Hope this isn't too much to ask. After much research, these are the towns I would like to visit. We will have 10 days to explore in late September. We will be renting a car in Bari. I'm asking for advice on
1. where to base to explore this area?
2. Which of these towns, in your opinion, would be a day trip rather than an overnight
Trani, Monopoll, Locorotondo, Savelletri, Ostuni, Martina Franca, Brindisi, Galatina, Gallipoli
Thank you in advance.
Brindisi is a bit further south. I've never visited it. In the farther south, major destinations are Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli. I would choose any of them as a base to see the others. Lecce is a city, Otranto a beautiful fortified town on the coast. Both would be excellent locations, depending on your interest. Gallipoli can be reached from either very easily. It's pretty but I prefer the other two as a base. Brindisi, would be about 1 hr drive from Otranto or half hour from Lecce, so you could visit it as a day trip from either. However I would prioritize Lecce over Brindisi. Although I have never visited Brindisi, I know that it doesn't have the plethora of sights that Lecce has. I think there is only the Old Port and the Roman Columns that are worth a visit.
Trani is farther up, north of Bari. If you stay around Monopoli/Polignano it is still within striking distance (about 1h to 90 min drive), otherwise you can select a base further north and maybe visit also Castel del Monte from there.
Another area in Puglia that is famous is the Gargano peninsula. Not sure if you have the time for that too, but Vieste would be my choice of base for that area. Peschici and Vico del Gargano are popular spots for day trips from Vieste.
And do not miss Matera ! This was the highlight of Puglia for us!
We also stayed in Tropea and loved the town.
You've given me a few things to think about for sure. Thank you for the quick response.
Hi, I would pick three base locations - one along the water, one small town inland, and Lecce.
I’ve stayed 1-3 days in these towns in the Puglia region listed below, plus Matera near it. During three trips, multiple stays are noted. My repeats give you a pretty good idea of where I would suggest staying overnight. I realize most people prefer day trips vs. my favorite of moving locations often. So, my advice is to get up as early as you possibly can and/or stay late in the evening to see what makes each of these cities unique & special. Otherwise, it’s just a daytime crowd at Alberobello or Polignano a Mare (beginning by about 9am) in the quaint center lanes, and you’ll wonder what’s so special that I would return three years in a row. : )
Coastal towns:
Trani (2x)
Giovinazzo (day trip, only)
Bari (2x). Don’t stay here. Other cities are more atmospheric. I was in Bari for festivals.
Polignano a Mare (3x)
Monopoli (2x)
Inland small-feeling towns:
Matera
Alberobello (2x)
Locorotondo (2x)
Martina Franca
Larger inland towns:
Ostuni
Lecce (2x)
I forgot Matera (Basilicata region, but near Puglia). That can also be visited in a day trip, although many prefer to stay at least one night.
Be aware that your car cannot enter the Sassi area of Matera (the highlight of the town), so you need to park outside and if you stay overnight you also need to find a hotel outside the Sassi (or leave the car outside in a garage).
Matera is about 1h10 min from Alberobello and about 1h20 min from Monopoli.
I would choose as few bases as possible, because your vacation is very short (10 days, maybe even fewer nights) and changing hotels is time consuming.
If you choose accommodations in the central Puglia area (Alberobello/Locorotondo, or on the coast Polignano/Monopoli) you can see it all from one place.
The only exceptions are Lecce/Otranto/Gallipoli, and also Brindisi (if you insist on seeing Brindisi). These are kind of too far south, so it should have its own base.
If you plan on visiting Vieste (Gargano peninsula), then I suggest a separate base for that. Gargano roads are very curvy and it takes forever to get there, so you can't easily visit it on a day trip.
Tropea, suggested above, is not in Puglia, it's in Calabria, and it is way too far to even be considered for your trip. It's like 5 to 6 hours to drive there.
