I'm looking for somewhere romantic for a wedding and Puglia always looks nice. Any suggestions?

Congratulations!

When I was in Puglia a few years ago, I thoroughly enjoyed a dinner at the Hotel Ristorante Grotta Palazzese, but I believe it has gotten some inconsistent reviews since then. Check it out though - the setting can't be beat!

http://www.grottapalazzese.it/it/home/

That same trip, I saw a wedding at the cathedral in Trani, and couldn't help but think how lovely it was.

Hope that helps!

Oh, and BTW, I hope you aren't thinking of a summer wedding. Even in early June, the area was sweltering!

Loved Puglia and it certainly had many beautiful sites. Just depends on your price range and what type of wedding. Check out where Justin Timberlake got married. We were in the lovely village and just happen to see the place -- gorgeous
http://www.helloonline.com/travel/20...edding-puglia/

I will share with you that I found Puglia generally quite unattractive. (Congrats on your wedding by the way!) Sure there are lovely crystalline waters along undeveloped beaches, but many of the beauty spots of Puglia exist cheek-by-jowl with what I would describe as "gas station" architecture, a lot of shabby 70s and 80s concrete and cheap stucco blocks. The stress of poverty is really quite pronounced in Puglia.

Add to this that once you are away from the blue coastline, Puglia is, in the main, relentlessly flat, with 60 million olive trees lined up in olive orchards. It is a monoculture industrial agriculture. Within this landscape there are luxury agriturismo that are kitted out in fine style. But they exist in isolation on the flat plain.

I would be especially concerned about picking a coastal location off season in an area that is dead except for July or August. Some of these places verge on abandoned off -season.

When I stayed at this masseria, it was hosting a wedding, and it was quite elegant within the grounds:

http://www.appide.it/

I stayed at this extraordinary country house in Canosa di Puglia, which hosts plenty of weddings

http://www.cefalicchio.it/

The only area of Puglia I found appealing was the somewhat hilly area, dotted with trulli, south of Locorotondo, encompassing Cisternino and Ceglie Messapica. (I have heard Alberobello is trulli-touristy to the max).

If I haven't dented your belief that Puglia is just the right kind of romantic landscape for your wedding -- and I don't wish to, just sharing my reactions -- then I would only suggest that if you are planning on inviting international guests, that you might want to stay within easy reach of Bari airport or Brindisi airport, by private transfer or public transportation.

I found Puglia very pretty during a long visit there a few years ago. Yes to Brindisi and Bari airports.

I was looking at Martina Franca, Ostuni, Gioai del colle or Manduria but open to other suggestions.

I was thinking June or early July as we found that the weather up on the Murge was reasonable and if staying in old buildings the heat would be moderated.

While the romance is high on my target list, I see that as only a little technical matter we have to fit in between, being with friends and family, doing a cookery course, wine tasting and some great alfresco dining. I broke the idea to Mrs Bilbo last night and she was pretty excited.

The whole Timberlake thing almost put me off Puglia completely but the tax man calls and so action must be taken.

I'll look at your links and come back, any more ideas.

http://www.cefalicchio.it/ looks the right sort of thing or perhaps a smaller masseria with some extra rooms relatively close by. We are working on a list (in the 10 to 16 numbers) and some of our visitors will be popping by from other parts of the world, right now but I can imagine not every one of our guests will want to spend 7 days with us so I'd like to "turnover" our guests but alternative nearby rooms would allow us to flex the visitor numbers while still having a core centre. Still maybe a larger hotel might do..

The Appide masseria is very close to Manduria and it is actually quite extensive -- I think perhaps larger when it comes to accommodations than Cefalicchio (whose nearest town is Canosa di Puglia, where the historic main church was performing a wedding when I was there).

I don't know how costs creep up, but I believe Martina Franca has a "diffuse" hotel (I forget the name) and it might solve a problem for some people who would rather not rent a car. A place like Cefalicchio would probably offer to pick up some people at the airport, but you'd all be quite stuck there. No place reachable without a car. Energetic people staying at Appide could get on bikes and go by foot into Cornigliano d'Otranto -- but it is a somewhat limited town.

Something else you might consider is having the wedding in Bitonto, which has a marvelous central piazza. There are several b&bs in town and one special luxury hotel that also hosts weddings, plus Bitonto is so close to Bari (connected by a 10 minute train ride), your guests could stay there, and even at the airport (which is also quite close by) if need be.

http://www.palazzoanticaviaappia.it/

http://www.bed-and-breakfast-in-ital...o&IDregione=13

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sherat...?propertyID=28

Here are some fotos of Bitonto from the commune's website

http://bitonto.virtualtouring.it/index_e.htm

Hi, Think Puglia has some beautiful Masserie that can be rented in their entirety for weddings. If you take the Masseria for the week we can organise wedding parties there for you and your group. Have a look at http://www.thinkpuglia.com/think-exp...in-puglia.aspx

In particular, Villa Elia is great for a wedding party. It sleeps 17 and has two other villas, Casa Elia and Villa San vincenzo within walking distance. Providing accommodation for up to 16 further guests if required.

Thanks Huw, "loads of money"
Any more ideas guys?

I would pick a location and then search for Masserias nearby -- there are tons of beautiful ones in various price ranges.

if you want another address, have a look at Castello Monaci http://www.castellomonaci.com/castello/en/ in Salice Salentino, in the middle of hundreds of vineyards!

fabio, what a splendid palace, probably a bit big for 10 to 20 people but an amazing site. The other advantage is it is near to the Salentino wine area.

A few ideas based on place I've stayed on various trips to the region:

1. San Teodoro Nuovo, near Bernalda, just over the Pugliese border in Basilicata. There was a wedding there during our visit last September and we had a good look. The original manor house is a glorious place for a wedding. (Note that although Justin Timerberlake had his wedding party at Borgo Egnazia, a newly constructed hotel complex outside Savelletri, he and his party stayed in Palazzo Margherita, the new Coppola hotel in Bernalda.)


http://www.santeodoronuovo.com/


2. Don Cirillo near Ugento in Salento. Gorgeous grounds; romantic rooftop penthouse suite with private terrace would be ideal for honeymooners.

http://www.charmingpuglia.com/en/mas...n-cirillo.html