Polignano a Mare

Posted by RailRider (Los Angeles, CA) on 10/20/22 08:28 PM

I am in PaM now. All of us immediately feel very comfortable and happy here. The tourist element is fairly minimal. A lot of it feels like a comfortable Italian town from decades past.

Walking from the train station to the waterfront is pretty easy and flat - about 10 minutes. We got a suite with a kitchen for about 100 a night

I would point out that the old town is fine, and the main beach under the tresses. But the big square overlooking the ocean to the left of the old town is completely closed for construction to refurbish the square. Its fenced off and you can not get in at all. There is also some construction going on the waterfront to the right of the old town (as you face the ocean). It should be pretty nice in a few months.

Good collections of decent restaurants.

Train station does not seem to have an office the few times we were there.

Posted by Sharon

Indianapolis

10/20/22 09:30 PM

291 posts

RailRider,

I'm excited to know all about your stay in Polignano a Mare. I will be there in April for about 10 days.

Sharon

Posted by TimW

Hampshire, UK

10/21/22 10:53 AM

407 posts

If you head one stop up the line, you'll get to Monopoli, which has a surprisingly lovely old centre and castle, and is definitely worth a couple of hours time.

Posted by treemoss2

10/21/22 03:13 PM

1124 posts

Be sure to get the special coffee at at Super Mago right in the middle of town. It is really good. Has amaretto in it.

Posted by RailRider OP

Los Angeles, CA

10/21/22 06:39 PM

700 posts

My favorite coffee shop is Il Libro Possibile Cafè, Piazza caduti Via Fani, 70044 Polignano a Mare BA, Italy. Always a fun bustle of local Italians - no tourists sited but very friendly. Capuchin and a very taste croissant (cornet) with pistachio filling a total of 3 eu. There is pretty modern supermarket across the street.

Most of the restaurants are near the old town on via Roma or slightly off it. The famous cave restaurant is supposedly $200 a head so a bit out of our budget.

The town is small and we are quite happy near the main square Piazza Aldo Moro. There is really no need to pay twice as much to have a room in the old city - its somewhat slow in there. Its fairly quiet - for better or worse.

The must-do sites are to walk down to the cove to the left of the old town, and to mill around the old town and find one of the several observation points to take pictures.

Monopoli is 5 minutes train ride down the peninsula. The train to Lecce can take 1:15-1:50 depending on what time you go.

There is a tourist office (with very limited hours) 2 blocks up from the main tresses bridge over the main beach. Apparently they arrange van tours to Alberobello and 3 other close-by interesting towns, or to Matera for 75 euros a head for the drive. In another city, we were told that there was a minimum of 4 people, so if you have 3 you would still have to pay for 4. Thats a bit expensive for us, but we found that the brother of the condo owner is willing to take a group of us in his car for 50 each.

Posted by RailRider OP

Los Angeles, CA

10/22/22 01:46 PM

700 posts

If you drive or train north from PaM you will see isolated Trullus [like in Alberobello] that are not a part of an archaeology site. It’s kinda exciting to see.

Even more mind blowing is that you can buy your very own Trulli for $60k-$100k. I saw them listed in a real estate office in PaM. It’s like buy a little stone henge in UK or some other ancient artifact for your personal use.

Posted by RailRider OP

Los Angeles, CA

10/24/22 05:20 AM

700 posts

A few more things to love about the place :

We found a fresh fish market near one of the churches a few blocks in from the main square. It was small but had a great selection of fresh fish at low prices. I bought an entire sea bass for 4 eu. They had half of an entire swordfish and when you asked for steak, they cut it off from the carcass in front of your eyes.

Our apartment is about half the price of Naples with a kitchen.

Sunday - almost all the stores were closed here and in Bari. But then Sunday night the entire town is out - kind of a farmers market with the Main Street blocked off. We literally saw more people out at 9 pm on Sunday night, than we have in 4 days so far.