We just booked a three week vacation in Italy. We will stay in Rome for about a week and then would like to rent a house and a car in Puglia and just stay put making day trips. I am really at a loss as to where to stay that would be comfortable and accessible to the rest of the region. We are going late June early July which I know is not optimal but I am a teacher and that is when I have vacation. Any recommendations as to where to stay are much appreciated. I will use the usual home rental sites when we decide on a home base. I thank you in advance.
Posted by
Washington DC
28954 posts
I was dependent on public transportation so stayed in Lecce. Smaller towns would be better for you, and this subject has come up at least once that I remember, not too long ago. Try doing a search for "Puglia" and see what you turn up.
Puglia is rather large, so I definitely would not plan to stay put in one town for two weeks. That would mean a lot of unnecessary driving, and you'd miss out on some interesting places.
I also suggest crossing over into Basilicata to see Matera. Spend at least one night there.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Puglia is a long region, so think about two bases instead of one. You can't really "spoke" from one central base.
Definitely spend a night in Matera. Every time I go I add another night.
Posted by
Centennial, CO, US
2233 posts
You might consider staying in a masseria (the Puglian equivalent of an agriturismo). Look on Trip Advisor or Booking.com and you will find many to choose from. Some have pools, which would be nice in summer.
We stayed at Masseria Montenapoleone, near Fasano, a few years ago. It was peaceful and wonderful. Great breakfasts. They had a guest kitchen, stocked with olive oil and cooking basics, including fresh produce from the masseria. It was conveniently located between the Trulli villages and the coast -- maybe 30 minutes to Alberobello or Locoratondo or Martina Franca or Ostuni, all great places to visit.
For house rentals, Fasano and its surrounding area would be a good location too, including Torre Canne (right on the coast).
Although not in Puglia, I would encourage you to visit Matera while you're there, staying overnight, as it is interesting to wander through the sassi at twilight.
Our favorite day trip in southern Puglia was to Gallipoli, a really picturesque little fishing village. We enjoyed watching the fishermen unload their catch, and sell the fresh fish in a market at the port. And we indulged in the fish at a nearby restaurant. Gallipoli has a great gelato shop too, on the main street.
Posted by
5737 posts
The area is larger that it seems. First you must identify the day trips you wish to do. In terms of bases and day trips, I would consider it broken into three regions: The Gargano peninsula (far from everything else), the central Itria valley (where the trulli towns are), and the southern Salento. Of course there is some overlap and some outliers. I also agree that Matera in Basilicata should be included if possible, and it is not too far from the Itria Valley area. For two bases, I'd choose the Itria Valley or one of the nearby seaside towns, and then for the Salento I like Lecce, but it depends on your preferences.
Other deciding factors: do you want to be in a town (or small village) or at a countryside masseria?
Late June/early July should not be too bad--at least it is not August!
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
80 posts
Hi, I asked a similar question not so long ago for the same length of time (6 nights), but for a different time of year. We are staying 2 nights in Alberobello, 2 nights in Matera, and the 2 nights (in between) somewhere further south, maybe in Lecce, and maybe at a masseria near there. Like you, I wanted to stay in one place for the whole week, but I now think a bit of moving around will be beneficial in order to get a good flavor, and to see what we want to see.
Best of luck, Robert in Montreal