Puglia

Puglia | Rome 1 day on way back

 

Seven trips to Italy: the seventh trip to Puglia

The last our Italy travel was to Puglia, to visit Saint Nicholas in Bari. Also we would like to see famous puglia trulli, white stone Ostini, amazing imagination puglia baroque Lecce and blue Salento sea. We couldn’t miss also Matera in nearby Basilicata. We had flights via Rome. so we would like to stay one day in Rome too.   

 

Route of my trip

^{Duration: vacation week (5 working days and 4 weekend days)}

1. Arrival day, Bari
2. Bari
3. Matera
4. Alberobello and Castelana Grotte
5. Ostuni
6. Lecce
7. Salento sea, Santa-Cesarea Terme
8. Rome 1 day on way back
9. Departure

 

 

1-st day: Puglia, Bari

Arrival day

We arrived in Bari in the afternoon. Our hotel was Mercure Villa Romanazzi Carducci****, with marvelous garden and swimming pool. So that day we had a rest after our flight in the hotel, had a stroll in the garden, swam in the pool. Now the hotel has another large pool, our pool is in no use now. From our pool one liked to jump into water from antic ruin above the pool, in spite of it was forbidden. We lived here several days and felt as we lived in resort, not in city. Breakfast was arranged in the garden too, it was one more pleasure.

Bari

Next day we walked at Bari center. Old city was remarkable with a spirit of centuries though was alive by Italian life today. Bari streets, which were not in medieval center, were also brightly and specious, with interesting building architecture, palms and street singer songs. Bari left a mark of living, picturesque and cozy soulful south Italian city.

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You can look useful touristic info and accommodation in Bari in an article
What to see & where to stay at Bari

 

 

2-d day: Matera (Basilicata)

To Matera from Bari we got by train, which was combined with a bus — so made trainitalia at that time. Now it is rout with one train change, 2 h. Matera -ma terra — my land, home. It was poor Italy part and in 60-years of twentieth century Matera was departed to new town Matera. Now it calls Matera sassi — stones. there are forbidden to live now. Now one can walk on its numerous passages, drop in museums which showing typical house interior. Streets and walls saved a warm of housings, you can feel it and today.

 

 

3-d day: Puglia, Alberobello and Castelana Grotte

Alberobello and trulli

To Alberobello we got by train (1 h, 50 km) from Bari. Alberobello is a town of trulli, however all Puglia is the land of trulli at all: you can see it everywhere wherever you go. Trull0 made so way, that one can get out one stone and trullo will fall apart in a moment. There was a need in it: it was allowed to live on Puglia lands but was forbidden to build houses, so when a guard patrol came one can quickly to eliminate one’s house, and after that — also easy to collect it again.

The Grotte di Castellana 

After visiting Alberobello we got to Castelana Grotte (30 min by train and 15 min by bus to caves). We took grand caves tour — so we could enjoy to see the most spectaculars White cave. (Guided tour — 2 hours, 3 km grottedicastellana.it)

We would like also to visit two more interesting communs nearby Alberobello — Martina di Franka and Locorotondo. It was only 20 min by train from Alberobello to Martina di Franka and 10 min by train from Martina di Franka to Locorotondo. But it was too much for one day with visiting Castelana Grotte.

 

 

4-th day: Puglia, Ostuni

Next day we departed Bari and went to Ostunu (by train, 50 min). We stayed at Hotel Monte Sarago****. It has a perfect location on hill Sarago and has amassing Ostuni views from hotel restaurant and swimming pool. It is about 1 km from historical center, we walked to Ostuni by foot. All was good at the hotel. But! Our room had public corridor view! This corridor was instead of balcony, so behind a door there were two cheers and table in this outdoor corridor.

White labyrinth full Ostuni remined me Sperlonga, but more tall and monumentally. I would like to stay here in the heart of historical center to feel Ostuni more fully.

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You can look useful touristic info and accommodation in Ostuni in an article
What to see & where to stay in Ostuni

 

 

5-th day: Puglia, Lecce

Next day on our way to Santa-Cesarea Terme firstly we went to Lecce by train (1 h.). We left our luggage at the train station in luggage room and went to explore Lecce. We had a good luck to see Santa Croce church front. Lecce was miracle sunny world of warm color baroque.

 

 

6-th day: Salento sea, Santa-Cesarea Terme

And so finally we’d reached Santa-Cesarea Terme, our hotel Hotel Aurora Benessere****. We booked rooms with balcony, it was one of the best variants, as I remember. Yes, it were superiors large terrace and nice room at all. But! Our room had public stairs view. So we can meet everyone coming there.

Puglia fames for its bright blue sea, and it was not Puglia trip not to stay in Salento. We choose Santa-Cesarea Terme because of dermal springs. One god knows reason I decided that we could find there warm water pools and sea like in Ischia. In fact it was medical center with a bath procedure. However our trip was in early September so sea water was warm and pleasant (where was no deep sea). Santa-Cesarea Terme was aristocratic resort and you can see interest rich décor architecture and interior. Now one comes here by health resort vouchers.

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You can look useful touristic info and accommodation in Salento in an article
Sea & where to stay in Salento

 

 

8-th day: Rome (Lazio)

After Santa-Cesarea Terme we departed Puglia, got to Brindisi airport and in a few hours we were in Rome. Read about that day in Rome in the article Rome 1 day on way back