Puglia Mostly Puglia..thoughts, comments, etc

[michele29]

Quick thoughts on my first trip to Puglia…pros, cons, errors, etc
We took trains to our destinations.A car would have been a better option.

Bari..the old city is fascinating..worth a day…we had three nights in Bari..two too many by my book. We spent one day in Monopoli..pretty seaside town..kicked around the boardwalk and old city in Bari a bit more the last day. It was a good way to shake jet lag, but…

Matera…nearby Puglia..breathtaking, interesting, reimagined for tourists and James Bond fans.It’s somewhere between the Bible and Bedrock. Matera was The Symbol of the entrenched poverty of the South. I wish there were more to acknowledge that amongst the glitz. We stayed two nights. One full day / night would have been enough for me.Oh, the only walking tour is in Italian.

Ostuni..atmospheric, picturesque, good for lunch or an overnight . We used it as a base to visit Alerobello..interesting, pretty spot, it is a tourist favorite, but so unusual you can understand why. Enjoyed it for the day…we also visited Polignano al Mare ( spelling)…not worth it. Except for the statue of the guy who wrote Volare, whoa- oh, and the gate to the old city. shabby, cheap shops, panhandlers…only place someone tried to sell us a watch.lol

Lecce..gorgeous, elegant, interesting…a real city with tourists and people who live there.I. mean, you could go out to dinner and actual residents were in the restaurants.Fascinating tour of the old Jewish quarter, great walking tour of the old city, real feel of the old and new. Pugliese symphony was in town and there was a vintage car show. Loved the whole place..
In retrospect we should have based ourselves in Lecce and explored the above as day- trips and added Otranto. Next time…will also include Gallipoli and Ionian coast.

I am now in Chaos HQ..the lovable exuberant mess that is Naples

 

[Alpinista]

We based in Lecce and did day trips. Would have been better to split bases between Lecce and another spot further west. Include Locorotondo in your next trip. Has the feel of a Grecian town with its whitewashed walls and can find a good local wine in the shops.

 

[michele29]

We based in Lecce and did day trips. Would have been better to split bases between Lecce and another spot further west. Include Locorotondo in your next trip. Has the feel of a Grecian town with its whitewashed walls and can find a good local wine in the shops.

Good tip! Grazie

 

[wco81]

Yeah I spent one night in Bari because the flight arrived in the evening.

Then drove down to Lecce and spent a few nights there, did some day trips to other cities in Salento. Lecce is nice, called the Florence of the South.

Then spent a couple of nights in Ostuni.

Then back to Bari where I did day trips to Monopoli, Polignano a Mare and Matera. Would have loved to see Matera at night, must be some sight.

I think I visited a few towns near Ostuni such as Albero and one or two of these Grecian towns.

Enjoyed it, probably more to see someday.

 

[DepartmentOfWackyIdeas]

I spent two weeks in Bari in September. When I first arrived, I was a little disappointed but then I met the food, and the people. Puglia is gritty, authentic, and delicious. I was especially impressed by how vibrant the traditions are in Bari in the face of all the international tourism. I hope to go back soon, and explore further south.

 

[michele29]

I enjoy big cities, particularly the kind that aren’t pristine. Love Napless..been there a few times..
Bari had a bit of that. But..

Enjoy your travels South. My next Italian adventure includes Calabria.

 

[DepartmentOfWackyIdeas]

I enjoy big cities, particularly the kind that aren’t pristine. Love Napless..been there a few times..
Bari had a bit of that. But..

Enjoy your travels South. My next Italian adventure includes Calabria.

My grandparents were from Calabria; a small town in the province of Crotone. Thanks to that, I have an Italian passport. I've only spent a little time in Calabria, and maybe I was biased because I grew up eating food from that region, but I have never had more amazing food than in Calabria.

 

[Pauline]

We spent a week in Puglia a few years ago and based in Ostuni. We enjoyed the area but I didn’t fall in love with Puglia. But we did not get to Lecce, so we will go back.

we also visited Polignano al Mare ( spelling)…not worth it.

I also regretted not seeing Polignano al Mare because it always looks so beautiful in photos. Maybe I don’t need to rush there.

I love Naples! We’ve been there 3 times but 2 times only for a night on our way to the Amalfi Coast. The other time we spent 3 nights. I would like to spend a good week there sometime. Have a great time there.

 

[hatterbury]

I enjoy big cities, particularly the kind that aren’t pristine. Love Napless..been there a few times..
Bari had a bit of that. But..

Enjoy your travels South. My next Italian adventure includes Calabria.

I live in the middle of nowhere in Northern New Mexico so big cities fun for me when I travel. I'll be in Naples for month next March 2023. If you care to, point me in the direction of a few places you'll not soon forget. Thanks in advance!

 

[DepartmentOfWackyIdeas]

I live in the middle of nowhere in Northern New Mexico so big cities fun for me when I travel. I'll be in Naples for month next March 2023. If you care to, point me in the direction of a few places you'll not soon forget. Thanks in advance!

Bigger Italian cities that I enjoy include Bologna. The food is delicious and there are gazillion cultural activities. The past weekend there was a food fair in the Center, a couple of interesting temporary art exhibits, and of course the fantastic museums of the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world (from 1088 or something like that).

 

[hatterbury]

Bigger Italian cities that I enjoy include Bologna. The food is delicious and there are gazillion cultural activities. The past weekend there was a food fair in the Center, a couple of interesting temporary art exhibits, and of course the fantastic museums of the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world (from 1088 or something like that).

Thank you for this recommendation. I will go!