pattytravel

We will be spending 8 nights in a villa in Tuscany (near Siena) this fall to celebrate my sister's 50th, and have 3 nights at the end of the trip, before departing back out of Rome FCO. Puglia is high on our radar and while 3 days may not do it justice, it sounds marvelous. Where would be a good base to locate ourselves?

We will have a rental car while in Tuscany. It looks like a 5-6 hour ride, correct?
We enjoy food, exploring, getting to know the locals. Would like to stay in a nice B&B.

Thank you!

bilboburgler

The people of Puglia are very friendly, I think this is a great idea but... it is a longish way and you are out of the main holiday season. Then again remember that some of the old cities/towns are a little small for most modern cars. The following would be good.

Martina Franca, Ostuni, Gravina and Lecce. The last is my favorite but way down at the tip and a city of 100k with a very pretty old centre. Getting in and out can be a stress ;-)

Ostuni and MF are pretty central for getting about. B&B can be in town or you get B&B out in the country (normally rebuilt farm/forts) if you have a course (say cooking) then the masseria farm/fort is just the thing, if not stay in town.

Have a look at this link to get an idea of what we did last year http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...d-go-wrong.cfm
there is a recommended B&B in the Lecce section. If you end up in Lecce I would also recommend Yle at https://www.facebook.com/yltour?fref=ts who might have some fun things on that you could join in with

kja

I agree with bilboburgler that it is a LONG way to go for very little time in Puglia. But I can't really argue against it -- I did something similar! I spent time in Lecce (a gem, IMO) and Trani (magnificent cathedral), with quick stops in Alberobello and Polignano a Mare. I flew out of Bari. Hope that helps!

pattytravel

ah, so it is that far, huh? Yes, we thought about flying out of Bari. and I think Lecce looks fabulous, but a bit far....will check the other locations. Thanks for the tips....

jamikins

It is quite a ways to go for just three days - would you spend 4 nights giving you 3 full days?

Instead of a b&b you may like to stay in a masseria or fortified farmhouse with a pool.

One thing to keep in mind is that the towns very much close down for several hours in the afternoon, we found it much longer than the closures in Tuscany. The towns then open again around 5. You need to factor this in because it can slow you down and limit what you can see in a day.

You can see our pics here https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7635047994978/

And our trip report here http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...t-do-italy.cfm

Happy planning!

yestravel

I loved Puglia, but not sure it's worth the drive for just 3 days, hopefully 3 full days. I would stay out in the countryside and drive around. Its very easy to get around and the roads weren't crowded when we were there in Sept Oct last year. Agree that staying in a Masseria is a good idea. There are many to choose from.
Our TR is here
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...a-short-tr.cfm

tdk320n

I leave for my 7 week trip to Italy and France on April 23 spending the first 2 weeks in Puglia. A new area for me.

I am a senior female who travels alone and use public transportion, knowing that I will not be able to see everything but whatever I manage to do and see is still an adventure and a treat.

Thanks to all of my fellow Foorites I have amassed a wealth of information and ideas that I am sure will help insure me of a great trip.

kawh

have you been to rome before? i would just spend the 3 nights in rome... with maybe a side trip down to pompeii. we had almost 2 weeks in the puglia area and there is a lot of (lovely) driving between the big sites and towns. the coast road is slow (maybe not in the fall, though) and i think you will enjoy it more if you return. so many great things closer to tuscany region. maybe go next time?