Hi! Has anyone been to Puglia in December? We have 10 days to spend roaming around Puglia without the beach scene. Any particular towns that stand out? We are wide open to suggestions.
Thanks!
Posted by
5117 posts
If I was going in winter, I'd focus on Bari and Lecce, but I would not be averse to staying in a smaller atmospheric place like Matera (in Basilicata) or in one of the Itria Valley towns, but you can expect it to be very quiet of course. I would scope out how many restaurants will be open in that case.
It would depend as well on if you'll a car, as with one you could have a longer base and do day trips, and without one I would definitely move bases more (up to three places with that time frame).
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thank you Valadelphia. We do have a car and our first stop was Trani. What a beautiful town! Next is Alberobello on our way to Lecce for 4 days with day trips to surrounding towns. So far we have not run into shortage of accommodations or restaurants. Also, the towns are dressed up in their Holiday finest. Very festive! Not sure what our next stop will be but it sure is great without the crowds!
Posted by
Saint Paul, Minnesota
1604 posts
The historic center of Ostuni is one of our favorite towns in Puglia, partly for the food:
Osteria Monacelle (literally a hole in the wall)
Vicolo 45 (it's in a bigger cave)
Osteria del Tempo Perso (a bit fancier)
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thank you Nancys8, we visited Alberobello and Ostuni yesterday. It’s gorgeous! We really loved it. Looked for and found Osteia Monacelle put it was undergoing renovation. A young man by the door directed us to another location but we couldn’t find it. Saw lots of signs for Osteria del Tempo Perso but could not find that one either. Maybe we just too hungry. :-)
Now we are in Lecce for 3 days to explore the area. Will be going to Otranto tomorrow. Thanks for all your help!
Posted by
755 posts
If you like to shop for pottery check out Grottaglie.
Posted by
1 posts
If you stay in Puglia be sure to visit Matera. Despite it is not Puglia, it is on the boundary and is considered part of Puglia tourist district. There's no need to describe it, it just goes over any expectation and it might be the highlight of your trip. You can visit it in a day from Bari or Itria valley, but consider the chance of spending one or two nights there, so you can see it at night too.
It is highly recommended to take a Matera tour guide to better appreciate it.