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Puglia Help June 2023
hi all! Planning a 3 week trip June 1-22 to Puglia region. Flying into Brindisi renting car
. Plan is - 5 nights in Lecce - with day trips to Otranto and Gallipoli 4 nights in Alberobello - day trips to Locorotundo Martina Franca and Matera 5 nights in Polignani di Mare - day trips to Monopoli Ostuni 5 nights in Rome before flying home. Having never been to this area, any advice on the breakdown? Are these good bases?Is this a good use of time? Im researching either hotels or apartments now. I’d prefer hotels but with the length of stay I may need an apartment to do some laundry. Any advice welcome. Thank you! and another question regarding the forum. How to you reply to a specific response? |
We stayed at Hotel Covo dei Saraceni in beautiful Polignano a Mare. Their laundry service took longer than we wanted, so we walked through town to the other side of town to a very nice laundromat in a very local neighborhood. The attendant did our laundry for us so we could use that time to enjoy more of the town in an area we never would have seen if not for the laundromat! It looks like you have good bases but perhaps more than you need. I would not want to stay in Alberobello, perhaps stay in Locorotundo instead and do a half day visit to Alberobello.
You will love Puglia! |
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Thank you!p HappyTrvlr
I was looking at Covo dei Saraceni but they only had rooms in the annex left so I may choose something else. Thank you so much for the tips for laundry in town as well as Locorotundo as a base. Much appreciated ! |
Matera deserves a visit of several days. We were there for only 2 nights and I wish we had a third night. I loved Lecce and think that you’ll enjoy your stay there. We also loved Polignano a Mare.
I don’t know where you plan to stay in Alberobello. It’s a fun and interesting place to visit (trulli!), but it is such a tourist destination that I’d probably not stay there, unless of course, you’ve found a lovely place outside of the town. We weren’t there nearly as long as you’re staying, but please do think about a few days in Matera. You won’t regret it. |
Originally Posted by progol
(Post 17438467)
Matera deserves a visit of several days. We were there for only 2 nights and I wish we had a third night. I loved Lecce and think that you’ll enjoy your stay there. We also loved Polignano a Mare.
I don’t know where you plan to stay in Alberobello. It’s a fun and interesting place to visit (trulli!), but it is such a tourist destination that I’d probably not stay there, unless of course, you’ve found a lovely place outside of the town. We weren’t there nearly as long as you’re staying, but please do think about a few days in Matera. You won’t regret it. |
Matera- read “Christ Stopped at Ebola” by Carlo Levi to understand the history of this town. The tragic stories of Matera were haunting and I had a difficult time moving on while there.
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Originally Posted by HappyTrvlr
(Post 17438475)
Matera- read “Christ Stopped at Ebola” by Carlo Levi to understand the history of this town. The tragic stories of Matera were haunting.
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Yo KB,
Below is our Puglia TR. It might have a tip or two. Sorry no photos yet. I am done. the end https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...-rome-1634280/ |
good time of year, not too hot
I'd stay in a B&B in Lecce in the old town. Locals are very proud of the area and they will tell you all you need to know. Parking is a bitch and the narrow streets are not for the feint/faint hearted. So, firstly get as small a car as you can live with, narrow streets and large cars do not mix. Do get AC for the car. AC for a modern building is important but for older buildings AC is less important as they were designed for the heat more. Ask your B&B owner where to park and they will give you advice how to park and how to find your may in. This is more interesting than staying in an international hotel on the outskirts or modern town. Many B&B have a roof top terrace, makes for lovely mornings and evenings. Do not expect Northern European standards of service or North American (you may find it but don't get upset if you don't). Just enter the experience with a more chilled attitude. You may prefer to use local trains to visit some of the towns from Lecce. Do not get put off by the outskirts of some of these towns looking a bit drab with graffiti and litter, the ancient centres are little pearls. |
I’m posting my trip report (which has a lot of photos) from our visit in 2021. We also stayed in Polignano in a quirky but delightful Airbnb and a very charming B&b in Lecce. We took day trips to some of the places you mention wanting to visit. We also stayed in Matera in one of the cave hotels. This might give you a sense of what you’ll be seeing.
I think I posted the links to the accommodations in my trip report, but in case you’re interested in any of them and I didn’t, let me know. https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...1704062/page3/ |
5 nights in Lecce - with day trips to Otranto and Gallipoli
4 nights in Alberobello - day trips to Locorotundo Martina Franca and Matera 5 nights in Polignani di Mare - day trips to Monopoli Ostuni 5 nights in Rome before flying home. I love the breakdown of four and five nights stays, but you might consider merging the Itria Valley and nearby coast stay so you can insert a stop in Matera. You can visit all of the places in your middle two stays from one location. I feel like Matera warrants an overnight (plus the drive for a day trip is longer). Lecce can be challenging to drive in and out of, but that is only because all of the other driving is so easy. Just lots of roundabouts. take it slow and you'll be fine. We stayed at Roof Barocco Suites twice, and they have dedicated parking. No washer though. We rented an apartment in Monopoli from HelloApulia, and they had some great apartments in Polignano too. https://www.helloapulia.com/it/ My apartment in Cisternino (w/ washer) was through AirBnB. In Matera, Torretta ai Sassi is fabulous--learned about that one here. |
We went last May and stayed just outside of Monopoli in a lovely agritorismo, Santo Stephano with Gisella Alba for a week and saw the vast majority of the places you mention, and then some. Those towns are small, it doesn't take long to visit many of them. With three weeks at your disposal, I'd recommend stretching your wings and seeing other areas. So many days in places that are very close, I don't know, I wouldn't. but that's me. Alberobello is overrun with tourists and kitchy shops. it's worth a day visit but after that.... Puglia is beautiful though and whatever you decide will make for a trip full of memories.
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Originally Posted by zebec
(Post 17438498)
Yo KB,
Below is our Puglia TR. It might have a tip or two. Sorry no photos yet. I am done. the end https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...-rome-1634280/ i have already read your fabulous trip report and have taken many notes! |
Originally Posted by bilboburgler
(Post 17438511)
good time of year, not too hot
I'd stay in a B&B in Lecce in the old town. Locals are very proud of the area and they will tell you all you need to know. Parking is a bitch and the narrow streets are not for the feint/faint hearted. So, firstly get as small a car as you can live with, narrow streets and large cars do not mix. Do get AC for the car. AC for a modern building is important but for older buildings AC is less important as they were designed for the heat more. Ask your B&B owner where to park and they will give you advice how to park and how to find your may in. This is more interesting than staying in an international hotel on the outskirts or modern town. Many B&B have a roof top terrace, makes for lovely mornings and evenings. Do not expect Northern European standards of service or North American (you may find it but don't get upset if you don't). Just enter the experience with a more chilled attitude. You may prefer to use local trains to visit some of the towns from Lecce. Do not get put off by the outskirts of some of these towns looking a bit drab with graffiti and litter, the ancient centres are little pearls. |
Originally Posted by progol
(Post 17438529)
I’m posting my trip report (which has a lot of photos) from our visit in 2021. We also stayed in Polignano in a quirky but delightful Airbnb and a very charming B&b in Lecce. We took day trips to some of the places you mention wanting to visit. We also stayed in Matera in one of the cave hotels. This might give you a sense of what you’ll be seeing.
I think I posted the links to the accommodations in my trip report, but in case you’re interested in any of them and I didn’t, let me know. https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...1704062/page3/ |
Originally Posted by yorkshire
(Post 17438562)
5 nights in Lecce - with day trips to Otranto and Gallipoli
4 nights in Alberobello - day trips to Locorotundo Martina Franca and Matera 5 nights in Polignani di Mare - day trips to Monopoli Ostuni 5 nights in Rome before flying home. I love the breakdown of four and five nights stays, but you might consider merging the Itria Valley and nearby coast stay so you can insert a stop in Matera. You can visit all of the places in your middle two stays from one location. I feel like Matera warrants an overnight (plus the drive for a day trip is longer). Lecce can be challenging to drive in and out of, but that is only because all of the other driving is so easy. Just lots of roundabouts. take it slow and you'll be fine. We stayed at Roof Barocco Suites twice, and they have dedicated parking. No washer though. We rented an apartment in Monopoli from HelloApulia, and they had some great apartments in Polignano too. https://www.helloapulia.com/it/ My apartment in Cisternino (w/ washer) was through AirBnB. In Matera, Torretta ai Sassi is fabulous--learned about that one here. |
Originally Posted by BlueRidgeboots
(Post 17438649)
We went last May and stayed just outside of Monopoli in a lovely agritorismo, Santo Stephano with Gisella Alba for a week and saw the vast majority of the places you mention, and then some. Those towns are small, it doesn't take long to visit many of them. With three weeks at your disposal, I'd recommend stretching your wings and seeing other areas. So many days in places that are very close, I don't know, I wouldn't. but that's me. Alberobello is overrun with tourists and kitchy shops. it's worth a day visit but after that.... Puglia is beautiful though and whatever you decide will make for a trip full of memories.
thanks again! |
Originally Posted by kaybee
(Post 17438679)
thank you BlueRidgeboots for your helpful comments. I am going to forego our stay in Alberobello and stay in Matera a few days instead.
thanks again! |
Glad you aren’t staying in Alberbello but do visit for a half day as it certainly is unique. I would not want to stay in Matera but do that as a day trip. Our visit there was focused on the horrid conditions the citizens who lived in the cave homes endured. It really was hard to get past that vision.
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