Thanks for helping us have a great trip to Puglia!

Thanks for this and I am bookmarking. Sooner or later I will get to this area and you are right, it can seem overwhelming to choose. And I am happy to see your outline by public transportation!

Leaving for a 5 week Southern Italy trip at the end of October, so loved even your brief comments.

Also bookmarking. I have been wanting to get back to Italy. It's been a while and the heel of the boot and all the way up to Bologna are on the vision map. I liked reading about how you grouped your stays and your day trips.

Veronica - Thanks for your trip report. Three quick follow-up questions if you please...

My understanding is that Puglia is very "seasonal" (that is, some important conditions change dramatically depending on exactly when you are there, and just a week or two either way can make a big difference in your experience)...

1. When exactly was your trip (what dates)?

2. How were the crowds you experienced?

3. How was the heat?

Thank you!

Veronica, I'm glad to hear a bus from one coast to the other was easy. Did you rent a car or just use public transportation? I was planning to visit the Puglia region in the spring, but just couldn't pin down an itinerary, so decided to postpone for the time being. Like ringo, I'm also wondering if everything was open and what the crowds were like. Thank you!

Glad you had a great trip! We are pondering on whether to take a tour to this region or do it independently (my preferred travel style). Would you mind sharing your accommodations?

Happy to share more information!

We landed in Naples on July 29 and we flew back to San Diego ( we live in Mexico. This is our closest airport) on August 16.
But we were specifically in the Puglia area from August 03 to August 12 . Matera ( 12th to 14th).

I did not feel it crowded , I felt it lively!

The only moment that the amount of people felt uncomfortable was when getting the first bus of the day from Bari to Alberobello.( 8:00 am) They are not seat assigned so some people ( with tickets) didn’t get seats. There was no proper line so it was a little unpleasant ( and very easy to fix with just having us lined up. That was the case on the way back. Much better!)
Oh, but arriving at Alberobello at around 9:00 and having this place almost to ourselves like for an hour or two was very enjoyable.
By noon it felt crowded.

The heat,
It was hot! ( around 34,36 degrees) but we loved it! And we are not especially warm weather lovers but it felt so “vacation weather”

We made sure that our rooms had good AC, buses and trains had it too.

Things that I think helped us to enjoy ( and not suffer ) the really warm weather even using public transportation only:

Beers! Lol

Staying 4 /5 nights in one city . That meaning not having to drag our luggage often. Packing light also helped.

When possible, going out and about early in the morning ( and by early I mean 8 /9) . Coming back to our apt/room to rest for the hottest part of the day and going out again around 6.

Did I say beers?

Thank you, Veronica - very useful info.

Though I've gotta admit "34-36" degrees Celsius = roughly 93-97 degrees Fahrenheit, which does give me pause (I'm just not built for the 90's)...then again, you were there in July and mostly August, which is probably peak summer heat (I might go in September, hopefully the worst of the summer heat would have passed, and it would be a bit less brutal).

Getting up and getting out early, and then taking that break during the worst of the afternoon heat, does sound like the right approach.

Thank you again for the info!

Sure I can share my accomodations!

I booked them vía Booking. We’ ve found this site pretty reliable. The reviews I read match very accurately with what I find when I arrive to the different places.

Sorrento , Villa Monica B&B . Love it here!

Salerno, B&B Milleduecento Luxury Room. $120 dlls p/n . Extremely clean, centrally located, very nice and helpful host. Between the two marines so very convenient for day trips. Walkable everywhere.

Bari, Holden House $74 dlls p/n. The simplest of all our accomodations but we were very pleased with it. We chose it due to its proximity to the train station thinking of the day trips we would take. I think it was a great decision. Spotless , extremely clean. Nice host eventhough she didn’t speak English which surprised me but She tried her best to be accomodating. I was very doubtful about this place. Being so inexpensive made me a little bit nervous. It is like 15 minutes walking from old town but that walking became a favorite of us. After having for dinner all that delicious food, that strolling was very appreciated.

Lecce, Taranta Suite $140 dlls p/n. Loved it!
Excellent location, very good breakfast, nice host, very clean, cute, big suite.

Matera, Rizzi Residence $140 dlls p/n . It was an apartment for 4 people but we ( husband and I) chose it for its terrace. Best decision ever!!! Amazing view!!! Awww those moments having a glass of wine at golden hour. Magical and unforgettable! … nice and helpful host and very, very clean place too.

Naples, La Terrazza ai Miracoli $125 dlls p/n . The owners were just amazing. So kind, warm and helpful. Breakfast was delicious , room very clean althought its decoration a little “too much” ( for my taste) . But I would absolutely stay there again.

I was very pleased with all our accomodations. All of them were the type of places we tend to choose in out travels.
In another longer trip I would Love to stay in a masseria with a swimming pool to enjoy a lazy hot day .

Hope this info Can be helpful to someone,
Thanks for reading me!

Thank you Veronica, very helpful!