Hi, I’m traveling solo to Puglia without a car after a swim trip in Tremitri islands. I’ll spend 5 days in the Bari area and I would like to spend my days walking around town, swimming, and eating. With one or two days doing a day trip. I prefer cycling or train as a means to travel to beaches and other towns such as Alberobello or Locorotondo and Matera. Does anyone know if this is safe & possible from either town? Do locals cycle this area? Also Is it safe to lock a bike at a beach and go for a swim? I am seeing conflicting reports about Monopoli or Polignano? I would also love to go to food market. Does Polignano have a food market? Does Polignano have an area that is open for long walks? Online it looks very crowded and locked in? Is Monopoli or perhaps Bari better for all these things? It does look like the train station is closer to town in Polignano for back and forth on the train, but I think my day trip would be to the Valle d’Itria-towns and so far it doesn’t seem these are available by train from Polignano or Monopoli? I these are a lot of questions. But I’m traveling alone and I’ve done some online research and still unsure what’s best for my situation. Finally any suggestions for a driver to Valle d’Itria if public transport doesn’t work. Thanks for any suggestions.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17225 posts
What sort of conflicting reports on Monopoli and Polignano? Safety concerns or crowds? Or swimming beaches?
We were in Puglia in February/March 2022 with a Road Scholar trip and a few days on our own beforehand. We visited Monopoli on our own for a daytrip, taking the train. We walked to the oldtown area and then along the waterfront to a sandy beach in a little cove I spotted on Google maps, satellite view. My husband swam there, and there was a British woman in swimming too. The water was cold—-this was Feb. 24—but it was a nice place to swim. We stopped for lunch in the oldtown on our back. A very enjoyable day.
We visited Polignano with the tour group, stopping for lunch and walking through town to the cliff-diving area (where they hold the Red Bull cliff-diving championships). The coastline is very rocky here and I did not see anyplace to swim, but we did not look around outside of town. The town did not feel as charming to us as Monopoli.
Posted by
North Italy
371 posts
From Bari the easiest day trips are by train along the coast to places like Giovinazzo, Trani, Monopoli, Polignano and on south to places like Ostuni (the station is connected by a local bus to the village, included in the train ticket)
There are buses to Alberobello and to Matera from Bari.
So the easiest solution would be to base in Bari and day trip from there, also to Monopoli for the beach. There is a small beach in Bari too, you just walk south along the seafront (Lungomare), which is already a long walk.
This is a week we spent in Bari.
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2019/11/puglia-bari-in-april-trip-report.html
If you plan to do a lot of daytrips choose accommodation that isn't too far from the station
There are several local food markets (mercati rionali) in Bari. I mention one in the trip report above.
There are cycle paths in the Valle d'Itria area but you wouldn't want to cycle out of Bari because the traffic is quite busy.
Posted by
America's Vancouver and the First
110 posts
We have not been to Monopoli and stopped at Polignano on our way to Bari from Lecce. We thought that Monopoli was very charming and there is a picturesque swimming beach right in town. The town is above the beach so you have to walk down into this well-known beach. There is a lot of walking to be done along the high rock on which the town is built, but it is right in town and there are a lot of tourist crowds; I don't know what you mean by locked in. I'm sure that they have market stores but I don't know about a produce street market. They probably do on a specific day. We were in a car and our experience might be different from on foot or bike. We loved Bari as we walked from our hotel to the old town area. I can recommend Hotel Adria as a decent and reasonable place to stay. It is reasonably modern with a small breakfast and a block from the train station. Very convenient for you.
Posted by
657 posts
Lily, our TR below may be of some use (sorry no fotos yet).
Over on Fodors I go by 'zebec' (zee-bek).
Tante belle cose.
I am done. the looooooooooooooong TR
https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/bella-puglia-also-basilicata-and-rome-1634280/
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you for your input. So many places so little time. Now it seems I must consider Bari too.
Posted by
new york
30 posts
For food markets, Bari would be best.
You can take a nice walk in Polignano.
Please lay flowers at the statue of Domenico Mondugno.
Zebec..we meet again. I am done here..need to get back to the Camaron chapter in GHOSTS OF SPAIN.
Above book is VERY HIGHLY recommended for anyone heading to Spain.