ekscrunchy

After a lovely week in Puglia, we are already thinking of returning next year to cover some of the area that we were not able to include on this past trip. We plan to fly into Bari and visit first the area around Andria/Trani before moving (by rental car) on to Matera in neighboring Basilicata.

Question: Can I do justice to Matera with only two nights? I want to explore the new city as well as the sassi area. I could depart the Trani area in the morning (after having spent two nights there?) and have the remainder of that day, plus the full next day, in Matera. Enough to see the town and do some serious food market browsing and food shopping?

Or am I better to spend only one night near Trani and 3 in Matera?

Thinking of staying at Lama di Luna masseria hotel outside Andria as a base to visit Trani and Castel del Monte. Can anyone comment on this place, or opine whether it might be better to stay in Trani itself?

kja

I found one full day sufficient to visit the sassi and new city of Matera. If you wanted to visit any of the outlying sassi, you might need a second day.

Don't miss the cathedral in Trani!

ekscrunchy

KJA: Thanks very much! I am glad that you had that experience. We can concentrate on the sassi in the city itself, and if we do any outlying sights we could do that when we leave Matera after the second night at a hotel there.

So my idea thus far is:

2 nights near Trani--allow time to visit Trani and Castel del Monte. Allow dinner at Antichi Sapori in Montegrosso di Andria.

Has anyone here stayed at Lama di Luna?

2 nights Matera


3 nights near Fasano (again)

ekscrunchy

for Flame123

Flame123

eks - we LOVED Train, the port area there, the cathedral is not to be missed as kja writes. We spent three night there and definitely had enough to do, although we did use it as our northern Puglia base to explore the area. I would definitely do at least 2 nights there.

As for Matera, it is a really really special and unique place. But we did not even sleep there, we did it as a day trip and felt that it was good enough. However I know there are many others who have really explored there, i.e. actually gone into the caves, the cathedrals and other structures, etc. It depends on what your priorities are.

May I ask why the Fasano area again instead of going somewhere new?

A_Brit_In_Ischia

eks, we had a lovely time in Trani last September - you'd be hard put to find a more enjoyable small town to stay in....

It was somewhere we'd overlooked on previous visits to the area, but ideal for a few days P&Q after August's bedlam here on Ischia!
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/pugliagen

Peter

ekscrunchy

Peter those are truly beautiful--the first Lecce shot with the gesturing hands should be on a magazine cover. Thanks very much.

I was thinking of staying at a masseria (Lama di Luna) outside Trani but your photos have made me wonder if we are not better off staying IN the town.

A_Brit_In_Ischia

With a car, you can mix and match between coast and inland places, but Trani has a good range of accommodation on offer...

Where we stayed was very simple, and ideal for our needs, whereas only a short walk away there was the newly rennovated and very stylish "Maré Resort & Spa", with rooms that had wonderful views over the harbour.

It's an immensely friendly little town, and although we'd gone intent on catching up with our red meat intake, the range of supremely fresh fish and shellfish on offer tempted us too. Being within walking distance of so many interesting restaurants was a real boon!

Peter

ekscrunchy

Vito: Do you have any ideas for great local food in or near Trani/Andria?

I am already thinking of Antichi Sapori in Montegrosso (Andria) for one night.

We are also planning a return to Savelletri on this trip and I will plan to try Da Renzina, which you recommended on another post a few months ago. Do you have any other ideas for near Savelletri/Torre Canne/Fasano?

vito80ba

Hi all,
ANTICHI SAPORI (antichisapori.biz) is a must! For me is the best restaurant in Puglia in terms of price/quality (35 €/person).
This restaurant is located in the centre of a small town called Montegrosso di Andria. Booking in advance (2weeks in advance) is mandatory! (close on saturday night and sunday)

Trani is a beautiful town but is one of the most turistic place in Puglia, so (for me) find a good restaurant not-for-turist is no so simple. But I can suggest Corte in Fiore (http://www.corteinfiore.it/) 35~45 €/person. Obvisouly if you've a dinner in Trani, meals of fishes is high recommended

Remember: good restaurants are not for turist, in not-for-turists restaurants people don't speak in english ... but don't worry in Puglia is impossible to feel foreign. Ekscrunchy, is'n it true?

Vito

Flame123

Vito - yes I agree completely. In Puglia it IS impossible to feel like a foreigner, people are so friendly, even if they really do speak little English.

I did not find Trani to be "tourist-y" but after having been to so many really touristy areas of Italy, the entire area of Puglia is heaven for someone like me, who searches for people and areas like this. We really loved Trani and the entire Puglia region when we were there 3 years ago and I cannot remember having a bad meal anywhere. The food was delicious, the prices were very inexpensive relatively, and the service was so friendly. We did not go to any particular restaurant that we had heard of, just went to wherever we liked how the place and the menu looked.

ekscrunchy

Vito: This is great information and I agree with Flame about the food in Puglia. although I only ate 7 dinners there, all of the food was just terrific! And so were the Pugliese that we met.

Let me know if you know of another place to eat someplace near Andria--I need it to be open on Sunday, though, because we will arrive on that day. I think we will stay two nights at a masseria close to there. I will definitely plan to eat at Antichi Sapori on the MOnday night. I will make sure to book ahead.

I do not care if no one speaks English! You know that I had planned to eat at La Ruote, which you recommended. But when I asked her, the woman at my hotel told me that we would be better off at a restaurant in Martina Franca. Now I realize that the hotel woman might not have wanted us to go to Le Ruote because they did not speak English. That never occurred to me.


Next time I will let you, Vito, direct me!

vito80ba

Hi,
I'm happy about your experiences in my region... I'm proud to represent Puglia here

ekscrunchy: near Andria there is another lovely small town: Minervino Murge. In this town there is a extra-tipical and informal restaurant: "La tradizione" (http://www.osterialatradizione.net/).

Attention please! November is the month of "funghi" (mushrooms), "vino novello" (wine) and chestnuts. November is a delicious month!!

Vito

tuscanlifeedit

eks

I have got to put in a plug for at least two dinners in Matera. DH and I agree that Matera had some of the best food we have ever had.

Saturday night, over dinner in our local Chinese, DH said that Matera is one place he would love to return. This after spending 3 nights there.

There is an OK outdoor food market, and good shops in the upper town, but I thought it more of a place to eat out than to shop for food.

The modern art museum, a part of the sassi, is fascinating. The rock churches are incredible. The people we met were warm, which isn't always easy for me to say, as I am not one of those who clicks with the residents of places that I visit. But Matera's people seemed to reflect the uniqueness and beauty of the town.

Churches, museums, views, food, people and we aren't really touching the new town. I would say don't rush.

I will add that my family, dead before my birth, were from Matera, so it may have held a special fascination for me, but I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't think time spent there was well worth it.

ekscrunchy

Vito: Fantastic! And La Tradizione is open on Mondays! (Please keep it a secret that I am thinking about dinners more than 6 months in advance!)

Tuscan: You have made me even more psyched about Matera now. I must have mentioned this before, but did you happen to read the article about Matera that ran in Saveur magazine about two years ago? After I read it, I rented the film, Christ Stopped at Eboli and thus began my fascination with Matera. That article is no longer online, but here is the recipe that has since become my favorite pasta recipe to make at home:

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipe...d-Bread-Crumbs