Puglia
 

Planning 2 weeks in Puglia in September - 5 nights each in 3 different locations:
-somewhere between Bari and Brindisi (flying to/from Bari)
-Otranto area
-Taranto area
We will have a car.
Any thoughts or better/other ideas?

The only trouble with Taranto is it is one of the most polluted areas in Italy. I would recomend that you don't go into the sea there. However, if you do go, go visit the tiny island in the centre, don't be put off by the grinding poverty this was a Spartan colony and a real scene from the old south.

I would advise Lecce as a base or at least that end of the area and I would suggest you look at

Gravina (get a tour of the cave churches), Gioia, see the Norman castle and Martina F (just so pretty).

Try and stay at least one stop in a masseria.

Hello, I am Italian and I live near Taranto and I can advise you for your trip down to Puglia to visit all the Salento area , starting from the wonderful baroque town of Lecce and then going further down visiting the pearl of the Jonian coast that is wonderful seaside tourist town of Gallipoli,with its fabulous historical town stretched on an island, heading down towards the famous Santa Maria di Leuca , without missing on the Adriatic coast the other pearl of the Salento coast that is the wonderful historical town of Otranto.
In the Taranto area it is really worth while visiting all the Itria Valley represented by the towns of Martina franca and Locorotondo, and of course the Unesco World Heritage site of Alberobello, the worldwide Trulli town, and the renowned tourist town of Ostuni , the so -called White town, città bianca. I hope this is helpful.

This is very helpful info, thanks to both of you.

We are going to Puglia for three weeks in Sept also, staying in a few places including a masseria near Conversano, a diffuse hotel( apartment ) in Martina Franca, an agriturismo near Gallipoli and a hotel in Trani.

I assume you have read the wonderful trip reports by ekscrunchy, jamikins and others.

Thanks jubilada. I didn't read the trip reports. I'll do that right away!

We stayed two nights in Lecce and one in Matera - I highly, highly recommend both. We did day trips from Lecce, (beach days, Alberobello* a must see!, etc.) a beautiful town where dusk and evening was truly magical. This could be a base for several more days than we stayed.

Matera was even more magical, and I wish we had spent more time there. A town made entirely of caves, and we stayed in the gorgeous L'Hotel in Pietra, a boutique cave hotel. This town is a hidden gem that I expect will explode with tourism sooner rather than later. I believe it has just been named a Unesco heritage site and a European Culture capital. The restaurant choices were superb, and it didn't have the crowds we found elswehre in Italy. There's a beautiful hike and many things to explore. I would have given it at least 2 nights.

Bari itself could be a lovely base if you wanted to mix up small towns with a bit of a bigger city.

Another vote for Lecce and another vote for Matera (even though it isn't in Puglia, and noting that I personally would not stay in Matera for 5 nights).

our trip report has many restaurant highlights and such. click my name and you should easily find the report. one of our favorite trips ever. wasn't a huge fan of otranto.

We have almost 3 weeks, so I can easily add Matera. Unfortunately L'Hotel in Pietra is fully booked for our dates.
The Gargano also looks interesting. Might do that at the end of our trip.
Thanks, everyone, for your input.

In Matera, I was very pleased with my stay at the Locanda de San Martino, which still gets great reviews:
http://www.locandadisanmartino.it/?lang=en

Thank you, kja.
I already booked a room at Antico Convicino.
http://www.anticoconvicino.it/