I'm planning to spend a month in Puglia in May. Need suggestions for best places to visit. I'm more interested in culture than beaches. Also would like tips on how to get around using just public transportation, as I prefer not to rent a car.
Posted by
11642 posts
Best places to visit?’We liked visiting Monopoli, Lecce, Ostuni, Polignano a Mare, Trani, Bari( city) , Alberobello., Locorotondo.We had a rental car but there may be some travelers on this board who have used public transportation who can offer you help.
We also visited Matera in Bascilata. You can tour the cave homes without water, electricity or heat where the very poor lived before the govt built high rise apts for them. I found it upsetting but the city has become a top tourist stop.
Puglia has been one of Italy’s most poor areas but their Cucina Povera is delicious. We ate a lot of freshly caught seafood too. The ancient olive trees in Puglia provide some of the best olive oil anywhere. We shipped some of it home.
Puglia certainly has been discovered but is still not as crowded with tourists as other parts of Italy.
Posted by
755 posts
I have visited Puglia twice using only public transportation and was able to go everywhere I wanted to. It just takes longer than it would if you have your own car. I have visited Bari, Lecce, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Grottaglie,
Oria, Alberobello, etc. by train/bus.
Posted by
Boise, ID, USA
2317 posts
My husband and I did Puglia solely with public transportation also. I got the best concise info on transportation options from Lonely Planet's Puglia & Basilicata guidebook.
Posted by
Issaquah,WA
82 posts
We spent ten days in Puglia this fall as part of a 6 week trip to Italy and totally loved it, although we did have a car. If you are focused on culture I’d suggest Alberobello for the amazing number of trulli there, as well as Lecce, a beautiful and very welcoming small city filled with Baroque architecture. We absolutely loved our agriturismo stay at Masseria Aprile in Locorotondo but it would require a car. Matera in nearby Basilicata is a cultural and UNESCO site of great interest and it’s own form of beauty, with a fascinating history. While we left our car parked while in Lecce and in Matera, we found a car to be integral to easily visiting a variety of other smaller towns in Puglia.
A month in Puglia definitely sounds dreamy!
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Great feedback! Thank you so much for the ideas and the encouragement!
Alison in Edmonds, WA
Posted by
Northern Rockies, British Columbia, Canada
546 posts
Here are some of the resources we used for our week in Puglia (based in Lecce with a car, really the Salento region) this past April from my list of bookmarks:
https://www.thethinkingtraveller.com/italy/puglia/guide-to-puglia
https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/8-towns-not-to-miss-in-puglia/#comments
https://www.salentodolcevita.com/blog/en/8-bellissimi-borghi-del-salento/
…and from our very own gregglamarsh, an infrequent but creative and humorous RS Forum poster: