Hello,
We will be touring Puglia in late May to early June.
Current plan is:
3 nights in Vieste THEN 3 nights in Monopoli THEN 3 nights in Lecce
- Looking for recommendation for last stop before driving back to Rome. Ideally another 3-nighter along or near the Ionian coast and 5ish hour or less drive back to Rome. Was initially looking at Taranto, as I had seen somewhere that the reputation of pollution and industrialization of the past is much improved. But I've also heard that it's not the best.
Also open to 2 nights as just described, and a 1 night stay somewhere along the way back to Rome.
THEN 2 nights in Rome before flying back to US from FCO.
Thank you
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
193 posts
I travelled in Puglia last May/June, and I would agree that Taranto is not the best choice as a base. We really liked Gallipoli and Otranto, although both of those towns are an easy day trip from Lecce (which we loved). My recommendation would be to add a day to Lecce to allow another day trip, and spend two nights in Matera on the way to Rome. Although neither in Puglia nor on the coast, Matera is a place not to be missed when you are in that area. You could also not go wrong by adding any additional days to Rome if you have not been there before.
Posted by
OP
13 posts
Thank you @ottawanderer. Matera is on the radar for for this itinerary and your suggestion makes sense, as Gallipoli was at risk of falling off as a day trip from Lecce with only 3 days there.
Been to Rome before and that's why we're spending a couple days there this trip. It's just awesome and hard to pass up :)
Interested in your experience in Puglia that time of season. e.g. Did you find many beach clubs not open yet?
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
193 posts
Hi @britdog77. We arrived in Puglia May 30, so most of our stay was in early June. We are not really beach club people, so didn’t notice how many were closed. The one we did go to, half an hour south of Monopoli, was open with maybe 50% usage. The in-town beaches in Monopoli, Polignano, Gallipoli and Otranto were all open and being used, but not crowded. Another word about Matera- I’ve visited 16 of Italy’s 20 regions, but Matera is unlike anything I’ve seen. If you go there, I’d definitely recommend doing a walking tour to learn more about the history of the city. I booked one through AirBnB experiences, and it was excellent. Our “group tour” consisted of just my wife and me. A full day to explore is enough though, so I wouldn’t recommend more than two nights.
Posted by
CA, USA
1104 posts
Is there a reason you're doing it in this direction? Lecce -> Monopoli -> Vieste would bring you closer to Rome.
Or, as another alternative, visit anywhere else in Puglia after your trip as you've described it and then take the direct train back to Rome from either Lecce or Bari (same train, stops both cities). Actually you could just stay in Lecce, plenty of towns to visit within driving distance. Since shops in the region close from 1-5pm then when you're doing daytrips from a base you pretty much have the mornings to visit, lunch, and then go to the beach or somewhere else to relax in the afternoon.
Posted by
OP
13 posts
Thank you for your inputs.
@ottawanderer, we have added Matera to our itinerary for two nights and then we are going to head over to Bari for a day and take the train back to Rome.
@john - Regarding the direction of our itinerary, I didn't see much of a difference in driving time from Rome starting in Vieste vs. Matera area. Regardless, we're now set with stays in Vieste, Monopoli or Polignano a Mare, Lecce, Matera and a night in Bari.
Anyone have opinions about staying in Polignano a Mare vs. Monopoli for 3 nights?