach time,, in which the region excels....
It is NOT a region that I would think combining with, for example, the Amalfi Coast,, which is far away, totally different, and also requires a minimum of a week to skim the surface and, again, more if beach time, or a visit to one of the islands, is included as part of the plan.

IF you want to combine Puglia with another region, think of Basilicata or Molise. Maybe inland, northern Calabria. Better yet, spend your time in Puglia with side trip to Matera/Altamura, etc.

Thank you for your Turkey information ekscrunchy, I will read your trip report and try to find some others here. This will be the third big cycle trip my husband has done with a company called TDA Cycling out of Toronto. They provide logistics and the meals etc. First one he did was Cairo to Capetown in 2019, then Costa Rica to Tulum, Mexico in November/December last year. The Silk Road was delayed twice, first because of Covid, then due to Putin's war. So Russia is now off the route as is Iran and I think, Turkmenistan.

The Giardino Dei Pini looks very nice! Yes, at Palazzo Tafuri you will be allowed to drive into the old town to drop luggage etc but then you have to park your car in the new part of town on one of the side streets. When we stayed at Vincent de Cat's apt his manager gave us directions to drive in and took us to the flat and then told us where to park outside. It wasn't a problem for us but if your partner has mobility issues he may not want to walk to the car each time. The advantage definitely is that you are staying right in the centre of town so it's a plus for dining and aperitivo hour.

We were in Puglia for a couple of weeks last August/September. We flew into Brindisi and spent our first four nights at a Masseria nearby. After the first (just ok) dinner at the Masseria we went to a different nearby town for dinner every night and each town was so interesting: San Vito dei Normanni, Carovigno, and the better known Ceglie Messapica. Every night the lovely towns - each so different from the other - were full of Italians and the quality of food was quite high.

From there we went on to four nights in Lecce and while that was a pretty city, I wish we'd gone to Otranto and another small village (Salve) instead. The challenge for us with Lecce was getting out. It was surrounded by miles and miles of dead olive groves. Truly dispiriting to see what's happened in the area around Lecce. We didn't notice this as much on the coastal roads.

One place we booked and cancelled, Palazzo Frangipane in Salve, still looks appealing to me and we may go back to that town at some point. I love the size, the property looked good, and the town is small yet has restaurants that seem appealing.

The disease that is killing the olive trees is all over Puglia unfortunately. It had just got going on our first trip there and we were sad to see it still being a problem in 2022.

RainyCity: Palazzo Tafuri looks super, and it IS a good idea to be IN a town. When I took a closer look at Giardino dei Pini, I also looked at nearby restaurants and many of them were in Torre San Giovanni and seemed to cater only to summer beach tourists....I think I will contact Palazzo Tafuri to see about booking. They have a room with a big terrace, so partner can relax outside if weather is good and I want to wander around....

But leaving the car on the street? Is that ok, safety wise, even if the car is empty? I'm assuming the hotel has no parking at all, right?
(We need an automatic so always end up with a "fancy" car)


Did you know that Porsche has a big training and testing track outside Nardo?

Hi ekscrunchy, I think you will enjoy being in the town. It's a very pleasant place and there are all kinds of shops etc in the newer part of town as well. It's easy walking because it's pretty flat. At the piazza I recommend a restaurant called Rintocco, Piazza Salandra 29-30, we discovered it late in the game so only had 2 dinners there, very good food and I would say more modern Italian and innovative rather than old school. That is where I had my first Hugo Spritz and I think it is still the best one I've had. Another place on the piazza we liked for aperitivi/snacks in the afternoon and for casual lunches is called Rendezvous. Lots of outdoor seating. It looks like the hotel restaurant gets good reviews as well.
I contacted Peter, who works for Vincent de Cat (the interior designer for the hotel) and he says the same rules apply for parking as the apt we stayed in. You can drive in and out for check in and check out but run the risk of a 30 euro fine if you do it any time other than that. We had no issues with our rental car at all in terms of safety, we parked on side streets as close to the entrance to the old town as possible and it was always in front of someone's house or a low rise apt building. Obviously we never left anything in the car. I will ask my husband if he remembers the names of any of the streets.
I got the sense that it is a pretty safe town.

And no I did not know that about Porsche! I will mention that to my husband as he is a complete car nut with Porsche being one of his favourites.

Thanks so much!!!

I will book the hotel.

Look:

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2022...ars-28257.html


I just looked up Vicent's work....I am swooning!!!!!

I mentioned the Porsche place to my husband and he knew all about it, I really don't know why he didn't go check it out while we were there.
I hope the hotel will be fabulous. Yes Vincent has quite a talent, the apartment was fantastic.

Wait, but is Vincent's apt IN the hotel? I bet it is glorious!!

The Porsche site says the public is not allowed but I bet you could set up something with a dealer at home.....can you imagine driving around that circle!!
You gave me a great tip about Nardo and Ii want to thank you for that.....

No, his apartment is not in the hotel, it's in the old town though. When we stayed there in 2022 the hotel was just getting started. And yes the apt is incredible, I'd like a repeat sometime.
Yes driving around that circle in a Porsche would be pretty fun, maybe that's why my husband didn't mention it since it isn't open to the public.
You are welcome and I hope you like Nardo and the hotel. Hopefully you will report back on what the hotel is like.
If you like going to the beach there are a couple of nearby little towns with simple but nice beach clubs, the hotel could probably book for you.

**weird--I cannot recall, SusanP, if Hotel Italia, where I stayed in 2023, has an elevator. **

Yes, Italia has an elevator (I may have suggested it to Leely - can't recall). There were quite a few restaurants within a couple of blocks in the upper town. From Italia, via Domenico Ridolo is flat and back to Piazza de Sedile as are several streets around there with restaurants. You can also take an Ape taxi down into the Sassi if you want (I walked, but saw the taxis up and down).

Thanks, kybourbon, that's all good to know, especially since Italia also has a very good price.

**Thanks, kybourbon, that's all good to know, especially since Italia also has a very good price.**

I found the thread where I had posted some pics of the hotel, breakfast room, taxi and Matera. The pics are scattered amongst other pics so you will have scan the entire thread (it's not long) and read the captions.

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...to-alberobello

Four nights in Bari sounds great for exploring the city and nearby areas, but three nights in inland Salento could offer a more unique, off-the-beaten-path experience. It depends on your travel style.