Last minute trip help Italy or Portugal
 

I am not a last minute planner, but here it goes. I have the choice to go to either the Algarve (and perhaps other areas of Portugal) or back to Italy. This time, Bari area. With only 2 months to go before the trip, I have to move quickly to decide, and make an itinerary. I usually do a bit of beach time, lots of historical time (museums, walking tours) and lots of walking. With so much expertise and experience in this group, where would you go and why?

July, both will be seriously hot. Portugal more likely to be cooler.

I have been to both countries in July and August....for sure it is hot. Last year in Sicily, it was scorching, but I can only go in the summer months. I do want some beach time or I would consider more Northern European countries.

I’m not a beach person, but perhaps you’ll find my comments about other aspects of these locations of use.

If you aren’t committed to spending all of your time in the Algarve, you might consider Lisbon and Sintra and destinations near those locations. Sintra is in the mountains and so will be cooler than other locations; it has some beautiful locations with historic significance and lovely walks. Lisbon has a ton of wonderful museums and rich history. IIUC, there are places you could go for a few days of beach time that are near-ish. There are certainly other places in Portugal that might interest you.

As already noted (and as you already acknowledged), Puglia will be HOT HOT HOT!!! You can use weatherspark.com to check some very helpful climate statistics and to compare destinations.

I’m not as great a fan of Puglia as many Fodorites. I enjoyed the over-the-top, laugh-inspiring froth of Lecce’s baroque stonework and its juxtapositions with Roman and Greek ruins. (Did you visit Noto when you were in Sicily? Similar humor to the stonework, but even frothier and from a pale stone, rather than the warm gold of Noto’s.) Too, I thought Trani’s harbor quite lovely – and striking, with the front half of various animals positioned -- rather disconcertingly, to my eye -- as gargoyles on its cathedral. If in the area, a few nights in Matera would be well worth while IMO. But I’m not much of a stop somewhere and stroll person; I want museums (LOTS of them) and buildings of historical significance. I’m also not inclined to a eat mid-day meal, and the pausa in Puglia can mean that EVERYTHING is closed for 3 or 4 hours. For those who want a leisurely mid-day meal, I’m sure that’s a bonus. For me, it just meant hours of mindless roaming in nearly unbearable heat.

If you’ve said how much time you have, I missed it. Knowing your time frame might be helpful. I think it would also help to know if you would consider renting a car for part of your trip.

I was in Puglia (and Basilicata) in May two years ago. My expectations were low--much of what I had read had left me dubious because I like to keep busy on holiday, but I ended up loving it. I have been taking Italian classes for 10 years, and my experiences in Puglia were just fabulous. Food was great! People really wry, dry, witty and welcoming. It will be a madhouse, especially on the coast, in July and August, so maybe they will be less welcoming :D .

But if you can roll with all that and the heat, then you might like it. I saw a comment somewhere on Fodor's that a person didn't enjoy Puglia because there are few/no blockbuster sites. I think if you go to Puglia wanting blockbuster sites, you will be disappointed.* It's a slow-paced, lovely region that even with the mega tourism it's been getting the past several years, still manages to feel chill.

Check out the Puglia Guys website, I found it very helpful:
https://www.pugliaguys.com/
Re: bases https://www.pugliaguys.com/where-to-base-yourself/

Their instagram is also good, especially for tips on beaches.

*Lecce itself and the MaRTa museum at Taranto are definitely blockbuster sites in my opinion, though. And of course Matera, but that is not in Puglia.

Italy is a mountainous country, and the temperatures are highly dependent on altitude. We spend part of everything August in a little town in southwestern Le Marche. It's in a river valley, not even very high up. Our house there doesn't have air conditioning, and we've never felt a need for it. At night we sleep under a blanket, sometimes two.

Hi,

KJA I was in Noto and loved it. So over the top. I can't say I have been a huge fan of Lisbon (two visits). In any case, I will give Lisbon a pass...although I missed a lot in Sintra. I would like to stay overnight if Portugal is a go. I know both will be hot and if Sicily was any indication, Puglia will be scorching too. Until I retire, summer is the only time I have to travel. I figure, I made it through Sicily in the summer and still loved it (despite the heat) ....

Thank you for the great site. It is most helpful.

Sorry -- I didn't realize you had already visited Lisbon and Sintra!

If Portugal remains a possibility, Nazare has a beautiful beach. Some people think it overrated; all I know is that I enjoyed an evening there. According to weatherspark.com, Nazare would be a bit cooler than the seaside locations in Puglia ... or at least that's how I read it. And Porto is, IMO, utterly charming. So you might consider northern Portugal.

no worries. I always appreciate your comments. I would like to go back to Sintra. I really need more time there. I loved Porto. Everything about it was lovely.

I will be making a decision this week. It might be Portugal. Then again, I just might change my mind again.

Good luck with your decision!

Puglia
 

We were in Puglia last October and loved it. Lecce is the Florence of the south. Beautiful city with it's architecture and marble streets. Poliginano was pretty with the sea. Areobello was interesting with trulli houses but also very touristy. Matera was the highlight. But October was warm. I would not go in summer. Also recommend a car for this area.

I know that Lecce is often called the Florence of the South, a comparison that I think reflects the fact that each city has some notable examples of Baroque architecture. That shared feature notwithstanding, I find the comparison misleading. Florence certainly has Baroque architecture, but I don’t think of it as a bastion of Rococo – and Lecce’s Baroque is well known for its Rococo elements. And to me, Florence is a city inextricably linked with art – glorious statues and paintings and frescoes. AFAIK, Lecce is not considered a haven for fine arts. IMO, there are good reasons for wanting to visit Lecce, but seeking a place like Florence would not be among the reasons I would offer.

Florence doesn't have a lot of Baroque architecture. It's best known for Renaissance architecture. Rome is probably the best city to see Baroque architecture. I find the Baroque style rather oppressive. Many beautiful medieval churches were ruined by a heavy-handed Baroque renovation.

I've never been to Lecce. The only Rococo architecture I remember seeing was in Germany, and in some royal palaces in Val d'Aosta. In my opinion it's a much more graceful style than earlier Baroque, but it can be overdone.

The church didn't very much approve the use of Rococo ornamentation in churches. It was considered frivolous.