Accommodations in Puglia

Vieste should be very quiet in April. I wanted to include that area in my two trips to the region, but it always seemed just a bit too far. I have not stayed in Trani or Ostuni, but I have always had great success with Booking.com.

We loved Trani and our hotel, Albergo Lucy. We had a spacious room with a balcony overlooking a little piazza, a church and the sea beyond. Very quiet. Breakfast was not included but we found a great little place nearby.

Trani is a pretty little town with a busy, scenic harbor. It had some of the best restaurants we found in our trip through Puglia, and lots to see and do in the area.

It’s been many years but we still recall the kindness of the owner, Luca. Knowing we were traveling without a car, he offered one day to drive us to some nearby sights that were difficult (or impossible) by bus. A great day.

We've been to Vieste and Trani, and I would highly recommend Trani over Vieste. We'd go back to Trani in a minute! We haven't been to Ostuni yet as it's not as easily accessible by public transportation and it's inland, not on the seafront. I've noticed that folks on this forum tend to either love or hate Ostuni.

Exactly what Charlene said about Albergo Lucy in Trani --- we stayed there for several nights in 2015 and could make nice day trips from there.

We did not think much of Vieste or the whole Gargano, but we did go there in November and are not interested in beaches anyway. We drove through the woods and along the coast --- I don't really get going all the way to Italy to see woods. There are just so many more interesting places to go in Puglia (and I'll add nearby Matera).

We loved Ostuni and stayed there for a week, but in an apartment in the old town, so not useful to you. But some of the best food we've had in Puglia in several trips. It was late March, so not heavily touristed then.

What you might like, assuming you have a car, is the agriturismo we always recommend to everybody: Masseria Aprile right outside of Locorotondo. It's a tiny bit farther from the coast than Ostuni, but you can stay in your own trullo and have an excellent breakfast every morning. Lovely hosts.

Hello to all who have commented on my post!

To answer the questions, we will be renting a car in Florence after taking a trip from Rome by train and returning the car to FCO when we complete our 3+ week journey through Italy. So far, I have only seen that Rick has published a trip to Vieste, but further research has revealed that there are some other hidden treasures on the Adriatic Coast!

The trip from the Abruzzo National Park (Italy's largest) to Puglia is quite a journey (staying in Pescasseroli near the park), so the visit to Trieste seems like a likely spot to spend a couple nights. I've also discovered that the Isle di Tremiti might be a cool place to discover, since there are regular ferries from Trieste and other locales like Termoli. Any input from anyone who has visited would be greatly appreciated!

My wife and I like smaller towns, and I think that this may be a great opportunity to discover some very wonderful beach on the Adriatic coast!

Any other inputs would be greatly appreciated!

Phil

Sounds great Phil--will you head straight to Abruzzo after Florence? I've been to Marche but not Abruzzo.
I would just check to see if the ferries will be operating daily in April. I found the region very seasonal. Late May was very quiet. Definitely some gorgeous beaches though. I stayed in Lecce so I could access both coasts during the day, enjoy the beautiful city at night. Monopoli is also very charming.
For scenic drives, the coast south of Otranto is great. We also enjoyed the seaside park north of Gallipoli. Puglia is definitely a place for small town lovers, enjoy!

Hello Valadelphia

Our plan is to visit Tuscany and Umbria after we pick up a car in Florence for a few days. We plan to visit Gubbio and Grotte Di
Frasassi on our way to stay in Sirolo and visit Riviera Del Conero. We will then visit Ascoli Picento before we head to Pescasseroli as our base to visit Abruzzo National Park to see the wildlife there.

I will check the ferry schedule from Vieste to visit to Isole Tremiti. Your suggestion of staying in Monopoli is worth investigating as a base to see Lecce and Otranto and well as the seaside park north of Gallipoli. My wife does wildlife photography, so Puglia looks like a place for small town lovers.

Thanks for your input.
Phil

You are in for such a treat! Monte Conero/Sirolo is gorgeous, one of the best beaches I’ve enjoyed in Italy (similar to Croatia’s, with white pebbles and clear seas), and Ascoli Piceno was one of my favorite towns. The Frasassi caves are fantastic too. Our guide was one of the first explorers of the cave. Have a great trip!

Hi Phil,
Below is a Puglia TR from the zany traveler over on Fodors who calls themselves 'zebec'. They seem pretty self-involved, maybe even the kind that'd post a link to their own TR! Must admit though that we were entertained while gaining a few useful tips, accommodation-wise plus otherwise.
Tante belle cose.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-bella-puglia-plus-basilicata-and-rome

Hello Gregg

Thank you for providing the link to the trip report! It turns out the Monopoli is an easy 3-hr trip from Vieste, which means that places like Lecce are within an hour's drive. Doing a Google search regarding Albergo Diffuso proved to be quite interesting and worthy of checking out this as a viable option as an accommodation for our 2-night stay.

I like your suggestion to visit Matera, since we plan to make our way over to Salerno and the Tyrrhenian Sea after our visit to Puglia.

Tante belle cose - Indeed!
Phil

Phil, we'll be in Salerno in 3 weeks.
And of course, the update to the 'movies shot in Matera' bit would have to add the newest James Bond.

I am done. the site that seems allergic to TRs with photos

I was in Puglia for almost 3 months from Sept - Nov 2022. I based myself in Ceglie Messapica (not on the coast) but did take some short trips to both coasts. Polignano a Mare is charming (overlook the tourists) and the scenery is stunning. I stayed in an apartment- nothing special. Monopoli’s Centro Storico is lovely with great restaurants & cafes.
Further south, Otranto is beautiful with an old fort & scenic Luongo Mare. Blue Otranto is a nice basic place to stay. Gallipoli (on the Ionian) has a fantastic Centro Storico. Recommend Corte Moline as a great place to stay.