Sorrento, Matera, and Puglia in May 2026
May 24th, 2026 | 09:30 AM
#21
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,391
Likes: 0
One of the highlights of my stay in Sorrento was a visit to an exhibition of intarsia (inland wood prices formed into scenes) wood sculptures, and photography was being held inside a glorious centuries-old church. The photographer is Raffaele Celentano and I spent two hours admiring his mostly black and white photos of life in Italy during the past few decades. It was here that I made my only "important" purchase, a photo I fell in love with: (135 euro)
https://www.raffaelecelentano.com/ar...tti-a-sorrento
https://www.raffaelecelentano.com
During and after choosing my photograph, I spent a long time chatting with Jenny, a UK native who has lived in Sorrento for about 25 years. She came to the city on vacation with her mother met a handsome local waiter, ..moved here, married, had three children.... the rest I'll leave to your imagination!!!!
I had a great time sharing tales and tribulations of marriage to a foreigner from a very different culture.....no wonder I never have ample time for conventional sightseeing!!
It was late as afternoon by the time I returned to the hotel...and redid myself for our last dinner--at LIEVE.
After four nights at our dreamy hotel in Sorrento, we set off with a driver from ALDO LIMO, the company that gave me the best rate for the three-hour-plus transfer to our next stop, Matera, where we were booked for two nights at what might be the most unique hotel in Italy, and where we had stayed in 2023. There is a connection by train but at this point, my partner cannot manage this, and so we splurged on a private transfer and, once again,I had a chance to chat about many different topics and brush up on my very poor spoken Italian.....after all, the driver was a captive audience, but he took it all in great stride and I highly recommend this company for transfers in Campania and beyond.
The drive was interesting, , with a stop outside Potenza at an AutoGrill, which must have been one of the ugly sisters of of the family of these roadside rest stops... Forget the grand AutoGrills in Tuscany and Emilia Romagna..forget Stanly Tucci's pasta extravaganza near Bologna--this was more reminiscent of a rest stop on I-95 on the US east coast....puny sandwiches under a salamander , bags of chips and nondescript candy bars.....plenty of plastic beach toys for kids....but the rest rooms,, in fact the whole place, gleamed, I imagine the coffee was good...we were out of there in about 5 minutes, arriving at our Matera hotel in the sassi well before 4pm.
If our hotel in Sorrento epitomized the elegant hostelries of the Grand Tour, our Matera abode represented a very improved approximation of the dismal living conditions endured by the residents of the caves in the sassi of this town, immortalized by Carlo Levi in his now-famous book and the resulting film by Carlo Rossi, CHRIST STOPPED AT EBOLI. This is required reading, and viewing, for anyone who desires an understanding of the conditions in the South well into the middle of the last century. If you want to read one book about the Mezzogiorno, read this one, and/or see the gripping film, a classic of Italian cinema with Gian Maria Volonte in the role of Carlo Levi: I do not think that you can grasp Matra without seeing the film, or reading the book--or both.
https://www.parchiletterari.com/park...o.php?ID=05997
Imagine the contadini packed into their hovels in the sassi, at the same time that the elites on their rounds of the Grand Tour were lounging on their terraces and gazing at Vesuvius. Of course we can take this further...but this is not the time or the place, so....
Although staying in a luxury hotel seems incongruous after reading the history of Matera, SEXTANTIO LE GROTTA DELLA CIVITA is one of the most exceptional properties I've experienced anywhere in the world.
I wrote about our stay in 2023 in an earlier report,, and there is much information online about the genesis of this property and the tale how it came to fruition. There are endless 'cave hotels" in Matera but I do not think that there is any that comes close in philosophy or in execution, to this one. However, think three times about staying here--or anywhere in the sassi-- if you are mobility compromised as is my partner. If that is the case, I would recommend staying in the very attractive upper town of Matera which gets little online coverage, but is well worth exploring in its own right. If I were to return for a longer stay,I would lodge up there, above the sassi....
Here are a few few photos of this exceptional hotel:
Common room
Breakfast room......
Our bathroom..there was a deep tub in the main bedroom area...make sure to bring a flashlight if you book here..there are candles and a few lamps but it's pretty dark....
Exterior of our room, #2, one of the easiest to aces but still requiring ascent and descent of steep steps to the entry
Exterior of hotel breakfast area
Snails feasting on cactus outside hotel.....why???
Bedroom #2..one of the most accessible rooms, but floors are uneven and there are slopes an steps throughout the room.....you must take much care...lighting is dim..
Steps ascending to rooms..after the ascent, there is a shorter descent to our room, and the breakfast area..,.
Matera
Matera
https://www.raffaelecelentano.com/ar...tti-a-sorrento
https://www.raffaelecelentano.com
During and after choosing my photograph, I spent a long time chatting with Jenny, a UK native who has lived in Sorrento for about 25 years. She came to the city on vacation with her mother met a handsome local waiter, ..moved here, married, had three children.... the rest I'll leave to your imagination!!!!
I had a great time sharing tales and tribulations of marriage to a foreigner from a very different culture.....no wonder I never have ample time for conventional sightseeing!!
It was late as afternoon by the time I returned to the hotel...and redid myself for our last dinner--at LIEVE.
After four nights at our dreamy hotel in Sorrento, we set off with a driver from ALDO LIMO, the company that gave me the best rate for the three-hour-plus transfer to our next stop, Matera, where we were booked for two nights at what might be the most unique hotel in Italy, and where we had stayed in 2023. There is a connection by train but at this point, my partner cannot manage this, and so we splurged on a private transfer and, once again,I had a chance to chat about many different topics and brush up on my very poor spoken Italian.....after all, the driver was a captive audience, but he took it all in great stride and I highly recommend this company for transfers in Campania and beyond.
The drive was interesting, , with a stop outside Potenza at an AutoGrill, which must have been one of the ugly sisters of of the family of these roadside rest stops... Forget the grand AutoGrills in Tuscany and Emilia Romagna..forget Stanly Tucci's pasta extravaganza near Bologna--this was more reminiscent of a rest stop on I-95 on the US east coast....puny sandwiches under a salamander , bags of chips and nondescript candy bars.....plenty of plastic beach toys for kids....but the rest rooms,, in fact the whole place, gleamed, I imagine the coffee was good...we were out of there in about 5 minutes, arriving at our Matera hotel in the sassi well before 4pm.
If our hotel in Sorrento epitomized the elegant hostelries of the Grand Tour, our Matera abode represented a very improved approximation of the dismal living conditions endured by the residents of the caves in the sassi of this town, immortalized by Carlo Levi in his now-famous book and the resulting film by Carlo Rossi, CHRIST STOPPED AT EBOLI. This is required reading, and viewing, for anyone who desires an understanding of the conditions in the South well into the middle of the last century. If you want to read one book about the Mezzogiorno, read this one, and/or see the gripping film, a classic of Italian cinema with Gian Maria Volonte in the role of Carlo Levi: I do not think that you can grasp Matra without seeing the film, or reading the book--or both.
https://www.parchiletterari.com/park...o.php?ID=05997
Imagine the contadini packed into their hovels in the sassi, at the same time that the elites on their rounds of the Grand Tour were lounging on their terraces and gazing at Vesuvius. Of course we can take this further...but this is not the time or the place, so....
Although staying in a luxury hotel seems incongruous after reading the history of Matera, SEXTANTIO LE GROTTA DELLA CIVITA is one of the most exceptional properties I've experienced anywhere in the world.
I wrote about our stay in 2023 in an earlier report,, and there is much information online about the genesis of this property and the tale how it came to fruition. There are endless 'cave hotels" in Matera but I do not think that there is any that comes close in philosophy or in execution, to this one. However, think three times about staying here--or anywhere in the sassi-- if you are mobility compromised as is my partner. If that is the case, I would recommend staying in the very attractive upper town of Matera which gets little online coverage, but is well worth exploring in its own right. If I were to return for a longer stay,I would lodge up there, above the sassi....
Here are a few few photos of this exceptional hotel:
Common room
Breakfast room......
Our bathroom..there was a deep tub in the main bedroom area...make sure to bring a flashlight if you book here..there are candles and a few lamps but it's pretty dark....
Exterior of our room, #2, one of the easiest to aces but still requiring ascent and descent of steep steps to the entry
Exterior of hotel breakfast area
Snails feasting on cactus outside hotel.....why???
Bedroom #2..one of the most accessible rooms, but floors are uneven and there are slopes an steps throughout the room.....you must take much care...lighting is dim..
Steps ascending to rooms..after the ascent, there is a shorter descent to our room, and the breakfast area..,.
Matera
Matera
Last edited by ekscrunchy; May 24th, 2026 at 10:18 AM.
May 24th, 2026 | 10:23 AM
#22
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,391
Likes: 0
We had two stupendous dinners here; I think Matera, for its' size, is one of the best food cities in the south.
And I had an unforgettable experience of kindness that began in a supermarket in the Upper Town, which I will recount, as soon as I manage to fully charge this laptop.....
View across the gorge, from front of our hotel
The legendary pane di Matera on view outside a bakery....I once brought an entire loaf home with me, in a carry-on devoted only to bread and taralli...
And I had an unforgettable experience of kindness that began in a supermarket in the Upper Town, which I will recount, as soon as I manage to fully charge this laptop.....
View across the gorge, from front of our hotel
The legendary pane di Matera on view outside a bakery....I once brought an entire loaf home with me, in a carry-on devoted only to bread and taralli...
May 24th, 2026 | 10:32 AM
#23
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,391
Likes: 0
Hotel in Matera..worth reading more about this place even if you do not stay here; they now have two other properties, one in Abruzzo, the original,, and now one in Rwanda:
https://www.sextantio.it/en/legrottedellacivita/matera/
https://www.sextantio.it/en/legrottedellacivita/matera/
May 24th, 2026 | 10:04 PM
#25
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,391
Likes: 0
SusanP: We both loved the hotel and thought it was worth both the price, and the hurdles, to stay there a second time, but we did pick our way around very slowly and with a lot of care. I don't think I would want to stay there (in my condition!) for more than two or three nights. My partner could not walk around at all in Matera--we had to take a taxi to and from the first restaurant, STANO, just above the sassi. We managed to walk to the second restaurant, at the edge of the sassi, he using his cane, only a 15-minute walk, but he had to call a taxi to get back. (I walked back, and managed to get lost!). it's far more atmospheric to stay in a cave room in the sassi, but one needs to take are, as some of the "cave' hotels are not nearly as comfortable (or expensive) as this one. for anyone with limited mobility, the preferred location might be in the very attractive upper town, close to the steps or avenue leading downhill. And from there, the view, especially at night, is as magical as they come.
I'd consider renting a flat in Matera's upper town for a few weeks. An hour from Bari Airport (unless you get a flat tire, as e did yesterday!!) and close to the coast and other winning towns including Tursi, Altamura, Gravina, and Pisticci, this town has all one would need, includling hikes to the Rupestiran churches and into the gentle hills..
.. One of these days I MUST enroll in a short Italian course, and I might add Matera on my list of possible locations. (I'd better do this soon--how many more trips to italy do I have left??). I do have a fairly decent understanding of the basics, when's I'm spoken to, but I want to learn to converse at least the basics....at this point all I have is a messy mash-up of Spanish with a few Italian words, badly pronounced, thrown in......this fools some of the people, some of the time into thinking that I can actually speak the language. But not for long!!
Returning to th mobility issue". This is why we now take these type of trips--staying in good, very comfortable hotels so Jeffrey can be happy staying back when emerge for my wanderings. It's not easy to grow older!! He was advised to have a shoulder replacement 25 years ago ("bone on bone") but, fearful of the surgery, and of the long recovery while he was still working, he declined the doctor's advice. The result is that he is in almost constant, and often excruciating, pain......not to mention the back and leg problems!! And the beginnings of Parkinsons!!
But we are here!!!! But it's sad to think that he might never again be able to explore one of the great big cities, like we did in the past...it's more of resort-type vacations now, in hotels we would never of dreamed of staying in 20 years ago.....but I can't complain--not for one second. I have been so fortunate as I caught the travel bug from Dad and am still in decent enough shape to continue..for as long as I possibly can....sometimes with Jeff and now, sometimes alone...
Every day I'm aware of how happy I feel here.....I dream of being able to spend more time in Europe, maybe renting an apartment next spring for a base for exploration..... If only I could figure out a way for Jeff to be able to watch his beloved Yankees whlle in Italy,,,, he might even agree to embark on what would be a new experience for us... But.......he will be 82 this summer, so......... no guarantees, for any of us.
Before I write about two exceptional Matera restaurants, I will relate a story illustrating "the kindness os strangers:."
On the morning of our full day in Matera, I walked up what seemed like 20 flights of steps, taking the "short cut" to the upper town to reach a supermarket. (There are three routes to get to the upper town from our..and other-- hotel(s) at the bottom of the sassi----two are long and flat, winding uphill around the edges of the sassi districts in either direction; the third route is shorter and more direct,, but involves many steps and the steps do not all have handrails) I took the shorter route, with steps. Many steps!!
The selection of local foods at SUPER EMME was great!! Bags of Senise peppers, jars of their local bean and grain soup, the oddly named "crapiata", bags of dried beans and grains, cookies, etc. I assembled quite an array and I shuddered, envisioning how grueling the walk back down those steps would be, carrying three heavy bags, plus my shoulder purse.
When I reached the cashier, I asked if they might deliver to my hotel. (Small shops in Spain often do this at no charge..but this, of course, as Matera!).
Much back and forth in dialect, between cashier and manager--- the eventual answer was "no, so sorry Signora, not possible"
I steeled myself for the walk.
The fashionably dressed woman waiting just behind me in line, told me not to worry..she would help me. (???). And then, Victoria proceeded to lead me a block or two to the lot where she parks her Carr on trips to town....we, loaded our bags into the trunk, and were off, with Victoria at the wheel, on a driving tour through the "new" town and down into the sassi, right to the entrance to the steps leading to my hotel!!!
All the way she told me her story--- born in Lecce, moved to Matera when her father got a position with a water filtration company tasked to clean up the polluted Ionian Sea close to Metaponto (now a popular beach resort town and eminent archaeological site)....
Victoria's parents have passed,, but she lives, and loves living in, the sassi of Matera! We parted, each with the other's contact numbers, and plans to meet again in Matera, or in New York.
Other than that expedition, and another early evening walk, I lounged around the hotel; there are great views across the gorge from the chairs and tables outside,where guests (Italian, French, German, Chinese, and American) linger over drinks and snacks.
There is even a Michelin-starred restaurant, VITANTONIO LOMBARDO, just a few steps from the hotel, but it seemed foolish, and just wrong, to indulge in that kind of curated meal when the more rustic eateries of Matera are so abundant, and so terrific. I do think that, inch for inch, Matera must be one of the best eating cities of the South.
It was SO DIFFICULT to choose from so many options, but I knew I wanted to return to TRATTORIA STANO, and I chose our second restaurant, DA NICO, from the list in the SLOW FOOD OSTERIE D'ITALIA guide.
Section of local products at SUPEREMME, Via Ridola, Matera
I bought strands of these dried peppers directly from the farmer in Sense, on our most recent visit in 2023, but these are already de-seeded, fried, and salted for immediate use as snacks or in the pasta dishes typical of this part of Basilicata, and parts of northern Puglia
My angel, Victoria, who drove me, and my heavy bags, back to my hotel after our driving tour of "new" Matera and the two sassi districts
Sculpture in bronze; Matera has quite a few galleries; many artists live here, working in different mediums
The main avenue winding around the base of the sassi districts..paved with marble blocks, it winds uphill in two directions to the newer, upper part of the city. I took this pic on the walk from SEXTANTIO to DA NICO on our second and final night in town
My favorite of many cakes which formed only a small part of the lextensive breakfast buffet at the SEXTANTIO hotel.
We arrived too late on our first morning, so all of the crostata di amarena had been devoured and all tha t remained were there empty plates. The kind kitchen ladies (remembering how I loved this black cherry crostata last time) boxed up an entire cake, in slices, for me to devour on our second morning, and to bring the remainder along to our next stop, in Puglia.. This is a shortbread crust with black cherry jam. Cherries are just reaching markets now but those available now have been grown in greenhouses; sweet and juicy, but Ive been advised that the best are yet to come!!!
I'd consider renting a flat in Matera's upper town for a few weeks. An hour from Bari Airport (unless you get a flat tire, as e did yesterday!!) and close to the coast and other winning towns including Tursi, Altamura, Gravina, and Pisticci, this town has all one would need, includling hikes to the Rupestiran churches and into the gentle hills..
.. One of these days I MUST enroll in a short Italian course, and I might add Matera on my list of possible locations. (I'd better do this soon--how many more trips to italy do I have left??). I do have a fairly decent understanding of the basics, when's I'm spoken to, but I want to learn to converse at least the basics....at this point all I have is a messy mash-up of Spanish with a few Italian words, badly pronounced, thrown in......this fools some of the people, some of the time into thinking that I can actually speak the language. But not for long!!
Returning to th mobility issue". This is why we now take these type of trips--staying in good, very comfortable hotels so Jeffrey can be happy staying back when emerge for my wanderings. It's not easy to grow older!! He was advised to have a shoulder replacement 25 years ago ("bone on bone") but, fearful of the surgery, and of the long recovery while he was still working, he declined the doctor's advice. The result is that he is in almost constant, and often excruciating, pain......not to mention the back and leg problems!! And the beginnings of Parkinsons!!
But we are here!!!! But it's sad to think that he might never again be able to explore one of the great big cities, like we did in the past...it's more of resort-type vacations now, in hotels we would never of dreamed of staying in 20 years ago.....but I can't complain--not for one second. I have been so fortunate as I caught the travel bug from Dad and am still in decent enough shape to continue..for as long as I possibly can....sometimes with Jeff and now, sometimes alone...
Every day I'm aware of how happy I feel here.....I dream of being able to spend more time in Europe, maybe renting an apartment next spring for a base for exploration..... If only I could figure out a way for Jeff to be able to watch his beloved Yankees whlle in Italy,,,, he might even agree to embark on what would be a new experience for us... But.......he will be 82 this summer, so......... no guarantees, for any of us.
Before I write about two exceptional Matera restaurants, I will relate a story illustrating "the kindness os strangers:."
On the morning of our full day in Matera, I walked up what seemed like 20 flights of steps, taking the "short cut" to the upper town to reach a supermarket. (There are three routes to get to the upper town from our..and other-- hotel(s) at the bottom of the sassi----two are long and flat, winding uphill around the edges of the sassi districts in either direction; the third route is shorter and more direct,, but involves many steps and the steps do not all have handrails) I took the shorter route, with steps. Many steps!!
The selection of local foods at SUPER EMME was great!! Bags of Senise peppers, jars of their local bean and grain soup, the oddly named "crapiata", bags of dried beans and grains, cookies, etc. I assembled quite an array and I shuddered, envisioning how grueling the walk back down those steps would be, carrying three heavy bags, plus my shoulder purse.
When I reached the cashier, I asked if they might deliver to my hotel. (Small shops in Spain often do this at no charge..but this, of course, as Matera!).
Much back and forth in dialect, between cashier and manager--- the eventual answer was "no, so sorry Signora, not possible"
I steeled myself for the walk.
The fashionably dressed woman waiting just behind me in line, told me not to worry..she would help me. (???). And then, Victoria proceeded to lead me a block or two to the lot where she parks her Carr on trips to town....we, loaded our bags into the trunk, and were off, with Victoria at the wheel, on a driving tour through the "new" town and down into the sassi, right to the entrance to the steps leading to my hotel!!!
All the way she told me her story--- born in Lecce, moved to Matera when her father got a position with a water filtration company tasked to clean up the polluted Ionian Sea close to Metaponto (now a popular beach resort town and eminent archaeological site)....
Victoria's parents have passed,, but she lives, and loves living in, the sassi of Matera! We parted, each with the other's contact numbers, and plans to meet again in Matera, or in New York.
Other than that expedition, and another early evening walk, I lounged around the hotel; there are great views across the gorge from the chairs and tables outside,where guests (Italian, French, German, Chinese, and American) linger over drinks and snacks.
There is even a Michelin-starred restaurant, VITANTONIO LOMBARDO, just a few steps from the hotel, but it seemed foolish, and just wrong, to indulge in that kind of curated meal when the more rustic eateries of Matera are so abundant, and so terrific. I do think that, inch for inch, Matera must be one of the best eating cities of the South.
It was SO DIFFICULT to choose from so many options, but I knew I wanted to return to TRATTORIA STANO, and I chose our second restaurant, DA NICO, from the list in the SLOW FOOD OSTERIE D'ITALIA guide.
Section of local products at SUPEREMME, Via Ridola, Matera
I bought strands of these dried peppers directly from the farmer in Sense, on our most recent visit in 2023, but these are already de-seeded, fried, and salted for immediate use as snacks or in the pasta dishes typical of this part of Basilicata, and parts of northern Puglia
My angel, Victoria, who drove me, and my heavy bags, back to my hotel after our driving tour of "new" Matera and the two sassi districts
Sculpture in bronze; Matera has quite a few galleries; many artists live here, working in different mediums
The main avenue winding around the base of the sassi districts..paved with marble blocks, it winds uphill in two directions to the newer, upper part of the city. I took this pic on the walk from SEXTANTIO to DA NICO on our second and final night in town
My favorite of many cakes which formed only a small part of the lextensive breakfast buffet at the SEXTANTIO hotel.
We arrived too late on our first morning, so all of the crostata di amarena had been devoured and all tha t remained were there empty plates. The kind kitchen ladies (remembering how I loved this black cherry crostata last time) boxed up an entire cake, in slices, for me to devour on our second morning, and to bring the remainder along to our next stop, in Puglia.. This is a shortbread crust with black cherry jam. Cherries are just reaching markets now but those available now have been grown in greenhouses; sweet and juicy, but Ive been advised that the best are yet to come!!!
May 25th, 2026 | 09:23 AM
#26
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,404
Likes: 0
ek, I completely understand the age issue! I have had arthritic knees for many years. A knee replacement ten years ago made walking and doing stairs a lot easier, although I'm not quick or nimble! My main issue now is balance, due to a tumor in my ear canal. Even though most of it has been removed, there is some lingering trouble with balance. No problem walking, but on stairs I really need a railing (or the side of a building), not to hang on for dear life, just something to touch for a little balance. Pictures of Matera show way too many stairs with no railing!
May 25th, 2026 | 09:25 AM
#27
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,391
Likes: 0
We had two exceptional dinners in Matera: The first was a repeat restaurant, TRATTORIA STANO, which we had loved last time. Both STANO, and our second restaurant, DA NICO, are listed in the SlowFood Osterie Guide, a very good source for eating outside the towns and cities more popular with first time travelers.
I've come to believe that Matera is one of the unsung food meccas of southern Italy; the choices are endless and it was difficult to choose, with so many tempting options. But we did very well! Or, better than "well!!"
TRATTORIA STANO, a bit of a walk (we had to take a taxi from the hotel, there and back, with each ride costing about 12 euro for a fairly short distance)...prices have risen in recent years but are nowhere at the astronomical heights of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.
One of several pages on the menu at STANO; when we directed the taxi driver to bring us there, he told us that we had made a good choice, as this was one of the best restaurants in Matera; he seemed surprised that we knew about it, and had dined there before
The legendary bread of Matera, which vies with Altamura as the "capitale di pane" of Italy..(Lazio and Abruzzo get a few votes)
Mixed antipasti: from left clockwise: fried mozzarella; fried ricotta (I've died and gone to heaven with this); fried lampascioni (hyacinth bulbs, a Basilicata and Pugliese delicacy
fried, tender baccalá; zucchini flower stuffed with ricotta and fried and, in the center, the pepperoni cruschi di Senise. The frying technique was miraculous....crispy but not at all greasy..I must get myself into a local kitchen to observe while I am in the area...
THE quintessential dish of the "cucina povera" of inland Basilicata and Puglia....pureed fava beans topped with boiled chicory (or any dark green, in season.). We have fallen in love with this dish and I bought a few bags of dried and peeled fave to bring home, as the best brands are not easy to find in my local markets..more about this if anyone is interested...
Streamlined contemporary interior of STANO...
I've come to believe that Matera is one of the unsung food meccas of southern Italy; the choices are endless and it was difficult to choose, with so many tempting options. But we did very well! Or, better than "well!!"
TRATTORIA STANO, a bit of a walk (we had to take a taxi from the hotel, there and back, with each ride costing about 12 euro for a fairly short distance)...prices have risen in recent years but are nowhere at the astronomical heights of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.
One of several pages on the menu at STANO; when we directed the taxi driver to bring us there, he told us that we had made a good choice, as this was one of the best restaurants in Matera; he seemed surprised that we knew about it, and had dined there before
The legendary bread of Matera, which vies with Altamura as the "capitale di pane" of Italy..(Lazio and Abruzzo get a few votes)
Mixed antipasti: from left clockwise: fried mozzarella; fried ricotta (I've died and gone to heaven with this); fried lampascioni (hyacinth bulbs, a Basilicata and Pugliese delicacy
fried, tender baccalá; zucchini flower stuffed with ricotta and fried and, in the center, the pepperoni cruschi di Senise. The frying technique was miraculous....crispy but not at all greasy..I must get myself into a local kitchen to observe while I am in the area...THE quintessential dish of the "cucina povera" of inland Basilicata and Puglia....pureed fava beans topped with boiled chicory (or any dark green, in season.). We have fallen in love with this dish and I bought a few bags of dried and peeled fave to bring home, as the best brands are not easy to find in my local markets..more about this if anyone is interested...
Streamlined contemporary interior of STANO...
May 25th, 2026 | 10:03 AM
#28
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,855
Likes: 0
(email received by Eks in past hour)
"Dear Ms Ekscrunchy di Manhattan,
We here at the hotel Sextantio hope that you enjoyed your recent stay with us. It was our honor to host you both. How wonderful it is your mayacura photograph! Grazie for mentioning us in in your travel story.
So, I must commence with an additional note now. Our cleaning staff found a number of items left behind in your room. Those things confused us. There was a riding crop (even though you did not arrive by horse), plus a variety of leather items.
Our assistant manager Ms. Santedicola has made the wise guess that you are probably a leather fashion sales representative for a Milano firm. Mind you, that would not explain the chains.
In any case, we would be glad to forward these forgotten things to your next port of call.
yours in travel
Sr. Giuseppe Giordano"
"Dear Ms Ekscrunchy di Manhattan,
We here at the hotel Sextantio hope that you enjoyed your recent stay with us. It was our honor to host you both. How wonderful it is your mayacura photograph! Grazie for mentioning us in in your travel story.
So, I must commence with an additional note now. Our cleaning staff found a number of items left behind in your room. Those things confused us. There was a riding crop (even though you did not arrive by horse), plus a variety of leather items.
Our assistant manager Ms. Santedicola has made the wise guess that you are probably a leather fashion sales representative for a Milano firm. Mind you, that would not explain the chains.
In any case, we would be glad to forward these forgotten things to your next port of call.
yours in travel
Sr. Giuseppe Giordano"
May 25th, 2026 | 10:53 AM
#30
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,840
Likes: 0
“Every day I'm aware of how happy I feel here.....I dream of being able to spend more time in Europe, maybe renting an apartment next spring for a base for exploration..... If only I could figure out a way for Jeff to be able to watch his beloved Yankees whlle in Italy,,,, he might even agree to embark on what would be a new experience for us... But.......he will be 82 this summer, so......... no guarantees, for any of us.”
When we were going to Europe twice a year my very sports obsessed husband was able to watch most sporting events on his computer. I think the mlb has an app where you can watch games. Time difference was usually the biggest problem. In Santa Barbara my husband still uses the mlb app and watches SF Giants games that way.
When we were going to Europe twice a year my very sports obsessed husband was able to watch most sporting events on his computer. I think the mlb has an app where you can watch games. Time difference was usually the biggest problem. In Santa Barbara my husband still uses the mlb app and watches SF Giants games that way.
May 25th, 2026 | 05:18 PM
#31
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,583
Likes: 0
“Every day I'm aware of how happy I feel here.....I dream of being able to spend more time in Europe, maybe renting an apartment next spring for a base for exploration..... If only I could figure out a way for Jeff to be able to watch his beloved Yankees whlle in Italy,,,, he might even agree to embark on what would be a new experience for us... But.......he will be 82 this summer, so......... no guarantees, for any of us.”
When we were going to Europe twice a year my very sports obsessed husband was able to watch most sporting events on his computer. I think the mlb has an app where you can watch games. Time difference was usually the biggest problem. In Santa Barbara my husband still uses the mlb app and watches SF Giants games that way.
When we were going to Europe twice a year my very sports obsessed husband was able to watch most sporting events on his computer. I think the mlb has an app where you can watch games. Time difference was usually the biggest problem. In Santa Barbara my husband still uses the mlb app and watches SF Giants games that way.
May 26th, 2026 | 01:02 AM
#34
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 948
Likes: 28
Enjoying your TR-Matera is truly unique. Staying in a sassi dwelling is indeed an unmissable experience, though we did find something easier on the budget than Sextantio 
As vegetarians, we ate memorable meals at Trattoria Caveoso and La Lopa. Interesting that the Matera cuisine is actually simple peasant's fare - with such basic ingredients like breadcrumbs and crushed pepper heroing every other dish!
As vegetarians, we ate memorable meals at Trattoria Caveoso and La Lopa. Interesting that the Matera cuisine is actually simple peasant's fare - with such basic ingredients like breadcrumbs and crushed pepper heroing every other dish!
May 26th, 2026 | 04:32 AM
#35
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,391
Likes: 0
Zebec: What a pathetic attempt to sour my reputation.....I didn't hear you complaining much during our "playtime" with the implements in question! So sorry if I took pity on you and, despite your pleading, did not use the. toys with my full strength. To my other, more grateful clients, do not fear, as my entire repertoire of "fun stuff" has arrived here in Puglia, and here I give thanks so Sr. Giordano for forwarding my items in a nondescript brown carton...
Anuj: Puglia, and Basilicata, and I think the entire south, is a paradise for vegetarians....the food here seems to be getting better and better with each passing day!
As usual, I am falling ay behind on this report...it's been days since we left Matera, so here is the list dinner, another "winner!' at DA NICO, which I found in the SlowFood guide. We were able to walk there from the hotel, but my partner asked the restaurant to phone a taxi for his return...I walked home and managed to get a little lost trying to find the entrance to the hotel! Like everywhere else, the taxi meter begins running when the taxi leaves the rank; so this short ride cost him about 12 euro, I think.
I should also mention that Matera (and Sorrento as well) felt totally safe; even walking alone in the dark I had not one iota of fear. I carried my regular handbag, the one I use at home, no money belt or other contraption (I really hate those things but I know many travelers find them very helpful)
Once again, I brought FAR too many clothes! No surprise there, though. Well, as Zebec will tell you, I do need to don special outfits to please certain clients...(this is. silly joke directed at Zebe..)
DA NICO, on the main avenue ringing the bottom of the sassi:
Lovely restaurant; the staff could not have been kinder. We had two superlative pastas. I rarely order pork in Italy but could not resist the filet of "suino" with a sauce made from Aglianico wine and black cherry jam (!!).
Fusillone with creamy sauce of Podolico cheese and cruschii peppers...dreamy! I finished the entire plate.
Blurry photo of partner's Orecchiette with meat and tomato ragu...
Side dish of braised, sweet red onions....
Outstanding filetto di suino with wine and black cherry sauce....we ate every morsel of this meal....! A welcoming restaurant with great food....I'd say it's "essential" but there are so many great spots in this city, it's so difficult to choose just a few
Mention in the 2026 SlowFood Osterie guide--always an indication of a solid restaurant with fair pricing. Some great restaurants that we loved have been dropped from the guide because the prices have risen enough to exclude them.....
Terrace of DA NICO; we ate indoors; it was a little too chilly the evening for outdoor dining.. We tend to book for 8 or 8:30pm; locals begin to pour in around 8:45 or so.... I think some restaurants in Matera open as early as 7:30 to accommodate the many tourists..
This excellent dinner, in lovely surroundings, costs 66 euro for the two of us, including 6 euro for a glass of local white wine and 3 euro for a bottle of water...... It's a great value as compared to the US but I do think that restaurant prices in Matera have risen a fair bit in the past few years... Hotel prices too, although a Anuj pointed out, there are many very reasonably priced hotels and B&Bs in Matera. The SEXTANTIO borders on the ridiculously high but I keep rationalizing all this splurging, thinking that we don't have many more trips together in our future.....
We arrived in the breakfast room on our first morning in Matera around 9:45am, and I was dismayed to find that the black cherry crostata that I remembered from our last visit had been finished. I mentioned this to the ladies working the room and what do you know? The next morning, they presented e with an entire cake, cut into slices and boxed up for our onward travels!
I planned to take the bus from Matera to Bari airport where we would pick up our rental from Sixt. But my partner, learning of this plan, became anxious, foreseeing standing a long time in the sun, waiting for the bus. (He is unable to stand for more than a.few minutes--some problem maybe related to Parkinsons--not sure--his leg gives way and he has fallen before). I'm certain the the bus would have worked out just fine but we ended up having the hotel book a driver for us (135 euro).
The drive was interesting---I learned that when the government forcibly removed the inhabitants of thee sassi, they re-lofcatd them to housing 7 km outside the city, to what must be the equivalent of public housing in the US.
We got a flat tire shortly after leaving Matera. All I could think of was how fortunate it was that I was not the one driving. The driver changed the tire speedily and after a total drive of about one hour, we were at the little SIXT office in the parking lot of Bari airport. No need to enter the terminal--just give my name to the attendant (and ask for the direct phone number of this office, to avoid having to go through the main office in Milano in case of trouble), and we were handed the keys to a an A series BMW with GPS screen. (Upgrade because I have joined the SIXT rental "club; there offered us a Mercedes but I declined that because I had rented BMW before and felt familiar with that make....
Surprisingly, I was asked neither for an IDP (Sixt never asks for this) nor a US driver's liscence!! Not a passport, either.....the entire process took about a minute, because I had filled out the form online a few days before..just my signature, a handover of the keys, and the agent set up the GPS to "speak" in English, and even connected my iPhone so I could get my Amazon music. For navigation, I could use either the system on my phone or the one installed in the car;as I would learn later after a wild and unnecessary detour somewhere around Selva di Fasano, , they both had very different options on which route to take from here to there.....and some some reason, three volume on the iPhone GPS is so faint that I can barely hear the directions.....ok, this is too boring for words...
I'd done the drive from BRI to our hotel near Savelletri before and it was a snap----mostly along the autostrada. I yelped outloud for joy when we passed the signs for Monopoli, Brindisi, Conversano, Alberobello.......I felt as if I had been dropped into the promised land, I was so happy!! And so excited...really I felt like singing..especially when we passed the sign for Mondugno; lovers of classic Italian songs will know that name, the last name of the man who made famous the classic, "Volare." I just could not contain my enthusiasm, and my happiness at my good fortune to be here again...so soon after our last visit in September, 2025. Already my mind became scheming..how can I manage to spend a few months in spring in this area......??? My partner is pretty sick and tired of all my musings but he's a pretty good sport.......most of the time!!
I was over the moon when we pressed the button at the entry and, after giving my name and receiving an effusive welcome, the gate swung open..and we were back in paradise!
One of the first locals to greet me was Ettore, the house mascot.....who's put on a bit of weight sine we last met:
I was happy to see him again, but Ettore played it cool....
Close up....he looks like a duck, but they call him an "oca."
Anuj: Puglia, and Basilicata, and I think the entire south, is a paradise for vegetarians....the food here seems to be getting better and better with each passing day!
As usual, I am falling ay behind on this report...it's been days since we left Matera, so here is the list dinner, another "winner!' at DA NICO, which I found in the SlowFood guide. We were able to walk there from the hotel, but my partner asked the restaurant to phone a taxi for his return...I walked home and managed to get a little lost trying to find the entrance to the hotel! Like everywhere else, the taxi meter begins running when the taxi leaves the rank; so this short ride cost him about 12 euro, I think.
I should also mention that Matera (and Sorrento as well) felt totally safe; even walking alone in the dark I had not one iota of fear. I carried my regular handbag, the one I use at home, no money belt or other contraption (I really hate those things but I know many travelers find them very helpful)
Once again, I brought FAR too many clothes! No surprise there, though. Well, as Zebec will tell you, I do need to don special outfits to please certain clients...(this is. silly joke directed at Zebe..)
DA NICO, on the main avenue ringing the bottom of the sassi:
Lovely restaurant; the staff could not have been kinder. We had two superlative pastas. I rarely order pork in Italy but could not resist the filet of "suino" with a sauce made from Aglianico wine and black cherry jam (!!).
Fusillone with creamy sauce of Podolico cheese and cruschii peppers...dreamy! I finished the entire plate.
Blurry photo of partner's Orecchiette with meat and tomato ragu...
Side dish of braised, sweet red onions....
Outstanding filetto di suino with wine and black cherry sauce....we ate every morsel of this meal....! A welcoming restaurant with great food....I'd say it's "essential" but there are so many great spots in this city, it's so difficult to choose just a few
Mention in the 2026 SlowFood Osterie guide--always an indication of a solid restaurant with fair pricing. Some great restaurants that we loved have been dropped from the guide because the prices have risen enough to exclude them.....
Terrace of DA NICO; we ate indoors; it was a little too chilly the evening for outdoor dining.. We tend to book for 8 or 8:30pm; locals begin to pour in around 8:45 or so.... I think some restaurants in Matera open as early as 7:30 to accommodate the many tourists..
This excellent dinner, in lovely surroundings, costs 66 euro for the two of us, including 6 euro for a glass of local white wine and 3 euro for a bottle of water...... It's a great value as compared to the US but I do think that restaurant prices in Matera have risen a fair bit in the past few years... Hotel prices too, although a Anuj pointed out, there are many very reasonably priced hotels and B&Bs in Matera. The SEXTANTIO borders on the ridiculously high but I keep rationalizing all this splurging, thinking that we don't have many more trips together in our future.....
We arrived in the breakfast room on our first morning in Matera around 9:45am, and I was dismayed to find that the black cherry crostata that I remembered from our last visit had been finished. I mentioned this to the ladies working the room and what do you know? The next morning, they presented e with an entire cake, cut into slices and boxed up for our onward travels!
I planned to take the bus from Matera to Bari airport where we would pick up our rental from Sixt. But my partner, learning of this plan, became anxious, foreseeing standing a long time in the sun, waiting for the bus. (He is unable to stand for more than a.few minutes--some problem maybe related to Parkinsons--not sure--his leg gives way and he has fallen before). I'm certain the the bus would have worked out just fine but we ended up having the hotel book a driver for us (135 euro).
The drive was interesting---I learned that when the government forcibly removed the inhabitants of thee sassi, they re-lofcatd them to housing 7 km outside the city, to what must be the equivalent of public housing in the US.
We got a flat tire shortly after leaving Matera. All I could think of was how fortunate it was that I was not the one driving. The driver changed the tire speedily and after a total drive of about one hour, we were at the little SIXT office in the parking lot of Bari airport. No need to enter the terminal--just give my name to the attendant (and ask for the direct phone number of this office, to avoid having to go through the main office in Milano in case of trouble), and we were handed the keys to a an A series BMW with GPS screen. (Upgrade because I have joined the SIXT rental "club; there offered us a Mercedes but I declined that because I had rented BMW before and felt familiar with that make....
Surprisingly, I was asked neither for an IDP (Sixt never asks for this) nor a US driver's liscence!! Not a passport, either.....the entire process took about a minute, because I had filled out the form online a few days before..just my signature, a handover of the keys, and the agent set up the GPS to "speak" in English, and even connected my iPhone so I could get my Amazon music. For navigation, I could use either the system on my phone or the one installed in the car;as I would learn later after a wild and unnecessary detour somewhere around Selva di Fasano, , they both had very different options on which route to take from here to there.....and some some reason, three volume on the iPhone GPS is so faint that I can barely hear the directions.....ok, this is too boring for words...
I'd done the drive from BRI to our hotel near Savelletri before and it was a snap----mostly along the autostrada. I yelped outloud for joy when we passed the signs for Monopoli, Brindisi, Conversano, Alberobello.......I felt as if I had been dropped into the promised land, I was so happy!! And so excited...really I felt like singing..especially when we passed the sign for Mondugno; lovers of classic Italian songs will know that name, the last name of the man who made famous the classic, "Volare." I just could not contain my enthusiasm, and my happiness at my good fortune to be here again...so soon after our last visit in September, 2025. Already my mind became scheming..how can I manage to spend a few months in spring in this area......??? My partner is pretty sick and tired of all my musings but he's a pretty good sport.......most of the time!!
I was over the moon when we pressed the button at the entry and, after giving my name and receiving an effusive welcome, the gate swung open..and we were back in paradise!
One of the first locals to greet me was Ettore, the house mascot.....who's put on a bit of weight sine we last met:
I was happy to see him again, but Ettore played it cool....
Close up....he looks like a duck, but they call him an "oca."
Last edited by ekscrunchy; May 26th, 2026 at 05:26 AM.
May 26th, 2026 | 05:39 AM
#36
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,855
Likes: 0
What a remarkable bird! Never heard of ocas, which makes his appearance here more interesting. Maybe consider posting Ettore again over on DCD and Percy's Birds thread? I am sure that they would love to see him.
Oh your food fotos, cruel and unusual punishment for those who've already eaten.
I am done. the feathers and the food
Oh your food fotos, cruel and unusual punishment for those who've already eaten.
I am done. the feathers and the food
May 26th, 2026 | 12:56 PM
#37
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,392
Likes: 0
Ettore looks like what we in the U.S. call a Muscovy duck.
Oca generally means goose in Italian.
I'm loving your trip report and really admire your and your partner's ability to find ways to continue to travel despite some challenges.
I have never been to Matera, but have loved "visiting" there during four seasons of Imma Tataranni, an Italian TV series (streaming in the U.S. on MHz) filmed in and around Matera.
Oca generally means goose in Italian.
I'm loving your trip report and really admire your and your partner's ability to find ways to continue to travel despite some challenges.
I have never been to Matera, but have loved "visiting" there during four seasons of Imma Tataranni, an Italian TV series (streaming in the U.S. on MHz) filmed in and around Matera.
May 27th, 2026 | 04:31 AM
#38
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,391
Likes: 0
I was pretty sure Ettore is a duck so thank you for the identification..--. he's been hiding from me for the past two days but when I find him, I will ask him to explain himself!
I'm falling way behind here--so far, the trip seems like it's been extended long extravaganza of sleeping, swimming, slogging over this this report, and eating and eating and eating..
Our first night at the masseria we took advantage of the free shuttle for dinner in the nearby (5-minute drive) tiny, and impossibly picturesque port of Savelletri. Now that there are seasonal flights a few times a week, direct from Newark to Bari, I've noticed an uptick in American tourists. Not nearly in the amounts that you'd find in the famous towns like Alberobello, Polignano a Mare, or Ostuni, but still..I hear American English in certain restaurants, much more often than we did even last year.... But I've met a few very interesting fellow travelers, so it's not totally negative.. There was even a Tauck tour group staying at our hotel yesterday. And rumor has it that a cycling group from Butterfield and Robinson will arrive sometime in the next week.
But these groups are out sightseeing all day so it feels almost like our own private domain during the day, and even eat breakfast because we usually arrive toward the end of service, at 9:30 or so... Breakfast has been so much fun; many of the staff remember us from our earlier visits, and we spend a lot of time chatting about all kids of subjects....this morning I learned about a festival taking place this Sunday and Monday that I did not know about.it's not advertised anywhere...it seems to be a commemoration of an attempted Saracen invasion of Fasano that was repelled by the local populace because it had been foretold in a dream shared by all the townsfolk...a certain Madonna played a big part of the tale but I'm a little hazy on the details.....apparently costumes will play a big role in the event...
MO MÓ, Savelletri di Fasano
Our first dinner here was probably, after the pizza at DA FRANCO, the most disappointing meal of the trip, for me.
My partner loved his "primo del giorno," mezzo paccheri with chunks of swordfish and tomatoes (18 euro) (remember, this is a guy who would not touch anything from the sea 20 years ago, and still ill not touch "anything with shells").
I ordered the large local prawns, mazzancolle, cooked "in padella," in a pan, with little very sweet tomatoes. (25 euro)
MOMO, one of about a dozen fish restaurants that ring the marina in Savelletri...we were only one of a few diners when we arrived about 8pm but both the small inside dining room, and the outside terrace--filled up by 9pm--I think we were the only foreigners there last Saturday night..a month from now, Savelletri will be buzzing with Italian tourists descend on the Puglian coast as soon as the weather gets hotter...the crowds peak, of course, in August, as everyone has been warning us.... E've had perfect weather here so far..clear and sunny, and the wind mitigates the temperatures which are mostly in the high 70sF
MOMO exterior
Main street facing the sea
Chef Antonio in the open kitchen...
Paccheri with swordfish and sweet cherry tomatoes...pasta special of the night
Mazzancolle, a local prawn celebrated for it's sweet taste..
The prawns--about 5 large ones-- were impeccably fresh but they were so lightly cooked that they were more like prawn crudi; and they were served too cold for my taste. I don't know why I didn't send them to be cooked longer..I bet they would have been fantastic then, with some salt flakes. I need to stop trying to be a "good guest" and begin to speak up if something is amiss....
We had a bottle of water and, with my glass of white wine: 58 euro.
I'm falling way behind here--so far, the trip seems like it's been extended long extravaganza of sleeping, swimming, slogging over this this report, and eating and eating and eating..
Our first night at the masseria we took advantage of the free shuttle for dinner in the nearby (5-minute drive) tiny, and impossibly picturesque port of Savelletri. Now that there are seasonal flights a few times a week, direct from Newark to Bari, I've noticed an uptick in American tourists. Not nearly in the amounts that you'd find in the famous towns like Alberobello, Polignano a Mare, or Ostuni, but still..I hear American English in certain restaurants, much more often than we did even last year.... But I've met a few very interesting fellow travelers, so it's not totally negative.. There was even a Tauck tour group staying at our hotel yesterday. And rumor has it that a cycling group from Butterfield and Robinson will arrive sometime in the next week.
But these groups are out sightseeing all day so it feels almost like our own private domain during the day, and even eat breakfast because we usually arrive toward the end of service, at 9:30 or so... Breakfast has been so much fun; many of the staff remember us from our earlier visits, and we spend a lot of time chatting about all kids of subjects....this morning I learned about a festival taking place this Sunday and Monday that I did not know about.it's not advertised anywhere...it seems to be a commemoration of an attempted Saracen invasion of Fasano that was repelled by the local populace because it had been foretold in a dream shared by all the townsfolk...a certain Madonna played a big part of the tale but I'm a little hazy on the details.....apparently costumes will play a big role in the event...
MO MÓ, Savelletri di Fasano
Our first dinner here was probably, after the pizza at DA FRANCO, the most disappointing meal of the trip, for me.
My partner loved his "primo del giorno," mezzo paccheri with chunks of swordfish and tomatoes (18 euro) (remember, this is a guy who would not touch anything from the sea 20 years ago, and still ill not touch "anything with shells").
I ordered the large local prawns, mazzancolle, cooked "in padella," in a pan, with little very sweet tomatoes. (25 euro)
MOMO, one of about a dozen fish restaurants that ring the marina in Savelletri...we were only one of a few diners when we arrived about 8pm but both the small inside dining room, and the outside terrace--filled up by 9pm--I think we were the only foreigners there last Saturday night..a month from now, Savelletri will be buzzing with Italian tourists descend on the Puglian coast as soon as the weather gets hotter...the crowds peak, of course, in August, as everyone has been warning us.... E've had perfect weather here so far..clear and sunny, and the wind mitigates the temperatures which are mostly in the high 70sF
MOMO exterior
Main street facing the sea
Chef Antonio in the open kitchen...
Paccheri with swordfish and sweet cherry tomatoes...pasta special of the night
Mazzancolle, a local prawn celebrated for it's sweet taste..
The prawns--about 5 large ones-- were impeccably fresh but they were so lightly cooked that they were more like prawn crudi; and they were served too cold for my taste. I don't know why I didn't send them to be cooked longer..I bet they would have been fantastic then, with some salt flakes. I need to stop trying to be a "good guest" and begin to speak up if something is amiss....
We had a bottle of water and, with my glass of white wine: 58 euro.
Last edited by ekscrunchy; May 27th, 2026 at 04:37 AM.
May 27th, 2026 | 08:18 AM
#40
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 25,391
Likes: 0
Thanks so much, yk..that means a lot to me..
I am going on and on about food....maybe a little too much detail, but it's hard to contain my enthusiasm.... I will try to be a little more brief:
On Monday night and on Tuesday night we had two flawless dinners at restaurants within 15 minutes of our home base....
I had not heard before of L'AGRUMETO, nor the nearby inland town of Pozzo Faceto, whose Madonna is the Patron saint of Fasano...but on this trip I feel as we have delved, more than before, into more of the restaurants favored by locals and this Wass an excellent example. It's a handsome restaurant, with on site parking lot, and we had a dinner than I can only say was a fantastic surprise. Once again, my limited appetite played thwarted me, so I could not order as much as I would have liked but what we did have was truly "worth a detour."
RISTORANTE L'AGRUMETO...(I got mixed up here so some pics show up more than once...)
Outstanding trofiette (we shared this) with radicchio, cherry tomatoes, speck (smokey ham) and my favorite: smoked scamorza cheese.......I swooned over every bite....
Finally, a last shared course of sausage with excellent fried potatoes....
I swooned over every bite of this Trofiette with speck (smoked ham); tiny tomatoes; smoked scamorza ( relative of mozzarella); and slices of radicchio....I could barely contain myself, this was out-of-this world delicious!!
Stuffed to the gills, I managed a few bites of the (shared between us) terrific grilled sausage served with a generous heap of fried potatoes--aways spectacular in this region of Puglia...
We began, once again,, with the antipasti della casa, an almost obligatory start to a meal in Puglia. But beware...finish this and you are in danger of not having room for anything else...
Superb bread...
Served with four bottles of local oil, for dipping...each a monocultivar (not a blend)
Antipastii misti...including insulata of polpo (octopus); endive stuffed with ricotta made that morning; mozzarella and burrata; terrific grilled eggplant, sliced thin and nicely charred. The only bits left on the platter were a few morsels of the unidentified black, rice-like grain....
And now, the SECOND antipasti platter arrives!!! The "meatballs" made of bread, that classic example of Pugliese cucina povera, were the first things to vanish off the plate... Soon after, all else was demolished.....fried cheeses, a wedge of something delicious..; and a couple of other tasty items.....we could have easily stopped there, but.....
Also included in the mixed antipasti: That classic fave e cicorie, the pureed dried fava beans, to be eaten with the bitter spring chicory...if there is one signature dish of Puglia, this must be it....gone in about 60 seconds.....
The "palate cleanser" included carrots, radishes, cucumber, and an incredibly delicious hybrid of melon and cucumber, particular to Fasano and known, in dialect, as "cuccumarazz.." Black box caution: This vegetable cn be addictive.... Don't forget the name...cuccumarazz--and look for it; born near Fasano it's probably to be found in many areas of Puglia....
Sorry the order got all mixed up here.....a WONDERFUL DINNER at RISTORANTE L'AGRUMETO in the fraccione of POZZO FACETO, (FASANO, province of Brindisi)
Price for two of us, with a bottle of water: 48 euro.
https://hexaflexagon-brass-7ny2.squarespace.com
I am going on and on about food....maybe a little too much detail, but it's hard to contain my enthusiasm.... I will try to be a little more brief:
On Monday night and on Tuesday night we had two flawless dinners at restaurants within 15 minutes of our home base....
I had not heard before of L'AGRUMETO, nor the nearby inland town of Pozzo Faceto, whose Madonna is the Patron saint of Fasano...but on this trip I feel as we have delved, more than before, into more of the restaurants favored by locals and this Wass an excellent example. It's a handsome restaurant, with on site parking lot, and we had a dinner than I can only say was a fantastic surprise. Once again, my limited appetite played thwarted me, so I could not order as much as I would have liked but what we did have was truly "worth a detour."
RISTORANTE L'AGRUMETO...(I got mixed up here so some pics show up more than once...)
Outstanding trofiette (we shared this) with radicchio, cherry tomatoes, speck (smokey ham) and my favorite: smoked scamorza cheese.......I swooned over every bite....
Finally, a last shared course of sausage with excellent fried potatoes....
I swooned over every bite of this Trofiette with speck (smoked ham); tiny tomatoes; smoked scamorza ( relative of mozzarella); and slices of radicchio....I could barely contain myself, this was out-of-this world delicious!!
Stuffed to the gills, I managed a few bites of the (shared between us) terrific grilled sausage served with a generous heap of fried potatoes--aways spectacular in this region of Puglia...
We began, once again,, with the antipasti della casa, an almost obligatory start to a meal in Puglia. But beware...finish this and you are in danger of not having room for anything else...
Superb bread...
Served with four bottles of local oil, for dipping...each a monocultivar (not a blend)
Antipastii misti...including insulata of polpo (octopus); endive stuffed with ricotta made that morning; mozzarella and burrata; terrific grilled eggplant, sliced thin and nicely charred. The only bits left on the platter were a few morsels of the unidentified black, rice-like grain....
And now, the SECOND antipasti platter arrives!!! The "meatballs" made of bread, that classic example of Pugliese cucina povera, were the first things to vanish off the plate... Soon after, all else was demolished.....fried cheeses, a wedge of something delicious..; and a couple of other tasty items.....we could have easily stopped there, but.....
Also included in the mixed antipasti: That classic fave e cicorie, the pureed dried fava beans, to be eaten with the bitter spring chicory...if there is one signature dish of Puglia, this must be it....gone in about 60 seconds.....
The "palate cleanser" included carrots, radishes, cucumber, and an incredibly delicious hybrid of melon and cucumber, particular to Fasano and known, in dialect, as "cuccumarazz.." Black box caution: This vegetable cn be addictive.... Don't forget the name...cuccumarazz--and look for it; born near Fasano it's probably to be found in many areas of Puglia....
Sorry the order got all mixed up here.....a WONDERFUL DINNER at RISTORANTE L'AGRUMETO in the fraccione of POZZO FACETO, (FASANO, province of Brindisi)
Price for two of us, with a bottle of water: 48 euro.
https://hexaflexagon-brass-7ny2.squarespace.com
Last edited by ekscrunchy; May 27th, 2026 at 08:27 AM.
