I know that if I write a less than glowing report on Puglia I will raise the ire of Puglia lovers, but here goes anyway.
I spend 6 months each year in Italy and because I don’t like hot weather and overcrowded places I avoid the summer months. Travelling in Italy out of season is great. It’s not too hot and there are fewer tourists.
Years ago we went to Puglia in April and found many places deserted and businesses closed. We decided to try again and travel in mid-late May, thinking it would be better. It wasn’t.
We first went to Vieste on the Gargano national park. After driving on lots of narrow, winding roads through tangled forest we arrived at a fairly empty town. We could see that the season was about to begin, and it would clearly be a great place for water sports…in summer.
Next stop was Polignano a Mare, birth place of Domenico Modugno who sang Nel Blu dipinto di Blu (Volare). The town is very pretty, but once again, there were few people about and only about half the businesses were open. We had an incredible dinner in a cave beside the sea.
The gorgeous beach here is famous and well photographed. It looks stunning, but it is rocky, making it unpleasant to walk on, let alone sit on. It was deserted as the weather was truly foul, (the sun came out briefly so I could get a better photo) but in summer people are packed in like sardines. I have to admit here that I don’t come to Italy for the beach. I like surf and clean white sand.
We visited Alberobello on the way to our next stop. The town is full of trulli, the cute cone topped houses famous in the area. The town is beautiful and crowded with tourists. Many of the Trulli have been converted to shops, cafe and restaurants.
In Locorotondo we stayed in a trulli, as you do when in Puglia. It was near impossible to find, but lovely once we finally got there.
The town itself was empty. It took us about an hour the walk around the streets lined with lovely white houses.
We also visited Cisternino which was much the same as Locorotondo and Ceglie Messapica which was full of interesting buildings and few people.
Martina Franca was a pleasant surprise. It was busy and most businesses were open. We had a delicious lunch there. I would use this as a base in the area rather than one of the smaller towns.
Driving around the Istria Valley is interesting. Trulli are dotted all over the countryside. Trulli spotting is fun.
We stayed near Ostuni in a delightful masseria, Il Frantoio, which we loved. The food alone makes the stay worthwhile.
While at Il Frantoio we visited Monopoli on the coast. It was lively and worth a visit.
We went to Galatina to find the pasticceria where the pasticciotto was first cooked…well worth a visit.
Next stop was Lecce where we stayed in a fabulous hotel near the historical centre. Despite awful weather during our few days in Lecce we loved it. The town mixes old and new very well and there is lots to see and do in Lecce.
We also visited nearby Otranto, just 30 minutes from Lecce. It is a pretty town on the coast and was lively and interesting.
We have now been twice to Puglia and I doubt that we will return expect possibly to revisit Lecce. This will make somebody happy. When I said that Puglia is not my favourite place and that I would not return in a comment on my blog, a Puglia lover replied “Good, stay away”.
I’m sure Puglia is lively and fun in summer, but I will never find out. I know it is touted as the new hot spot in Italy, but I prefer the north, the Amalfi Coast, which is more lively in the off season, and Sicily. We went there in April and loved it. Be very selective if you go to Puglia out of the summer season.
There are posts on each of the towns mentioned above. Type the name in the “Search” box or look in the Puglia category to see them.