Apuglia where and hotel or Villa

You can use googlemaps.com or viamichelain.com to plot a route from Sorentto to Lecce via Matera. I'm not sure if this answers your question, but you could spend 2-3 nights in Matera and then 4 or so nights in Lecce. We liked Lecce very much and used it as a base for visiting the region. We stayed at Hotel President which had parking and was within walking distance of the main part of town. If you stay outside of town, make sure that it isn't so isolated that it's difficult to get in and out of the area. I'd recommend having a GPS so navigate the smaller roads in the region. Enjoy Puglia!

I would recommend driving to Matera and spending just 2 nights there. We stayed in Locanda di San Martino, a lovely cave hotel with a wonderful underground pool and spa. Then find a masseria (it's the Puglian term for agriturismo) near Fasano or Ostuni for your remaining 5 nights. This will allow you to make day trips throughout the Val d'Itria (Locorotondo, Alberobello, Ostuni, Noci) plus the nearby coastal towns (Polignano a Mare and Monopoli). You could also do day trips into the Salento peninsula. We stayed at Masseria Montenapoleone near Fasano for 5 days last October and found it an ideal base; it had a lovely pool and delicious breakfasts. Check it out on Trip Advisor, along with all the other masserias in the area. If you like to move around a little more, you could do 3 nights in the masseria and then 2 nights in Gallipoli. We found it much more charming and easier to negotiate than Lecce, where we spent a week.

Lorie, we really need some info. What time of year are you planning on visiting Puglia? (seaside towns are packed in July and August)The best way to see the area is with a rental car. A GPS and a good map and compass are a must for the auto rental. Many of the towns are a pain to get to using public trans (especially from Sorrento) Have you investigated your options for transportation from Puglia to Rome? We used a rental car to explore the area, and had a great time. We drove down from Rome (approx 4+ hrs) and flew back (from Brindisi; lots of lo-cost flights that you can find on whichbudget.com, or Skyscanner.com, or train from there) You have been given lots of great ideas about lodging and places to stay. For seven days we would pick/recommend two places. Use TripAdvisor to vett any lodging choices. But my wife has another idea/option. Why not fly from Naples to Sicily(Catania or Palermo), pick up a rental car, and explore a portion of Sicily. Naples is a great gateway, and you can also catch easy flights back to Rome.