We are having trouble devising an itinerary once we leave Lecce. Right now our itinerary looks like this:
9/19, 20 Lecce;
9/21, 22, 23, 24 Alberobello;
9/25, 26 Gargano
9/27, 28, 29 Abruzzo (with friends) - then home.

However, we think it would be a good experience to sleep in another town or two for 1 night each (9/21, 9/22) and then go to Alberobello for 2 nights ( 9/23, 9/24) to use as a base and visit surrounding towns. We are having difficulty coming up with a good itinerary to make this happen. We are interested in cooking/cheese making/food/wine making/wine/history/culture - but not swimming or beach activities. Any ideas? We would appreciate any and all advice!

Thanks in advance.

Hi,
I'm from Apulia

I would like to help you but I don't understand what are your free days in your plan to visit other towns...
4 days in Alberobello are to much! Really! But you've to consider that near Alberobello there are some seety towns like: Martina Franca, Locorotondo, Polignano, Ostuni...

For the food: in Apulia its simple to have delicious lunch and dinner ...

If you have any question about my region write in append of this post

Vito

2 thoughts for the extra 2 nights

Taranto would be a real change if you stay in the old town.
Gioia del colle i'd stay in the agrotorismo to the South of the air base, fantastic food. The norman castle in the town centre is ok but the roman town on the hill is a good visit

Sorry for the intrusion, but I would like to ask a question of the local person, Vito:

Vito: Can you please suggest good places to eat in agriturismi or trattorie in the Fasano area? (We are spending three nights near Fasano Savelletri next month; we are very food focused and would like tips on eating in places popular with locals). Many thanks!

Hi,
in the Fasano's area there are a lot of "agriturismo". What do you prefer? Fish, meal?
And, what is your budget?
Will you have a car?

Vito

Yes, will have a car and we eat everything--I would prefer to eat fish, seafood, vegetables, pasta..want to try all the good local foods....

Ok,
some suggestions:
> Fasano:
Ristorante "La Ruota" - Via Cenci, 115 - tel 080 4391598
Ristorante "Forchetta d'oro" - Contrada Ottava - tel 080 4810401
(Savelletri area) Ristorante "Da Renzina" - Piazza Roma 6 - tel 0804829075

> Cisternino:
Osteria "Sant'Anna" - Via Stazione, 12 - tel 080 4447036

> Monopoli:
Ristorante "Gelso Antico" - Contrada Impalata - tel 0809309916

> Ostuni:
Ristorante "Acqua & Sale" - Via Stazione - tel 0831 330302

But, if you want eat like apulians and follow the "apulia way of life" I suggest you to go in Savelletri (the coast area of Fasano) and choose one of the many restaurants on the sea.
This is a no-turistic area, so it's impossible to have an english conversation but only good food

October is the perfect time to have a lunch with "ricci" (seafood) http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1205/...b6506376e0.jpg

Vito

Hi, this is very interesting info Vito as I am also in Fasano area in late october and looking for same sort of things as escrunchy is [sorry travelnaia for also slightly hi jacking your thread but hopefuly this will be giving you some ideas as well] Something we would be really interested in is local funghi which we believe might be in their best season then and that this is a good year in some arts of italy due to weather conditions. Any ideas where we might be able to buy them and/or restaurants which might offer them ? We will have a car. Thanks

Hi Loncall,
the best apulian area for eat "funghi" (mushrooms) is the Murgian area (the hills of Puglia).
So, the best restaurants are located around the Murgia, in most cases in the towns list below:
- Altamura
- Gravina di Puglia
- Cassano Murge
- Grumo Appula
- Noci
- Gioia del Colle
- Ruvo di Puglia (wonderfoul cathedral and historical centre in this town!)
- Palo del Colle

For eat mushrooms I use to have dinner in "Taverna il Viccio" (Palo del Colle) .

Unfortunately Fasano is not close to this towns. Remember that Puglia is still an area of international tourism, due of this there might be problems with English... but apulians are polite and generous

Another tip: mushrooms' production depends on weather conditions (rain) and in Puglia you couldn't pick mushrooms yourself cause you need a "license"!

Vito

Vito I want to thank you again for this helpful information!

If you want to talk more about food, let us know which specialties we should order in the seaside restaurants of Savelletri.....

Also, do you have any tips in or near Otranto for a Monday night, when most places appear to be closed..?? (For Sunday dinner I plan to eat at an agriturismo near Uggiano la Chiesa; we will be in that area on Sunday and Monday and I am having trouble finding a place open on Monday)

http://www.gattamora.it/ristorante.htm

You're welcome ekscrunchy!

Food is my favourite topic! ^____^
In the Savelletri's restaurants you can find a lot of types of fish and seafood, cause tipically they are in business with few local fishmans.
Remember that Savelletri is a tipical place fo "tipical people"... you'll find the "real apulian", so if you are looking for "business class" stay away from there
If you want, I can reach you in Savelletri to have a lunch together, I like the "international atmosphere"

Some tipical dishes:
- spaghetti con cozze (http://www.lamianapoli.it/pasta%20co...ina%5B1%5D.jpg)
- linguine con le vongole (http://zitseng.com/blog/wp-content/u...0071216457.jpg)
- linguine con ricci (http://www.ricette-tipiche.com/immagini-ricette/177.gif)
- tubettini con sugo di sarago (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vubT8a1yOR...di+mare000.JPG)

"Ricci"(s) are good with "provolone" (cheese) and local bread... mmmhh deliciouuuuuus!

The average price for person in a "fish" restaurant with 3 different dishes and local wine is 32 Euro, it depends on the fish and the type of restaurant chosen.

----

Monday and Tuesday are closing days (tipically) for restaurants. I don't remember now a good restaurant in Otranto, but I can assure you that it's difficult to eat badly in Puglia, it's not nationalism is the reality

Vito

P.D. I'm thinking to write a blog about Puglia, what do you thing? There is a need for more information about it?

Hello,
Just wanted to second the recommendation for ricci/sea urchins around Savelletri. We had a memorable meal by the sea at "Ricciolandia" on our last day in Puglia last year (http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...toddler.cfm?49 )

Oh, this is just terrific. Thank you both!

Vito: We must eat "local style!" No fancy places! No business class!!

I am surprised that you eat ricci with provolone, as here in the US people think that it is a peccato (?) to eat fish/seafood with cheese in an Italian dish.

Yes, we would love to read a blog about Puglia, featuring the food. And talking about places where the real Apulians eat..not the touristy places with menus in 5 languages!

Your photos make me hungry. Tomorrow I will make linguine with vongole, but I know that mine will not be as good as the one in the photo!

Hanl: I adored your report and it was one of the factors in deciding to take this trip. I am now off to re-read it!

Sorry to chime in here though I don't have anything to add on Puglia, but while I, too, was surprised at the combination of ricci e provolone (my knowledge on Puglia cuisine is almost zero), I just wanted to add that the combination of seafood and cheese is less unusual than non-Italians are usually tempted to think. In the Marche for example, they combine sardines or (fresh) anchovies with parmesan all the time; or even mussels with parmesan. The problem is not to combine cheese and seafood; the problem is not to know which cheese and which seafood...

Franco, I am glad to "see" you!

Do you remember that we discussed exactly this topic a few years back? Let me see if I can dig up the post....

ek, I don't, sorry... but if it's been a few years back, I didn't certainly know about that Marchigiano inclination for fish & cheese - I discovered that recently! I'm still pretty hesitant about such combinations; but I admit that I've prepared some dishes where it works absolutely wonderful. It's really all about which cheese and which seafood to combine...

Article on the subject:


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/ma...prod=permalink

Not related to Puglia (Apulia), of course, but one of the most wonderful and memorable dishes I've ever tasted was a fish and potato combination with cheese sauce in the Azores. It was something new to me at the time, but I was quickly won over.

this is a .... delicious discussion

Usually we don't use cheese with pasta w/fish, but there are excellent exceptions.

Vito

Ekscrunchy, I remembered that you were planning a trip to Puglia and am looking forward to hearing (or rather, reading) all about it!

All this talk of seafood is making me very hungry...