Tedgale: I wish you a wonderful trip, and will be eager to read all about it upon your return.

I am hoping to make a fourth (!) trip to Puglia next year..

Ann: What time of year?

To annhig-go South. Loved Puglia as it is very different from the rest of Italy and no where near as crowded.

ek - no plans at the moment, except a week in Venice in February with our italian class. I've never been to Venice during Carnevale so I'm very excited about it.

So far as Puglia is concerned we could go any time if I can persuade DH that that's what he wants to do!

eks and others: Just got home yesterday afternoon from Provence, via Frankfurt and Montreal.

Prior to our week in Provence, we were in S Italy for nearly 2 weeks. Here is an album of shots I took in Puglia. They're not labelled just yet but will be soon.

These pictures should be accessible to everyone:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=f17c152dac

Lovely photos tedgale. We were there just before you I think. Where did you stay?
We had great weather except for a few days of drizzle during our 5 days near Ostuni.

oh and thanks to you ekscrunchy we brought home some of those peppers and we did the tour of Matera with Nadia which was a highlight of a trip with many bright points.
Many thanks.

Raincitygirl: we stayed as follows:

Matera - 2 nights at Ai Terrazzini, a boutique "cave" hotel in a perfect location

Monopoli - 2 nights in Capitolo on the outskirts of Monopoli at the Masseria Garrappa, a newly restored inn and cooking school.

Galatone, Salentino peninsula - 4 nights in a spotless and stylish (and inexpensive) rental apartment that we previously rented 4 years ago

Corato - 2 nights at Masseria Torre di Nebbia, a newly renovated agricultural property in open country with a direct view of the Castel del Monte.

All those places were good choices, though at Torre di Nebbia (visually very hip and stylish), the handful of overnight guests in their 4 rooms can feel a bit overwhelmed by the large "ricevimenti" - corporate dinners, family events - held on the property.

great photos!

So glad you had a great time, again!

One of these days I hope to stay at the Galatone rental; I remember how much you liked it last time, too.

eks: I thought of your dining reports when we ate at Podere Rega, in Paestum, on our way from Naples airport to Matera.

It is a uniquely integrated concept -- a restaurant and a working farm that also has rooms. The female co-owner (it's a husband and wife team) is the chef.

The restaurant specializes in local products (esp bufala mozzarella and their own pork products) but offers new twists on traditional dishes.

We ordered their prix fixe menu of antipasti and dessert with wine included (35 E p.p.) -- and then sat back while a staggering array of small plates was brought to us.

Everything was freshly made (except the salumi) including a variety of breads -- 2 kinds of brioche, some crostini and a rice bread flavoured with smoked mozzarella -- straight from the oven.

Here are some photos of our dinner. Let me know if you cannot open the album:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=34185806bc

Raincitygirl: Here is an album of photos of the places we stayed.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=75233ee5f3

Photos 1 and 2 are pix of the inn in Paestum, south of Salerno, where we spent our first night.

The subsequent ones are, in sequence:

Matera - Ai Terrazzini
Monopoli - Masseria Garrappa
Galatone rental
Corato - Masseria Torre di Nebbia

... and then, as we proceeded back to Fiumicino airport:
Ostia Antica -- Locanda del Passerotto

...followed by our lovely rental at a house called Le Monastier, in La Barben, near Salon de Provence, in Provence.

Lovely places tedgale, thanks for the photos. I loved all the white buildings in Puglia, with the contrast with the very blue sky and the beautiful blue of the sea, it reminded me of Greece.

Is the ivy covered building in Provence? Very pretty.

Yes. The place we rented was 3 storeys with 2 beds and 2 baths. But the owners are just putting the finishing touches to a new stone gite in the courtyard: one big liv/ din/ kihen plus a bedroom. High ceilings. Huge windows, very hip. They mentioned a very reasonable rate for the off season....

Thanks, I will bookmark it. Looks gorgeous.

EKScrunchy: I found it!! This report has been on my mind for the last few days. It is/was so very good, and now we might really go to Puglia, I knew I wanted to re-read and bookmark, etc., but could not for the life of me, remember who did this amazing report. Many thanks for.

Tedgale: Looks like you've done it again. Great photos.

TT: You are so very welcome!

From the NYTimes about Basilicata; we took a trip there a couple of years ago and, shamefully, I never wrote a trip report. but I am most willing to respond to any questions about that trip, our third to Puglia, with a toe into Basilicata, a region I suspect we will be reading about more in the foreign travel press.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/08/tr...ies-below&_r=0

ps. On that visit, we stayed at the agriturismo San Teodoro Nuovo, mentioned in the article, and had a wonderful dinner in nearby Bernalda. How I long to return!

I'm not sure if everyone can access this link from The New Yorker, but a current issue has a fascinating and erudite story on the resurgence of the city of Matera, which will be one of two 2019 Capitals of European Culture.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...ve-with-a-view

Just saw this fabulous trip report...thx EK for reviving this. I may need to start planning a Puglian adventure!