MEMBER TRAVELOGUE - PUGLIA |
Share your travel knowledge and expertise with fellow members. Submit your stories and photos to travel.ics.naples@gmail.com. |
Suggested travel tips one-week itinerary for first-time visitors. Thousands of people flock to the Amalfi Coast year after year for summer vacation but want to leave the beaten path. Last year we traveled to “the other coast”… Puglia. Puglia, forming the heel of Italy’s boot is known for its whitewashed hill towns, centuries-old farmland and hundreds of kilometers of Mediterranean coastline. We spent three weeks in Puglia based in the charming town of Monopoli. We were fortunate to stay in the old town luxury boutique hotel Don Ferrante. www.DonFerrante.it View from hotel, right |
|
Getting around: The best way to get around is to rent a vehicle, giving you the most flexibility. The smaller the better; both for narrow roads and parking in tight spaces. Not fond of driving? You can opt for public transportation: trains and buses; requiring longer timetables and a bit more patience. You’re on vacation, right? Parking: Look for parking near centro storico. Otherwise, you could find yourself quite far from what you want to see. Take advantage of the local knowledge of the concierge where you’re staying for the nearest options. Pay using the EasyPark app: it allows you to pay directly from the app and add time from wherever you are. It is widely used throughout Italy. Lastly, use Google Maps to navigate. Food and Wine: Don’t miss the foods and wine for which Puglia is most famous - Orecchiette pasta, Taralli, Focaccia, Burrata, Panzerotti, Pasticciotti, Sospiri di Monaca, Primitivo Wine Suggested Itinerary / overnight stays: OVERNIGHT ONE: BARI OVERNIGHT TWO: MONOPOLI OVERNIGHT THREE: MONOPOLI OVERNIGHT FOUR: OPTIONAL BEACH or GOLF DAY OVERNIGHT FIVE: ALBEROBELLO OVERNIGHT SIX: ALBEROBELLO OVERNIGHT SEVEN: OSTUNI |
| DAY ONE: BARI. Begin your tour of the city at the Old Harbor along the Lungomare. This imposing seafront is the longest and grandest in Italy, built by Mussolini in true Fascist style. Next, step back in time as you wander through Bari Vecchio, sitting on a peninsula overlooking the harbor. Within these stone walls you will find 40 churches, a cathedral and the Basilica of St. Nicolas. Lastly, do not miss “Strada Delle Orecchiette” where the Puglian women prepare, dry and market fresh orecchiette on the doorsteps of their homes. DAY TWO: MONOPOLI. Travel 35 minutes south by car to MONOPOLI. Check into your hotel for TWO OR THREE NIGHTS* (*if you want to enjoy a day at one of the best beaches in Puglia add a third day to your stay in Monopoli. |
On your first day, explore MONOPOLI, a picturesque whitewashed seaside town with narrow, winding streets accented with green window shutters and balcony boxes in full bloom. It is rich in history and culture. Wander through the historic centre discovering the colorful street market at Piazza XX Settembre, then explore its magnificent cathedral, the Basilica of the Madonna della Madia. Walk along the scenic Lungomare seafront promenade with stunning views of the coastline, visit the Charles V Castle built in 1552 and the “Porto Vecchio” lined with the iconic red and blue “gonzo” boats. In the evening, enjoy a typical Puglian meal at in Piazza Garibaldi or along the Porto Vecchio where you can enjoy the fresh catch of the day. One of our favorite restaurants was Komera on Via Barbacana. Also, you can enjoy an exquisite meal overlooking the sea at “Locanda Don Ferrante”. You will be enchanted with the breathtaking view of the Puglian coast as you savor the fine cuisine of this enchanting restaurant. MONOPOLI is full of life in the evenings so before or after dinner be sure to enjoy a passeggiata along the Lungomare or through Piazza Garibaldi to enjoy the parade of people, strolling singers and musicians. Lastly, don’t forget to have a scoop of two of gelato at Bella Blu! |
|
| DAY THREE: POLIGNANO A MARE. Travel 15 minutes north by car from Monopoli to POLIGNANO A MARE, a picturesque Medieval village filled with pristine whitewashed houses and labyrinthine alleyways strategically located on towering limestone cliffs that rise 20 meters above the Adriatic Sea. Tour the village both on land and by sea. By land we recommend a Tuk-Tuk tour, which we pre-arranged on GetYourGuide.com. You can also arrange one upon arrival at the main piazza, Piazza Aldo Moro. Boat tours are also highly recommended and can be pre-arranged on GetYourGuide, Viator, or other internet sources. Seeing the town from this vantage point is impressive as the cliffs soar above your head, as your boatsman bravely navigates you in and out of grottoes and makes a final stop so that you can swim in the azure waters of the Adriatic. Before you depart be sure to stop at Il Super Mago del Gelo Mario Campanella to have its caffèspeciale, a local coffee drink that combines coffee, amaretto, cream, sugar and lemon peel. |
| DAY FOUR: BEACH or GOLF DAY. If your itinerary allows and you are looking to spend a relaxing day on picturesque beaches and swimming in crystal-clear waters you should do so in Monopoli. Some of the most stunning beaches line this part of the Puglian coast. You will find both free beaches that are open to the public and Italian-style beach clubs, where you pay for private access and get amenities such as sun beds, changing rooms, drinks and food. We chose to utilize a private beach club roughly 15 minutes south of |
|
the city center called Lido Sabbiadoro. Pricey (as I recall two front row positions were 120€ per day) but well worth the splurge for personal oversized sun loungers, towels and umbrellas. Waiter service is available with the push of a button for beverages, cocktails, wines and a full-service menu offering gourmet dishes in the restaurant or on your sun lounger in front of the sea. Obviously food and beverages are at an incremental (but reasonable) cost. If your passion is golf, travel south 20 minutes by car to SAN DOMENICO GOLF. Known as one of the top golf courses in Italy, SAN DOMENICO GOLF is a magnificent Mediterranean course that measures 6300 meters with a par of 72. It runs along the Adriatic Coast so each hole offers a stunning view of the sea as you wind your way through rolling fairways dotted with olive trees and lined with original stone walls indigenous to to area. It is a links course that is fairly flat but offers challenges. An 18 hole round of golf in high season is 150€ per person and rental clubs are 50€ per person. The cost to rent a golf cart is 50€ per person and a golf trolley is 25€ per person. www.SanDomenicoGolf.com ***SAN DOMENICO GOLF is part of the all-inclusive BORGO EGNAZIA luxury resort and spa, built in the imitation of a traditional Puglian village. It includes a Michelin-starred restaurant, two beach clubs with private beaches, a spa and the golf course. Access to BORGO EGNAZIA is only afforded to resort guests; however, you can play a round of golf as an outsider. www.BorgoEgnazia.com |
|
DAY FIVE: ALBEROBELLO and LOCOROTONDO Travel 30 minutes south by car to ALBEROBELLO, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its distinctive cone-shaped stone buildings, known as trulli. The highest concentration and the best-preserved examples of trulli are in ALBEROBELLO, where there are over 1,500 trulli structures still in use today as restaurants, gift shops and accommodations. Architecture is the main attraction here and the sole reason for visiting is to wander the trulli-lined streets that look like a fairy-tale living museum. You will only need 1/2 a day to visit so try to arrive before 9:00 am to avoid the crowds. When you are done, travel 10 minutes southeast to the charming village of LOCOROTONDO to have lunch, drink local wine and experience the charm of one of Puglia’s most beautiful towns. LOCOROTONDO “Round Place” has beautiful whitewashed buildings and a circular urban layout that offers panoramic views of the Valle d’Itria’s vineyards, olive groves and trulli. It has a well-preserved, walkable city center and a laid-back atmosphere. |
|
| DAY SIX: MATERA Travel one hour west by car to the enchanting UNESCO World Heritage Site village of MATERA, not to be missed. Famous for the “Sassi” stone cave dwellings that were first inhabited nine thousand years ago in the Paleolithic Age and are still inhabited today, the city is said to be the oldest continuously occupied city in Europe and the third oldest in the world. Wear comfortable, non-slip walking shoes as you will ascend and descend the steep cobblestone alleyways and stone staircases punctuated by churches, cozy cafes, quirky apartments, shops, art galleries and boutique hotels. You can do a self-guided tour and/or an escorted walking tour. |
DAY SEVEN: OSTUNI Travel 45 minutes southeast by car and follow the signs for OSTUNI. Known as “La Città Bianca” OSTUNI is a majestic conical-shaped hill town that rises high above the olive trees and green pastures of the Valle d’Itria countryside, offering breathtaking views from every vantage point. It is a maze of alleyways, staircases, arches and houses-built-upon-houses with colorful gardens and doorways. It’s possible to explore Ostuni on foot but its vastness is best explored by Tuk-tuk, easily arranged upon arrival. A 30 minute guided tour is very reasonably priced, available in major parking areas or in Piazza della Libertà, the main piazza of Ostuni. |
|
Puglia offers a perfect blend of stunning landscapes, rich history, mouthwatering cuisine and warm hospitality. It’s a perfect vacation spot for families, couples and singles of all ages. With it’s relaxed and laid-back charm, embrace the slow life and spend your days discovering its beautiful architecture, panoramas and wonderful food and culture as you indulge in long leisurely lunches and dip into the clear blue sea of this beautiful region of Italy. In closing, I’ve done my best to capture the highlights of what we considered Puglia’s most charming towns and villages. However, it is difficult to capture the full essence and experience of any journey in a few short paragraphs and photos. If you are considering a visit to Puglia and have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Buon viaggio! Gina M Lombardi NICS Student Questions? Email: travel.ics.naples@gmail.com |