Is Puglia suitable / Puglia recommendations
 

We have previously avoided Puglia, largely out of snobbery ("lots of people we know have been there, it will be too touristy").

However, we now have a toddler, which changes things!

We want to go somewhere in Italy in September which has good food, easily accessible sandy beaches (rare in Italy in my experience) and some stuff to see and do (but we won't need loads of sights, given the toddler). We will go for 1 to 2 weeks.

My research is leading me to Puglia, and specifically the Salento (sandy and accesible beaches, flat scenery so easy to get around in a car and then to buggy toddler around town, some towns and cities of interest).

But I continue to have doubts! I worry about: dull scenery (the Salento seems to be one big olive grove), loads of tourists wandering around the same few towns and wondering what to do next, dull food (compared to Sicily or Umbria, our most recent trips).

Can someone convince me on the Salento, or recommend somewhere else?

(I considered Calabria, but it looks like getting around on those roads could be slow going; Sardinia is another option, but it will be more expensive and I am not sure there is going to be enough for us to do other than beach visits - which we won't want to do every day.)

Also, do let me know if you have any recommendations for agroturismos in the Salento which would be baby friendly (we don't need or want something that has featured in Conde Nast).

Thanks!

Sandy beaches are on the west coast of Salento.

Maybe near Santa Maria di Bagno? Nardo area?

Most Adriatic beaches between Grado and Falconara are sandy.
But you find tons of sandy beaches in Marche, Abruzzo, Molise and Puglia too.
South of Lecce, there are not too many, but often crowded sandy Adriatic beaches (like Baia dei Turchi).
Most of the Ionion Coast of Salento between Torre San Giovanni and Marina di Pescoluse is sandy. Other sandy beaches aer North and South of Gallilpoli and in the Torre Lapillo area.

Food: if you don't like local spcialities, you can always get classical Italian food like all kinds of fish and seafood, lasagne, spaghetti, pizze, bistecche......
The quality of dishes dependes rathe ron the restaurant than on the area

Thanks Ekscrunchy.

From memory we like similar places (Cilento, Asturias). Am I going to like Puglia, or feel it's been "spoilt" (hypocritical tourist that I am!)?
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There is nothing 'dull' about Puglia!!! Not the landscapes, not the food, not anything......
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspo...ve-puglia.html
Just my opinion!

How about Sicily? Lots of very nice sandy beaches and lots to see.

We were first in Puglia in 2014 before many North Americans at least had discovered it and it was fabulous and not crowded at all. We went back in 2022 after covid and although there were more people (that could have also been time of year, June this time vs October the first time) we still loved it. Our Australian friend came with us as she had wanted to go for years and she was not disappointed.
The food is very good there. It is not as museum/art gallery heavy as other parts of Italy so if you are looking for lots of that you might be disappointed. In 2022 we stayed in Ostuni and in Lecce for a few nights, but the best stay was in an apartment in Nardo for ten days. It's a gorgeous little town a few kilometres from the sea and each day we kind of did a bit of sight seeing and ambling around in different towns nearby and then booked into a beach club and relaxed.
The square in Nardo comes alive at aperitivo hour and then again at dinner time, people bring their kids and they all run around playing in the square, we found plenty of good places to eat, it was relaxing and wonderful.

We have been to Sicily several times and love it.

We have always found the most picturesque seaside spots to be rocky or pebbly though (Salina, Scopello, Favignana etc). Never visited the beach in the South East though, so that may be why.

I did see some decent, but not exceptional looking, beaches in the Siracusa area when researching, but Siracusa is not one of our preferred cities in Sicily (beautiful, but very touristy - in Ortygia).

This is reassuring, so thanks.

The Nardo area was also recommended by Ekscrunchy, so I will look into it. Your trip sounds like what we want in terms of content.

You know I loved Cilento and Asturias!!! Yes, you will also love Puglia if you choose the right spot. I think we are going back this September, after being away from there (except for Vieste) for about 15 years or so.
Actually, Vieste has a long sandy beach and the town is gleaming white stone-beautiful. Maybe take a look at Gargano, Puglia beaches.

But: The idea of the Adriatic beaches of Le Marche and Abruzzo is a great one. I've never been during beach season but you could take a look at Senigallia and the other places that Neckervd mentioned. The Riviera de Conner has beautiful beaches. I guess all of these will be packed in summer, but I don't mind crowds on the beach if they are Italian crowds because the people watching is great.... (Yes, terrible statement maybe but its true, for me)

We love Sicily but recall the nice coastal spots (Favignana, Salina, Scopello and surrounds etc) not being very suitable for a toddler.

I understand there are some reasonable sandy beaches in the south east near Siracusa, but that was one of our less preferred cities (beautiful but too touristy, at least in Ortygia, for us).

This sounds just about perfect, and Ek has recommended Nardo as well, so I will look into that area.

Can I chime in and ask a few more questions?

I am contemplating a group cycling trip to the area, and nearly every cycle tour company now includes Puglia on their itineraries. Everyone I know who has been on one says they loved Puglia. (But, I did hear some comments about the seemingly endless olive groves.) Even though I am from the US I have visited Italy numerous times and have visited many areas both on standard tourist itineraries and off-the-beaten-path. Someone mentioned Sicily; it was a favorite of ours and we spent 3 weeks there on a leisurely, trip driving around the island but still didn't have time to see it all.

Most tours seem to include some of these places--in the north Matera, Alberobello (sounds super touristy to me), Locotrando, Monopoli, Ostuni, and more southerly Lecce, Salice Salentino, Gallipoli, Otranto.

Is it an area you would recommend for a cycle tour? Nice scenery with small towns? Is the more southerly part or the more northerly part more interesting? Unlike the OP I am not concerned with beaches. Any parts a lot more touristy than others?

Sorry I butted in, but I figured there are many of you who seem to know the area well. So, I thought I would seek out opinions. By the way I too really liked Asturias. Thanks.

Julie, yes. Even when we used to go, around 2005 and after, if I remember right, we had cycling groups stying at our hotel and we saw them on the road. Yes, Alberobello,, Ostuni, Locorotondo are very touristy in season, but even in the most touristy, Alberobello, not many tourist prowl the newer town,, which is not really new. and the roads are lovely lined with those giant old olive trees (if they have not died off) and the gleaming white villages...flat roads almost everywhere.

I've neglected to return due to what I've heard and read but even with lots of tourists, I'd still a beautiful area and there ARE villages that don't get lots of tourists. We found a few, inland, in Salento, that I'd love to take another look at. One was Ruffano. But that was more than then years ago, remember. I think we will go back in September....I'm so torn between there and Sardinia....

Happy to hear that it would be a good destination for a cycling tour. Now I will just need to sort out the various companies to share itineraries. And, I would want a shoulder season cycling tour so it's not so beastly hot. But, I suspect the area is still quite busy even in the shoulder season.

Cycling up on the Murge Is best. So avoid the very heel.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4041cca49.jpeg
Here is one of the beaches we went to, it was about 5km from Nardo’.

And Cefalù in the north.

julies
Puglia is lovely. We have been in September 2016 and you can find my trip report here: Puglia and a bit of Basilicata, September 2016 | Any Port in a Storm
I do not recall seeing many cyclists but that may have changed over the years since cycling has become so popular.

Several attempted messages seem to have fallen into a moderator black hole. Thanks for all the messages.

Anyway, it seems that everyone is agreed that, whilst Puglia is busier than it ever was, it is likely still well worth visiting and fairly well suited to a trip with a toddler, so I think we will commit.

Ps: Cefalu was another spot which, whilst beautiful, was too touristy for us! I told you we were picky.

PPS: We want guaranteed good weather, so I think it makes sense to head further south, rather than up the coast into Molise etc. We had some slightly cool weather in the Cilento in mid/late September.

MyriamC

It's a great blog with lovely photos. Thanks for referring me to it because it gave me a really good idea of what the area is like. And, I have to say it does look intriguing for a cycling trip.

I have to say, in our road trip through Puglia, while we enjoyed many of the small towns we visited, I found the landscape very dull and at times quite unattractive.

Rainycity!

I think the is Santa Maria al Bagno, which I've mentioned recently on this forum......if I could have found a hotel near that beach I would have planned to stay there!!!! Perfect, although we were not there in high summer.l

Which parts of Puglia did you visit? Was it this way throughout Puglia, or were certain parts more boring than others?

I am wondering if cycling in more coastal areas would be better scenery.

I think you are right ekscrunchy, we also went to Santa Katerina, both of which were short drives from Nardo'. I didn't see any hotels at either beach.

I've cycled from Gravina to Manduria. I found the coast dull with odd little ruins of towns and the odd maginificant citta. Bari being the most obvious. I found the interesting area was on the Murge which is a plateau some 300m above the coast and was where the inhabitants fled when the pirates and muslims came to seize slaves. They also built masserie (fortified farms) for the same reason. Keeping to the back roads and avoiding the down hill thrills is a great trip. Most inland towns are on the tops of hills (see above) and are normally ringed by 60s blocks of flats, but the very centres are little pearls. Taranto was founded by Sparta and the little island that you will find blocking the little sea (piccolo mare) is certainly interesting but certainly in my life time was a thieves kitchen. Taranto is the most polluted site in Europe outside of Ukraine and I would not eat the fish from here.

The is also an Eurovelo route and some other routes which goes along the coast.. This might help https://en.eurovelo.com/ev5

I was married in Lecce (down on the coastal plain) whose old town is a marvel and is worth at least two nights. The train system is pretty good if your legs give out and the local long distance buses are also of interest.

One of the important culture features of Puglia (as well as the Normans, the Saracens, the Greeks, the poverty, the church and the mafia are the people. Failing to do something with these warm hearted folk is missing out on a major feature.

I agree and I'm happy we included the Gargano and Matera (in Basilicata) for a change of scenery.

Thank you. Glad I could be of help.

Bilbo--

I know you have cycled all over Europe. Would you place Puglia pretty far down the list for a desirable cycling area (thinking about nice scenery, interesting places to stop etc.)?

Not at all. It is warm. The towns are fascinating. The food special. Italian drivers are good and cycle aware. The view from the Murge looking down is great. There is a bit of history in every few km of Puglia.

Certainly nicer than Romania, Syria and some parts of Eastern Germany. Nicer than Poland and the Atlantic coast of France. Less pretty than Alsace or the Mosel but those two are very hard to beat.

Chiefs by ten due mostly to their offensive line and Mahomes. Oh wait. Wrong thread!
Kidding.
'I considered Calabria, but it looks like getting around on those roads could be slow going.'
Seamet, we were there a year ago and had some concerns about the roads. But those proved to be unfounded. We never once encountered any poor roads.
Lots of great advice above. Hope it works out, wherever.
I am done. the end

We travelled east to Trani from Naples (Trani was a delight), visited Castel del Monte (beautiful) and I thought the countryside here was attractive.
From that moment on, it went downhill for us - mostly flat, well populated but somehow with quite untidy smallholdings.We visited Polignano a Mare (tiny beach, must get rammed in summer), Alberobello (mostly disappointing, stunning buildings but many ruined by being turned into shops selling all sorts of tat ,loud music playing. We stayed in a quieter part which was more attractive.)Explored Locorotondo and a favourite, Martina Franca which was a wee stunner.Down to Lecce and another favourite, Otranto.
Back up to Matera where countryside became a bit more attractive (absolutely stunning town.)

We loved our time in Puglia. I can speak to the cycling for Julie (see below) and I think I can address some toddler issues too, seamet.

Toddler first:
Puglia is full of little towns with great stroller-friendly passeggiatas, which we know from experience with our grandson, is like toddler Disney World and parental heaven. Restaurants are very kid-oriented, and we often laughed that the guys were the ones, not the moms, leaving the dinner table with a rambunctious child so that you'd see groups of dads just outside restaurants rocking, tickling, and chatting with their bros.
Since beaches are not my thing, your research will point out those. But since you are going on shoulder season, I think you'll be fine. Gelaterias abound, and Lecce in particular is toddler "not-good-for-you-but-we-are-on-vacation" pastry heaven.

Julie--One of the very BEST routed trips we ever took was in Puglia with Backroads because of the variety. As you know from my former posts, I'm not a fan of flat cycling even though I'm hardly an athlete. In fact, I think flat cycling disserves the muscles. But the trip we took offered a flat-ish coast-to-coast ride where one dipped one's toes in Ionian Sea at the beginning to the day and then cycled to the Adriatic by the end of the day. I loved it. We also cycled from our agriturismo south to the tip of Italy. Fun.
Backroads changed that trip's routing within two years, darn it. I think the cycling companies all then started to feel as though they had to include Matera and it upset the apple cart. Matera was interesting--we went on our own--but what the heck...

I wrote a trip report here ages ago that is unfortunately written with a lot of HTML stuff to make it read well. When Fodors finally added HTML mark-ups to their post, my old posts look awful. Still, read through that stuff, see what routing you like, and do a deep search for some similar routing with all the companies. Again, I was in biking decline, and I still LOVED it.

Good luck to both of you,
AZ

I appreciate the feedback from all of you in terms of cycling trips and the appeal or lack thereof of Puglia's scenery. I will have to do some in-depth digging now.

And, bilboburgler , I think I will take a look at cycling trips in Alsace where I have never been and the Moselle where we did a driving trip decades ago, but it's a locale where I have never cycled.