In planning this trip, I have found wonderful public transportation options. At the moment my itinerary is : Bari, Monopoli, Lecce. This should work out well I would love to add a few days at a traditional masseria. Has anyone done this using public transportation options?
As I am going solo, I am also looking for some cooking classes or excursions . It is nice to meet some people along the way.
Thanks for any suggestions.
We visited Puglia, including Lecce, last November. We had a rental car until we got to Bari at the end, so weren’t using as much public transportation as it sounds like you’re planning.
I did want to mention the masseria where we had a really outstanding Sunday lunch. Masseria Filippo de Raho is close to Lecce, so I’d imagine that a taxi ride would be relatively easy to manage both in time and cost. I’d say the lunch was Michelin Star worthy, although it’s not a Michelin place. As we didn’t stay there, I can’t offer any experience with their lodging, and while they have some niceties, I don’t believe they have been converted to a total spa resort, unlike so many other masserias nowadays. Their Website lists several Exoeriences they offer, including a cooking class, but again, we were just there for the one wonderful lunch. We did have to push a button on the intercom at the gate to get buzzed in with our car, but once we made our way along the driveway to their building, it felt welcoming and not like an exclusionary resort. Website is https://www.filippoderaho.com/en/
Regarding cooking classes in Lecce itself, we had our last dinner there at Alle due Corti, a really nice restaurant that also has cooking classes.
There’s also Awaiting Tables, which we’re looking at for a week-long cooking course on a future trip.
Thai you Cyn for the information . I checked out the dinner menu. Looks fantastic and reasonable. I will look into it. I appreciate the information .
Your problem that most masserie, by definition, are in the countryside, so not easy to access by public transportation.
I think one idea would be to find one that is off a main road that might have a bus stop.
There are probably buses that run along SS 16; so look for a masseria off that main road. Here is one, but there must be others; write to them and ask about getting there by bus...
https://www.masserianarducci.it/en/
The masseria I stayed at last fall is just outside Ceglie Messapica, one of the prettiest towns in the Valle d'Itria. They have some rooms in trulli buildings. Also a small pool. It's a working farm and very cozy. You could write to the owner, Alex, and ask if he could arrange transportation into the town, or to a bus stop..he's very accommodating (took care of my parking ticket!) and speaks English fluently. He goes into Ceglie regularly so I'm sure he could give you rides; he has another small hotel, in the town:
https://www.masseriacamarda.it/eng/index.php
These are the kinds of things that would not be on a website, but could probably be arranged if you stay at a small masseria.
if you stay there, or in any of the smaller, more personalized masserie, that are still woking farms, I'm pretty sure you could be an observer in the kitchen even if they do not offer formal courses. I've had good luck doing that..
