Suggestions for a base in Puglia -- December

I would only consider Lecce or Bari at that time of year. Maybe Martina Franca.
Matera had a fairly youthful vibe--I guessed there was a university there, so that might make it a year round contender as well.
I missed Nardo on my two visits, but it has caught my eye. This blog post might be of interest: https://www.furtherafield.com/blog/nardo-puglia-guide/

Saturday 12/7 early afternoon -- Fly FCO to either Bari or Brindisi, sleep in Bari or Brindisi

There is a direct train from Rome to Bari at 10am that takes 4 hours (at least one is listed for April, I suppose things could change by Dec). When all is said and done flying probably isn't much faster.

We stayed in Polignano a Mare for ten days, in the Old Town,. This was a perfect base and we loved the town that is on the water with good restaurants! Fabulous seafood. We stayed at Hotel Covo dei Saraceni. We had a water view room, beautiful.
I also would consider Lecce.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback!

It just occurred to me that with a car, Bari would be a pain. So a lot depends on where you wish to hike and how long you like to drive each day.
I did a fair amount of hiking on my two trips, so feel free to ask away. Some small places were shuttered in May, so although I am drawn to small places, in December I would be more cautious.
If you lean toward the Salento, go to Brindisi, and Bari for the Itria Valley.

Trani is a good option if you want a small town on the water. Getting in and out of Bari by car will waste too much time. Trani is a provincial capital so plenty of restaurants and things going on all year round.
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2023/04/why-i-love-trani.html?m=1
Friends visited Valle d'Itria in December and said the Christmas decorations in Locorotondo were fantastic.
I think you'll find plenty to see and do in the run up to Christmas

Thanks again for the feedback -- I really appreciate it!

Trani looks like a great option and I am now researching accommodations, etc. I'll do another post later about hiking suggestions; there seem to be so many lovely options in the area.

We are looking forward to a great trip!

I will be staying in Polignano a Mare, Bari (for a festival), some of the small towns with trulli, and Lecce in May. There’s a lot of good options for biking in Puglia, too, if you’re interested. I will be renting a bike in Alberobello to ride in the Valle d’Itria. Look for a trip report in early June.

We stayed in Cadiz for a week a month ago to attend their fun Carnavale and to enjoy the city. We loved it! That gives me a good idea of what you’re wanting for this trip.

I agree that Trani would be a good choice. We stayed at Albergo Lucy & loved it.

Thanks again for the replies!

Jean, we loved Cadiz too, even (surprisingly) our teen- and twenty-something kids. You'd think it would be too quiet, but we had a fantastic 5 days there and could have stayed longer. Definitely on our return list. Have a great trip in May and I'll look for your trip report!

Charlene, thank you for the recommendation. Albergo Lucy looks lovely. We try and stay in apartments for longer stays like this one, but I'll keep it as a backup option if I don't find anything suitable.

Have you thought about dividing the trip and staying in 2 places? Half the time in the north (Trani?) and half the time in the Salento. Also, wanted to add that most car rentals places that I have looked at are closed on Sunday so you may want to check that our before making final plans.