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 ...

[img]data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAcCAMAAAB F0y+mAAAASFBMVEVHcEygkYKhkYKhkYIUIjwUIzsSITv///8SITsUIjwUIjsTITsTIjsTIjtgVk6hkYITIjuhkYKhkYKhkYKh kYKhkYKgkIKgkIGCFOBXAAAAGHRSTlMAe6uT8tx4A2X/wpet0QOHh76e/+jYaluO/AhgAAABNUlEQVR4AYVT0ZaFIAgcMU2TLCO7//+nS3FO3d2HlhcGoTnjSDjDESy8hwU5y0OIGFPIyAoQL5BGBQOA kPNUcs4YcmbOeYAWZco5AIia9IxRdErPCs5KP4mAwxRKDHNdMI d1DTOWOodYwgQHGgvHxIyGwilxUcCcIpeRgGS0BdFoI4rRJhM0 swk6myaIZxOkqJ7DCgpuUFnBFUuDxbbBoi2WRTzgdkEeVmAdMm R3gBcB0EX6JgpvE7TYzlMAhybSEqsJWqGjpM0D8KC2HK1hA08x TqygtWNpBP/efKV9FfR+lX9MoHrOPfadXJVuExTJY7wW9NsE/zyZv9VS9eQ+RN+PTfRx5CvBofXN9f69Jr27rTc4wBktPQtGRus A7CLN/zXBN5EduK5cjy7PUks/6mXL6+/wA5TXGhcHy2eFAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC[/img]
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.

Turkey trip report: Istanbul and car trip to Aegean region..part one..




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.