Help Needed Southern Puglia base?

[braindoc]

We will have a week to split between Matera and a second location in southern Puglia next month. We are driving from Campania so Matera will be our first stop. Ostuni, Lecce, and some of the other “deep” south towns in Puglia are our intended destinations. Which town should we stay in for that part of the trip? How many nights for each of these two stays? I was thinking 4 in Matera and 3 in Puglia. After this we will return the rental car and get on a train to Rome.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Alpinista]

We used Lecce as a base and had easy access to the Trulli routes plus the scenic towns of the region. Lecce had a nice range of restaurants and enough Baroque architecture to fill a lifetime of taking pictures of cherubs. We stayed at the Risorgimento Resort Hotel which was centrally located (and which had a really nice little restaurant nestled right next door to it). We were there for 5 days and had day trips to Otranto, Santa Maria di Leuca, Gallipoli, Taranto, Metaponto, Matera, Alberobella, Locorotondo, and Ostuni. Also did a day at the beach at the end of the trip. We had a toss-up between splitting the time between two bases or doing more driving -- opted for more driving and did other stops on the way into and out of Puglia (came by way of Caserta and left by way of Brindisi and San Giovanni Rotondo. Just a simple drive down the wild coastline for a picnic was a wonderful day.

 

[Pauline]

We used Ostuni as a base for a week a few years ago and while I enjoyed the town, it was difficult driving in and out and parking was not easy. We did not get to Lecce (even though we had a whole week!!) but I liked the town of Martina Franca in the Trulli area and thought we would stay there on another visit. It is not that big but has a few restaurants.

I would go for fewer nights in Matera and more in Puglia. Matera is great but 2 nights there would let you explore the whole town, then go to Puglia which has a lot more to see.

 

[jan]

I would reverse--3 nights Matera and 4 Puglia.
We stayed in Lecce for a week and were not bored at all.
We got a car for the second half of the week and made day trips to Ostuni, Galipoli.
You can look at my blog for more details: http://keepyourfeetinthestreet.com/2016/09/lecce-day-1/

BTW--I loved our 2 nights in Matera. Do not miss!

 

[ellen]

I agree, more time in Puglia and less in Matera makes sense. We stayed in Ostuni and enjoyed it but that was about ten years ago so my information is pretty dated.

 

[Valerie]

I agree that 3 nights in Matera and 4 in Puglia is better. Lecce is beautiful but as a base may be problematic for getting out to other places as traffic can be difficult in/out of the city. I'd base in Otranto or Galatina for southern Puglia myself. Or, do 2 nights in Matera, 2 nights in the Valle d'Itria (Ostuni, Locorotondo area) and 3 nights in the Salento.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Also agreeing with others about reversing the no.s of days, indeed 2:5 day split might also be worth considering.

For Puglia, with a car I'd normally lean towards a smaller town or agriturismo that has a nearby village, though have a look at precise locations to get a feel for what is easy / potentially challenging.

Locorotondo certainly fits the bill as being reasonably easy to park in - or at least we found parking easy. Plus it has enough there to interest & a good range of options for eating out, plus a good evening passeggiata. However is this further north than you intended?

 

[braindoc]

Thank you all. Just the kind of information we were hoping for.

Plan now is for 2 nights in Matera and 4 in southern Puglia. We decided to fly from Brindisi back to Rome, rather than take the 5 hour train ride.

We will be driving from Sorrento to Matera. Any lunch suggestions along the way?

Alpinista, did you also find the driving in and out of Lecce a big hassle?

 

[braindoc]

Hello Ian:

Your post came in while I was writing. We are still trying to decide where to stay. My wife prefers something in a city. I’m thinking further south, to areas I did not get to see when I was living in Torre a Mare more than 40 years ago as a medical student. I was about to say poor, struggling medical student but ever since my wife and I visited Torre a Mare during our honeymoon in 2007 and she saw the still lovely apartment building where I stayed, I can’t get away with that!

(BTW, we had a great time again in Torino last November. Lovely experience at Signorvino on via Lagrange.)

 

[Ian Sutton]

Hi Braindoc
Good to hear you enjoyed Torino - certainly a good time of year to go. Signorvino certainly very busy when I swung by on an evening in March last year. It's certainly a bold venture in one of the great (food and other stuff) shopping streets. I did find the prices very slightly elevated, but that's a minor quibble. I just popped in to see if there was anything on my buying theme of 'Piemonte outside of Barolo and Barbaresco', and I was happy to grab a bottle of Vespolina from Rovelotti (Ghemme), which also put a smile on the guy at the till, as he was surprised that a tourist would be interested in such a wine. Did you eat there?

Good to see the winemaker tasting / dinners they have lined up - next time we're in the area I'll definitely check to see if there is any of them on. Early next week I notice Mauro Molino lined up, and the very friendly & professional 'kids' (now probably in their 30s!) in the photo. Yes a little modernist leaning but we like both the wines and the people/hospitality.

Back to the important stuff, yes if flying out of Brindisi, I'd be tempted to explore the countryside around the wine regions centred on Manduria and Salice Salentino. The wines can be a variable lot, but with some surprisingly interesting / enjoyable inexpensive wines. I recall Ceglie Messapica being pleasant enough, and I rather liked Ostuni but it's certainly busier. Taranto worth considering. Perhaps somewhere like Francavilla Fontana would be a useful point to start looking out from for appealing accommodation. One of those instances where within a radius it's the accommodation that drives the choice. Maybe there is something appealing on agriturismo.it?

p.s. a small word for Gravina in Puglis when you are in Matera. I posted a pic on a guess the photo a while back. Apart from the very unusual geography - a deep ravine runs through it, it's not especially visually appealing. However it certainly seemed a friendly but untouristy place. There is a decent weekly market finishing at lunchtime plus plenty of functional shops. The sort of mundane Italy that I rather like!

Regards
Ian

 

[Alpinista]

Alpinista, did you also find the driving in and out of Lecce a big hassle?

Not at all. Our hotel was immediately at the city center with valet parking. Aside from waiting a few minutes each morning for the car, we were out of the city and on the road without issue. There were one-way restrictions to get to the street our hotel was on that took about one time in/out to get used to.

I would note that we also loved Locorotondo (a beautiful view when approaching and reminiscent of Greek towns with the whitewashed buildings and narrow lanes). However, my memory is that we had to park outside the town and walk uphill to the center. There was a great selection of local wines available to make the walk worthwhile.

 

[braindoc]

Ian:

Since it was near our hotel and we needed to pack, we started our last night of that trip at Bar Zucca for aperitivi and a snack - very disappointing. Indifferent service and we were seated in an isolated area upstairs for no apparent reason. We left but rather than just go back to our room, I convinced my wife to stroll and then we came upon Signorvino. Several small plates and a bottle of Barbera later we left very content. My wife’s take on Torino is very simple - “I could live here.”

I’m hoping to make a decision about our Puglia stay tomorrow. We try to plan daytime drives focusing on sightseeing and a lunch destination and/or a winery visit, and then stay on foot closer to the hotel for an evening meal.

Thank you Alpinista for that information. Lecce might be the best fit for us but we will obsess and research a lot more.

Finally, a food resource question: Chowhound or osterie d’Italia?

 

[Pauline]

We will be driving from Sorrento to Matera. Any lunch suggestions along the way?

You’ll be driving by Castelmezzano. You could drive up there - maybe 10 mins off the highway. Beautiful town and there is a good restaurant that @Valerie recommended but we didn’t get to. She’ll post the name I hope. We have a day trip for Castelmezzano. https://www.sloweurope.com/daytrip/1923/castelmezzano/

 

[Ian Sutton]

Yes Torino is an absolute favourite to return to. At times vitel etonné on a road off via Po has been our favourite aperitivo place, but it varies every visit, from exceptional to banal and sometimes booked out. Tre Galli has had its high points as well, but has more tables now, so is no longer an aperitivo destination as I remember it back ~ 2002. Favourite place for a glass, but barring large grissini, never engages in the Aperitivo food offerings, is Antica enoteca del Borgo. A good wine shop, usually with a decent selection of wines by the glass, and the option to browse the shelves glass in hand, or just sit/stand in the relaxed central 'bar' area. I think the trick is to take local advice for the current 'hot' aperitivo destination, as there is good competition, and for me the best are the ones that showcase samples of the food they'd like to entice you back for a proper meal of.

For food shops - the Italian language annual 'Golosario'. I'll also check google maps but little else now.

For restaurants, trattorie etc. I like to read around widely, but also scout google maps for areas close to where we'll be. Also Bibenda wine (only Italian language versions in the old print form) for wine-friendly restaurants/trattorie/enoteche (published by the sommelier society). Also worth checking agriturismi for those that do hearty 'banquets' that are typically wonderful value. Tripadvisor is the one source I treat with greatest caution - often the 'best' are merely the most convenient to where tourists are - though there are also a fair share of dubious recommendations and criticisms.

 

[braindoc]

 

[braindoc]

And now the chef from vitel etonne

 

[Ian Sutton]

Their signature dish! ... and certainly a great rendition of a traditional dish with unusually large variation in style.

 

[Valerie]

Castelmezzano is beautiful. The restaurant is Al Becco della Civetta. Great food and a nice view from the balcony. Maria Antonietta is wonderful and uses only local products (she's also a "chef ambassador" for our region, has traveled to other places spreading the good news of Basilicata far and wide through its cuisine!

 

[braindoc]

Thank you very much Pauline and Valerie. We were there a few days ago, on our way from Sorrento to Matera. Good food at Al Becco and incredible scenery!