My wife and I are going to Italy in Mid May until the end of June. We are going many places and intend to include about 5 days in Taormina, 5 in Calabria, & 10 days in Puglia - then head north. We are retired and have been to Italy twice before. Which places in Puglia are "must see" (and why)?
grazie!
frank
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16133 posts
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Not in Puglia region but a few miles away from the border is Matera, an ancient city with a long and sometimes sad history. The Sassi are unique in Italy.
In Puglia, Lecce comes up quite often. Since you are driving north, you could base in southern Puglia (Lecce) for some of your ten days, then move to a more northern Puglia location for the rest.
In Calabria, I like Tropea for its setting.
Posted by
Washington DC
28249 posts
I agree about Lecce and Matera. Also in Puglia: Alberobello, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Gallipoli, Otranto, Polignano al Mare, and many other places. I haven't been to Bari but understand that it is also nice. Find a guide book that covers Puglia in some detail.
I wouldn't go to Sicily for just five days (more like a minimum of fifteen), but if I had to do that, I wouldn't spend all my nights in Taormina. It's spectacularly beautiful but incredibly touristy. I was ready to leave after a few hours. Perhaps it won't be so awful in May, but it gets a great deal of cruise-ship traffic. I'd do at most two nights in Taormina and probably base myself in the historic Ortygia section of Siracusa for the rest of the time. You can visit one or more of the beautiful Baroque towns from Siracusa. On a short trip, a day-tour might be the easiest way to go, or you could rent a car. Alternatively, if your major interest is church architecture, you might spend the other three days in and around Palermo (but don't try to drive in the city).
Posted by
Coraopolis, Pa, USA
1018 posts
IMHO, Matera is a most unique place and definitely stay in the Sassi. This past September we spent four nights there in the outstanding Palazzo Delgi Abati property. This was one of the neatest hotels we've ever stayed in. The room was part cave, part former abbey kitchen, and the big shower was the kitchen's fireplace.
In 2014 we stayed in Taormina for a week in the nice Villa Sara, located above the city. The views from this b&b were beautiful during the day and STUNNING at night. Definitely go up to Castelmola on top of the mountain above Taormina.
My family comes from Calabria and we have been there many times. These are some of the highlights in no certain order: !. the Riace Bronze Warriors in the state museum in Reggio Calabria, Le Castella in Capo Rizzutto, Tropea, and just driving in the hills through small towns.
An observation we made this time in southern Italy is that traditional Italian dishes are being seen on more and more menus throughout the areas we visited. The Italian word for this is "casareccia, " which basically means home cooking. The type that mama would make, which is different from the traditional restaurant fare.
Buon viaggio,
Posted by
133 posts
Please do not skip Matera!
Posted by
San Diego
1540 posts
Great book about the history of the area in the south of the boot.
"Christ Stopped at Eboli" - wonderful historical info . Describes how
people lived in the Sassi caves in and near Matera. (in utter poverty)
I loved my visit to Matera and we stayed in the Hotel Sassi.
Also in that southern "boot" area I would suggest seeing the Trulli houses
in Alberobello area.
My neighbor was from Reggio and I loved hearing her describe her life in that area. It is a lovely place to visit.