Italy East Coast

Go for regional guides. I can think of no one book that will cover the entire coast. Check some out first, then once you zero in on the area you most want to explore, purchase any you need. I definitely recommend a book dedicated to the the Marche area. A Puglia book for sure if you will get all the way south. If you won't time for much more than passing through Molise, for example, then you can probably find enough online.
Will you start in Venice and do the entirety?

I am hoping to have 2-3 months next year (Sept-November). I lived in Firenze last year for 6 months but still didn't make it to the East Coast. Have travelled many times to Italy and determined to see some different areas of the country. Thanks for the tip on looking for regional guides...I guess the "biggies" in the tour business only concentrate on the more touristy areas in Tuscany, Amalfi...etc.

Also, you'll see some combo books, as often Marche is lumped in with Abruzzo; Molise may be tucked in there. A Blue Guide would cover all of the historical/cultural stuff, but double check opening times and such. Then you could use online resources for accommodations and restaurants.
Lucky you!

Bradt Guides (based in the UK) have a book for the Abruzzo region. Their guidebooks are quite detailed.

Puglia is way south on the east coast but it’s very worth a trip there. We stayed next to the blue green Adriatic in Polignano a Mare and traveled all over the region .Beautiful and less touristed than much of Italy.

Usually in Italy we split the country in North, Middle and South, for this reason I have in mind no guidebook only about the Adriatic coast. Regional guides are the best suggestion. On that coast there are very touristy areas. Venice, for example, but even the Riviera Romagnola or the Puglia coastline. Even Abruzzi are quite famous and this year a lot of Italians are on holiday in the Conero area (near Ancona).
Probably except Venice for the American touristic market is a little more unknown shore of Italy, but for other tourists is well known. In Romagna and Marche for example you will find tons of German and northern Europe tourists.

Thanks for all the good ideas! Puglia is an area I am interested in as well as some other areas on the Adriatic. From Puglia, I can get down to Calabria fairly easily I think and on to Sicily as well! Just need the greenlight to enter Italy at some point....I'll wait for some 2021 regional guides to publish and start planning!

Easy flights from Bari to Palermo or Catania in Sicily with Volotea. Fifty minutes and inexpensive too. Reminded us of Southwest. Saved flying back to Rome to change planes for Sicily.

hi, we have travelled extensively in Italy and would recommend the east coast (Adriatic side). For the southern part, we chose Brindisi as our base and hired a driver for the day who took us to Polignano al mare, Ostuni, Alberobello (for the lovely Trulli). We prefer not to drive ourselves and the cost for the day was very reasonable. We do speak decent Italian though, which I think helps if you are in a car with a driver.
Trains run all around the coast, but it can be tricky to get across the country without going through Rome (all roads lead to Rome eventually). Motor coach travel is not something North Americans do alot of, but this is a very efficient and affordable option. When we travelled from the western part of Calabria to Puglia, we searched for a bus route and found one that took us across in just over 4 hours for about 25 euros. There are also options from Naples and Rome that run daily (in non Covid times).

We have also spent time in Le Marche and greatly enjoyed Le Grotte di Frassassi (fantastic underground caves - stunning), the city of Ancona which has good train access from Rome, or lots of direct flights in the summer from the U.K. if you are transiting perhaps. The beaches (Il conero and others), plus Loreto Abbey are in the general area.

In 2015 I wanted to go from Sicily to Lecce in Puglia. I don't remember how long that was going to take by train, but the bus was scheduled to be several hours faster (but still all day). In the end, the bus had a major mechanical problem so it probably didn't save me any time, but that's a long slog by either form of public transportation. Most folks would probably opt to look for a flight unless they wanted to make a stop or two along the way.

I've just checked the Trenitalia website. I guess the current schedule may be reduced due to COVID-19, because I'm only getting a 9:10 PM departure that runs overnight and requires three transfers. No thank you.

Thanks Mike's dream....I don't mind the public transportation and enjoy seeing the countryside. I took the train last year from Reggio Calabria back to Florence (all day) and it was lovely and relatrively relaxing....unless the train is a roundabout route from East to West coast that would be my first choice (for the view)...otherwise, I would fly I guess.

hey hey june
couple other sites to look up:
thecrazytourist.com/puglia
tripsavvy.com/marche
gives you ideas, other cities/villages, things to see and do. you can also check other places with those websites.
hope this helps out with your research.
aloha

How did the OP manage to live in Firenze for 6 months last year? Inquiring minds want to know.

I have dual citizenship (US/Italy) which enables me to stay as long as i want...or can afford...it's so appreciated!

Don't miss Ravenna.