Puglia Questions. My husband, myself and another couple will be traveling to Italy in mid September and traveling to Puglia, Matera, Amalfi Coast and Capri. I have a few questions about activities for our Puglia itinerary. We will be staying in Ostuni, Polignano A Mare and Locorotondo. I like to take guided tours of the places we visit and think I have found a good guide from recommendations on trip advisor - Valerie Dicarlo. All of the places we're staying have either pools or are by the beach so we are also hoping for some relaxing pool/beach time. First question - is it warm enough in Puglia around September 14th to 20th to hang out by the pool/beach and/or swim in the ocean? Second question, should we skip anything I've planned - maybe Lecce? Third question, anything/any place else that you really recommend? Fourth question - I read in another group in a post from last Septemeber which said you needed reservations for lunch and dinner in Puglia, have others found this to be true? Thank you for any replies.
Here is my planned itinerary - we arrive in Ostuni in the evening after flying Seattle-LAX-Rome-Brindisi. Itinerary starts the next day.
Day 1 - Morning walk around Ostuni, relax by the pool, 90 minute guided tour of the city at 4:00 (only time guide is available). Staying in Ostuni
Day 2 - Drive 1 hour to Lecce or go to the beach club that is connected with our hotel? In Lecce, I saw options for a bike tour or a walking tour with street food bites that look interesting, starting at 10:00am or 10:30am. Staying in Ostuni
Day 3 - Drive to Monopoli, guided tour of Monopoli at 10:00am, lunch in Monopoli, continue to Polignano a Mare. Staying in Polignano A Mare.
Day 4 - Hang out in Polignano A Mare - morning walk, beach time, Possible 75 minute guided tour at 4:30/5:00 (only available in the afternoon). Do we need/want a guided tour? Staying in Polignano A Mare
Day 5 - 2 hour morning tour of Alberobello starting at 10:00/10:30am, lunch then continue to lodging outside Locorotondo. Cooking class at 4pm at our lodging - Leonardo Trulli Resort.
Day 6 - Wine tour at I Pastini at 11:00am, lunch in Locortondo, walk around Locortondo (will anything be open after lunch?). Pool time at Leonardo Trulli Resort or guided tour of Locorotondo at 4:00/4:30?
Day 7 - off to Matera - suggestions for stops along the way? Olive oil tour at a Masseria?
Posted by
693 posts
Hi Jennifer,
Above is our leeeeeeeeengthy TR from here, posted 5 years ago. It might have some useful info for you. Alas, no fotos just yet.
cheerz
I am done. The end.
Posted by
11647 posts
We loved our week in Polignano a Mare, using it as a base to explore the area and would happily return. . Do NOT drop Lecce, a beautiful gem of a baroque city, the highlight of Puglia! If you have to drop a town, make sure it isn’t Lecce! The only place for a guide might be in Lecce and Alberobello.
The local wine, Primitivo, is excellent and inexpensive. Similar to Zinfandel. We dined on fresh seafood every night.
We went in early to mid October and it was quite warm. Plenty of people were swimming in the Adriatic then.
Matera was an hour and a half drive from Puglia I think. We spent the day there which was enough. Looking at all the former cave homes that housed the very poor with no water or electricity, became difficult to look at. I was glad we didn’t stay there and have no desire no return.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
696 posts
Hi Jennifer
we were in Puglia at the end of September last year and the weather was warm enough to swim or lounge by the pool.
Dont skip Lecce even if you only do one day trip there. I would have done my itinerary differently and spent all my nights in Ostuni and day trips from there. Not sure that Polignano and Locorontodo deserve a walking tour.
We did an ebike tour of Alberobello and Locorotondo and loved it. We visited masseria Bracanti near Ostuni and loved our guide tour.
You might need reservations for dinner, it is true, but planning the night before or a few
days ahead worked for us.
Matera deserves at least 2 days, it is very impressive. We had a great private walking tour with Amy Weideman
Easy to find her email with google.
Posted by
Seattle
64 posts
When do you relax? I see your itinerary and get weary reading it. You must enjoy filling every day / I do that too, but in one location. We spent two weeks in Puglia ; April this year. Fly from Sicily to Bari. All travel by train from Bari onward. One night Polignano a Mare, 4 nights Lecce, 3 nights Grottaglie, 3 night Ostuni, 2 nights Monopoli, one night Brindisi, then flight to London following day.
My favorite place ? Grottaglie. A ceramics town. Incredible beauty.