The middle of September should be a fabulous time to explore Puglia! I’d suggest spending the night in Matera vs. a day trip as the city is quite magical at night. As for other cities outside of Bari to base yourself, Lecce or Monopoli are quite beautiful and are on or close to the coast. We also enjoyed staying in a masseria (tourism farm) outside of Martina Franca and could visit Alberobello (we found it a bit too touristy to base ourselves there) and several small towns and villages in that area. The countryside there is filled with trulli (traditional stone huts) and is quite picturesque. No matter where you choose to base yourself, you’ll have lots to explore!

Thank you! We’re honored that you found the article so useful and hope that it helps with your upcoming trip! Each time we write a post we try to think of all the advice or itinerary ideas we would have wanted to know beforehand…and try to incorporate it into one post so that readers don’t have to search on many different websites to get the inspiration and practical information they need.

Hi TJ,
We flew to Bari from Berlin (our base) so we went through Rome to get there as there were no direct flights available from Berlin. However, if coming from the United States you should be in good shape if you fly through London as it is such a major airport. Alternatively, you could look at flights to Rome and then to Bari.

There are several rental car places, including all the major international companies like Hertz, Budget, Avis, etc., right in Bari airport so it’s easy to pick up your rental car when you arrive. Some credit card companies that offer rental car insurance do have exemptions when it comes to Italy, so be sure to check the fine print with your credit card if you plan to rely on their insurance. Trying to park in the old town of Bari and other towns is a pain, so we usually would park outside the old town and then walk inside to our accommodation. So, don’t pack too much as you might find yourself walking a bit from parking places to your accommodation.

You are welcome! It depends on where (and in which cities and villages in Puglia you expect to spend most of your time). You might consider basing yourself for part of the time in or near the Itria Valley, which sits about midway between Bari and Lecce. For example, you could stay in a trullo in one of the towns near Martin Franca.

We’ll look forward to what you decide. Enjoy!

I’m glad you enjoyed the piece, Chiara. The Otranto-Santa Maria di Leuca drive was definitely a surprise. Prior to our visit, we hadn’t seen it frequently written about or recommended.

La Maruzzella — eating there is definitely more about the landscape and ambience then the service, or even the food. That locals used to bring their own bread…makes total sense!