Thanks, eks and vito!
i've added both to my list!!

Now, Dina, don't forget that we need details of where you eat! I'll be following you on a return visit in September, so take extensive notes!!

Do you have the final itinerary yet? If so, can you post so we can dream?? (September feels like such a long way off right now)

i'm working on it.
The problem is i'm finding more restaurants instead of eliminating...

We start in Lecce -- we arrive by train around 2 and use that afternoon and evening to explore the city. Staying in PALAZZO PERSONNE.

Next day, we're going to have a big driving day, exploring the eastern Salento coast, having lunch, maybe see OTranto, maybe sit on a beach for a while, etc. Plan to end up that evening at LA RASCINA.

So with two nights at LA RASCINA, we have a full day and half to explore the nearby towns - Ostuni, Martina Franca, Cisterno, Locorotundo, Torre Canne, etc. They seem to be very close together.

After checking out of La Rascina, we will head to Matera for one night and stay in HOTEL L'PIETRA.

Then we will move on to LAMA DI LUNA for two nights. From there, we will visit Trani and (maybe) Castel del Monte.
Are there any nice beaches near Lama di Luna that you know of?

We then take the train from Bari to Rome. (or we may fly? not sure yet.)

It has been five years since I visited, but I remember vividly the antipasti in a restaurant directly below the Castel del Monte. It was full on a Thursday afternoon with Italian tourists, well I assumed they had travelled to visit the Castle as it exists in the most splendid isolation.
Slowtalk described it as pricey, I dont remember that but then antipasti was great - huge plates of local meats and cheeses, toasted bread and great reds.
I second the experience of Il Frantoio, and see if you can have a tour of the farm in the ancient car.
I miss the food so much, while I love Rome food there has never wowed me as in Puglia.

4 Dina4:

We loved Puglia and as it was said earlier, it's hard to find a bad meal there.

Rather than go thorugh my own list of restaurants here, I suggest you check out my web page on our trip to Puglia. All the memorable restaurants we ate at are described in full:

http://www.travel.stv77.com/puglia/puglia.htm

The Trani area does not have the reputation of having great beaches. This seems to be the recommended beach club in the immediate area:


http://www.marechiarotrani.it/

Typical scene along that coast:

http://albegor.smugmug.com/Vespatour...893417&k=vhXAA

And from the same set of photos (not my own) this is the scene of the landscape near Castel del Monte and Lama di Luna, just to give you an idea; in better weather you could see the city of Andria and the sea in the distance:


http://albegor.smugmug.com/Vespatour...hXAA#!p=3&n=20

Thanks so much. It's great to see the photos, eks. you really enjoyed your visit to castel del monte, right?

patricia, thanks for the restaurant tip. do you think that it would be easy to find? is there just one way up?

steve- i came across your blog a while ago and really enjoyed reading it!! i've already taken lots of notes.

SSSTEVE-- just found your web site blog of your puglia visit today-- it is so seriously good!!! thank you so much for sharing-- and only wish i'd found it earlier!!
kawh

KAWH:

Have you checked out the "mother page"? Lots more trips to Italy, and other places.
The link is at the bottom of the Puglia page (and below as well.)

http://www.travel.stv77.com/

Bookmarking.
After following dina to Istanbul, I may return to Puglia, inspired by her example and these great leads. Our Oct 2010 visit was one of my travel highlights of the last 20 years.

Dina: Yes to Castel del Monte. It is a pleasant drive to reach the castle, and I would guess that you should allot two hours total, which would include parking and taking the shuttle bus there and back, and seeing the site. do not miss the candy (confetti) store in the parking lot--a branch of one in Andria.

I would try to read up as much as you can before you arrive. I seem to remember that there are tours but getting one in English at the right time might be a challenge. I see on their site that restoration works were scheduled to begin in October, 2011, so you might want to check the progess. Keep in mind that they are open non stop so it is a good bet when other sights, shops, might be closed.


http://www.casteldelmonte.benicultur.../93/the-castle

Thanks for the tips. I have it in our plans.

Dina, I hope u will post reviews when u return. We'll be in the area in September, so looking forward to hearing what u have to say about the places u choose to eat.

I definitely will do a trip report!

Right now, I am focusing on some details....

***During our Salento coastal drive, I'm not sure if we should have lunch in Otranto or on the beach (at a beach club?) in Torre d'Orso, where I think we'll plan to spend a few hours relaxing.

Any ideas?? suggestions??

thanks...

Dina I wish I could help there. when I was at Torre del Orso, in mid September, the beach clubs were shuttered for the season and the town (which is tiny, modern and looked without much charm) also had a look of near abandonment.

Otranto has lots of possibilities but the one I would head for would be one that I've only peeked into, L'Altro Baffo. It seems to get very good online reports and was recommended by my hotel nearby. It is a very handsome place. Not on the water, though.

http://www.laltrobaffo.com/

I will also be looking for your reviews, because my next visit will also be in September!

Thanks!!! I'll check it out. Also curious which sites you like best for restaurant reviews. Chowhound? Tripadvisor?

For Italy, I do look at the TA listings but do not give that site much credence; I pay attention to the reviewer's history because once in a while (not often) you get someone who seems to have a similar food sensibility. I will look at TA reviews written in Italian, but again, make sure that the person has a reviewing history that looks like it syncs with my own style.

But I would NEVER rely solely on that TA site for restaurants or hotels. There seem to be a lot of fake hotel reviews, and many English-language restaurant reviews from visitors to Italy who are clueless in many ways regarding food and restaurants. "X restaurant was so terrible they did not even give us olive oil for dipping our bread!" "The menu said that the price of the fish was 15 euro but on the bill they charged us 35 euro..for ONE fish!!!" So obviously that person's review gets counted in the rankings and skews the whole thing.

I use Chowhound, and also contribute to that site.

I also Google the town and restaurant name, if I have it, and look at any online reviews on Italian sites; I can just manage to get the gist of the language.

I also look at eGullet (not my favorite), and LucianoPignataro (sometimes disappointing in his restaurant picks but great for all sorts of food and product information) as well as English-language blogs of expats in Italy like Katie Parla and others. Once in a while I take glance at SlowTrav.

And then there are these two, for starters:

http://espresso.repubblica.it/food/ristoranti

http://www.iltaccodibacco.it/ (for the South only)

And I have the Slowfood paper guides, and the Gambero Rosso Low Cost (in Italian), and the TCI guides for some regions. And of course the Cadogan and LP for Southern Italy.

I also get some good restaurant recommendations from cookbooks including, for Puglia, Nancy Harmon Jenkins' regional cookbook, which I highly recommend for background reading as well as some restaurant tips.
.
http://www.amazon.com/Flavors-Puglia.../dp/0553066757

And Lidia's Italy has some good but very limited Puglia info, and even some recipes from Antichi Sapori.

http://www.amazon.com/Lidias-Italy-S...2525129&sr=1-1

And of course, Fred Plotkin's culinary bible, and his regional food books. Note to Fred: time to do a real update of the Gourmet Traveler book.

And David Downie, for the regions that he covers, including Liguria and Rome.

Those are the ones I can think of offhand.

What you should be asking me is: Do you ever have time to do anything else other than buy, cook, and read about food!!

I'm amazed and impressed!!

wow, eks.
amazing.
yes, i don't imagine you have time for much else, but we are all very grateful for it!!