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Hi there from Aotearoa New Zealand
- Thread starter Anthea
- Start date
Ian Sutton
1000+ Posts
Kia Ora Anthea
You'll find a few trip reports for Puglia here, and some good knowledge. We've just done the one trip there, based at a little roadside village called Speziale, near Locorotondo on the edge of the trulli area. Driving 95% chilled and easy (in the countryside) and 5% confusing and stressful (in the towns). It can pay to plot a route through towns in advance, and ditto to find parking options. The region well-suited to day trips, with loads of options for full / half days stays.
You'll find a few trip reports for Puglia here, and some good knowledge. We've just done the one trip there, based at a little roadside village called Speziale, near Locorotondo on the edge of the trulli area. Driving 95% chilled and easy (in the countryside) and 5% confusing and stressful (in the towns). It can pay to plot a route through towns in advance, and ditto to find parking options. The region well-suited to day trips, with loads of options for full / half days stays.
Ian Sutton
1000+ Posts
FWIW we really liked Locorotondo (with a great early evening passeggiata) and Martina Franca (and got so lucky on parking in the latter, it can be a challenge). Trani unusual (and charming) for its Venetian architecture. It served us well as a filler for the morning / lunch before our evening flight out of Bari. We didn't spend long in Ostuni, but it seemed vibrant. IIRC site owner Pauline spent longer there on a holiday.
Bari airport a super place to hire a car from, as there are quiet service roads before you get to the autostrada, enabling easy getting used to the car before hitting traffic. The autostrada busy for the c. 3 junctions around Bari (we may have been through near to the morning rush hour though), but once past them, it's quiet and with great visibility.
We missed out on Lecce, which is a shame as I think we would have liked it, and it's a nice option to park at a train station and take the train in. We loved quirky Gravina in Puglia, a rather humdrum town, that's divided by a huge gorge. A good street market and pleasingly normal otherwise. Matera a draw for many.
Plenty of other options, including a massive cave complex, which seemed popular for school trips.
Bari airport a super place to hire a car from, as there are quiet service roads before you get to the autostrada, enabling easy getting used to the car before hitting traffic. The autostrada busy for the c. 3 junctions around Bari (we may have been through near to the morning rush hour though), but once past them, it's quiet and with great visibility.
We missed out on Lecce, which is a shame as I think we would have liked it, and it's a nice option to park at a train station and take the train in. We loved quirky Gravina in Puglia, a rather humdrum town, that's divided by a huge gorge. A good street market and pleasingly normal otherwise. Matera a draw for many.
Plenty of other options, including a massive cave complex, which seemed popular for school trips.