Day 3 - Exploring Alberobello & Monopoli

We headed out early for this action packed day exploring the towns of Alberobello & Monopoli. We did consider visiting Ostuni and Alberobello on this day, but Davide (our accommodation host) made the very good point that Alberobello and Ostuni are both uphill, so it would be best to give our calves a rest and head to Monopoli, and he made a very good call!

If you want a chilled wander around Alberabello, I would recommend getting there early, perhaps 9am (or earlier if you are a morning person), as even when we arrived at 11am it was packed. The drive was a nice 30 minutes from Polignano a Mare, and as you drive to the main town, you pass through so many fields of olive trees with Trulli houses dotted throughout the side of the road.

We did consider staying in a Trulli home, but we wanted to stay somewhere with a bustling centre in the evening, with bars and restaurants, we didnt want to have to head home in the car and not be able to enjoy ourselves. I had wrongly assumed that the famous trulli homes would only be in the centre of Alberobello, but they are dotted around throughout the Northern region of Puglia. Apparently there are more than 1000 trulli buildings in this region. As you drive further south, they do then do just stop appearing. Unfortunately, as the trulli disappear so do the olive trees, as the region of Puglia is being hit with a bacteria which spread by a sap sucking insect, which is devastating olive fields, and as you travel further down South, you can see the scorched trees, which have had to be burned to kill the bacteria.

Trulli buildings are unique to this region of Puglia, they are white and grey cone capped stone buildings, which first appeared in the 15^th century, and were built this way to avoid paying taxes, as homes without roofs were not liable for tax, so would be quickly dismantled when the tax inspections happened. Fair play.

This area is an UNESCO heritage site, and I can understand why. One of the busiest streets, with a high conentration of Trulli buildings is Monte San Michele, however these streets are the busiest, but still not to be missed. The trulli here have been convented to shops selling cheese, wooden crafts, pottery and souvenirs. If you prefer a quieter experience, you can wander off the main street to visit some less populated areas. Head up Monte San Michele to get to Parrocchia Sant'Antonio di Padova, a trullo church which was built in 1927 and it like no church you will like ever see in your life, its well worth visiting. We needed a cool down after walking up and down the narrow streets in the beating sun, and we got a gelato at Martinucci on Monte San Michele. We all really enjoyed our gelato, and have aten quite a lot of gelato in our time. Upon checking online, this appears to be an Italian chain, which normally I try to avoid when travelling, but considering this isnt a chain we would ever have at home, it didnt feel like a cop out. Either way they were the nicest gelato we ate on this Italian road trip, so I am happy to recommend.

Be warned, like most of the towns I vistied in Puglia, the floors are unhill and extremely slippery. I headed out the door in Poloignano, with my never worn before leather sandlas, ready to strut my stuff, when in actuality, I looked like a fool, slipping and sliding everywhere. Wear shoes with good grip, like trainers (not chic but you will thank me.)

For the best view of this stunningly beautiful place, head to viewpoint Belvedere Trulli lookout point. If you are driving, the best car park is Lago Martellotta which charges 1.50 per hour. This is the closest, but the busiest.

In the afternoon, our next stop was Monpoli. Monopoli is a cute and charming fishing harbour town, with whitewashed buildings which are shadowed by ortnate catherdrals and churches.

You could easily spend a full day in both Monopoli and Alberobello, but we visited in half a day. It was a nice quick 30 minute drive from Alberobello to Monopoli. I personally would have preferred to spend longer in Monopoli, but sometimes when travelling with a group you need to be polite and considerable. We parked just outside of the city centre at paid for parking at Porto Rosso beach, however there was lots of suitable options for parking in Monopoli, so this isnt the only reliable option for parking.

One thing I get asked a lot online is, is it best to stay overnight in Monopoli or Polignano a Mare, and both are bustling towns, with a great atmosphere and lots of restaurants and bars to choose from in the evening. However, the one thing that MIGHT may Monopoli the best option, is that there are nearby sandy beaches, which would be a welcome relief from the pebble and rock coves in Polignano a Mare. So if sandy beaches are important to you, than Monopoli could be the best option for you.

Unfortunately, one of the beaches that I have admired online, and wanted to visit to capture some pictures, was covered in scaffolding and bright orange neon construction plastic. So the view of Cala Porta Vecchina was obscured just a bit. So just a heads up and keep this in mind, I am not sure when the construction is ending.

We walked along the harbour Via Mulni which was lined with white painted homes with pots of cati. If you follow this harbour path along, and turn left, you arrive and some stunningly beautiful streets, which in the late afternoon light looks picture perfect, and due to the time of day, were nice and peaceful. Towering over these streets was Monopoli Catherdral (Basilica Cattedrale Maria Santissima della Madia), which is not to be missed. I spent around 20 minutes, just outside the grounds of Monopoli Catherdral, as the baroque carvings were so detailed, there was so much to take in. Definately take a peek inside the cathedral, and sit down for a while, because the marble pillars and detailed painted ceilings are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Be sure to bring a scarf to cover you shoulders to respect the Roman Catholic religion.

Next we wandered down picturesque streets of the Cnetro Storico old town, and ended up at Porto Di Monopoli, which is a charming fishing village, bustling with tourists, all taking photos of the little blue and white fishing boats lined up with rope by the port. Some of the port was in the shadows, so might have been best to visit earlier in the day, or during sunset, but either way it was perfect. Take yourself to a quiet little corner of the port, and stare at the arched little balcony, and little green shutters covering small windows overlooking the harbour.

Monopoli and Alberobello are certainly worth visiting, and I’m so glad we included these in our itinerary. If I could change one thing, I would have preferred to visit one town per day, rather than splitting our time in half. Some people might disagree, but I just love to make sure I have covered every little winding street, and saw every church, and Monopoli felt like there was more to be explored.

In the evening we headed back to Polignano a Mare and got ready for a dinner at Antiche Mura which was literally two doors away from our apartment. The restaurant is set inside a white stone cave. This was a fairly expensive meal in comparision to other meals we ate in Puglia, but it honestly stands out as one of the best from the whole trip (there is a honourable mention for pasta we ate in matera). Antiche Mura specialised in fish and seafood, I ordered the grilled yellow fin tuna which was served alone, which meant I needed to order sides of potatos. The potaoes were served fried and extrmeley thinly sliced, they were practically lays crisps, but they tasted delicious. The tuna was cooked perfectly, and was packed with flavour and melted away in m y mouth. Have you ever ate a mouthful of food, and felt the need to keep that piece of food in our mouth for just a little extra longer, because to eat it too quickly seems such a waste? Thats how I felt about this tuna. For desert I had a tasty cannolli which rival those I have eaten in Taromina and Sorrento. My tuna was 18 euros and however a fish of the day sold by weight was 7 euros per 100g, which one again my Dad got a shock when the bill arrived. He didnt seem to be learning his lesson. Pasta was between 15-17 euros and then jumped to 35 euros for a lopbster pasta which is understandable. This resturaunt gets great reviews online, and I can understand why our host Davide reccomonded this place to us. Skip the overhyped Grotta Palazzese Restaurant and try this place instead.

We then headed to one of favourite little places to drink called “Hops”. Inside it was teeny tiny and the outdoor area had only around 8 chairs but it was very cute, and the perfect place to have a relaxed beer at the end of this very action packed busy da, and it was the perfect day to end our amazing time in Polignano a Mare.

Day 4 - Ostuni and checking in at Lecce

We packed up and said goodbye to our cute little rental in Polignano a Mare and collected our car at the train station. We had continued to use this car park throughout our stay which wasnt ideal, but thankfully we had no dramas. 

We were heading to our next booked accommodation, Glass House Hotel in Lecce, but decided to break up the drive with a stop in Ostuni. When I say “break up the drive” it sounds dramatic, but it was only about 40 minutes from Polignano a Mare to Ostuni, and then another hour onwards to Lecce. Still, it felt like the perfect excuse to explore somewhere new rather than just driving straight through. We spent around four and a half hours in Ostuni, which felt like the right amount of time. It just made sense on a road trip to naturally weave these towns into the journey rather than treating them as separate trips.

Again much like Alberobello, take comfortable shoes with good grib, as the pavements are old stones, which have been smoothed over the years and years.

Ostuni is perched dramatically on a hilltop and is known as “The White City” thanks to its maze of whitewashed houses that shimmer in the sun. It dates back to the Middle Ages, and as you wind your way up through the narrow streets, you can really feel that history around you. And no, these Puglian towns do not all blend into one to me. They might share pale stone buildings and charming alleyways, but each one feels completely different when you are actually there. Ostuni has its own energy, its own views stretching out over olive groves to the sea, and its own personality. To me, they are all beautiful in their own way and memorable for completely different reasons.

We parked at Parcheggio Roma Ostuni which was a short walk away from Ostuni old town, and it was 5 euros to park for the day. After parking we headed along Via Giosue Pinto which took is to a catholic church with a beautiful facade called Confraternity of Carmine Ostuni. We veered left which took us to a pretty courtyard called Piazza della Liberta. This is a good spot to wander around find some breakfast and coffee. Around Piazza della Liberta we saw tonnes of little Tuk Tuks, we tried to request a price from a Tuk Tuk driver but it was going to be around 100 euros for 4 of us for an unverified amount of time, simply decribed as a drive around Centre Storico which was a but too vauge for 100 euros. However, if you would like to haggle for a Tuk Tuk, Piazza della Liberta is the place to do it, as the further into Oustuni centre storico you get, the harder it gets to flag one down, as they are all already taking people on tours.

From the piazza we headed up Via Cattedrale which was a super bust street filled with Tuk Tuks whizzing paste, people stumbling on the smooth stone floors and souvenir shops selling every Italian item imaginable. At the top of this road, we stopped to look at a really pretty church named Church of Saint Vito the Martyr. Around this church there are some cute alley ways that we followed on the right, down the side of a boutique sunglasses shop, that were some of my favourite streets in Osuni. They were narrow arched alleyways with the stone walls covered in grape vines, which led out to a cute little courtyard with cafes and bars which were a nice respite from Via Cattedrale.

We followed along the defensive walled streets on Via Gaetano Tanzarella Vitale, where you can see 360 degree views over olive groves and the adriatic sea. From here we headed up white painted stairs, and walked up the stairs, through a famous tapas bar called “Borgo Antico Bistrot” which if you have ever searched “Ostuni” online, you will likely have seen a photo of the bar overlooking the sunset. We didnt stop here, as it was so busy, even in the. middle of the day, not even sunset. I would reccomedn booking in advance at this spot of evening drinks. Close to this spot we headed to Ostunis iconic Cathedral named Duomo di Ostuni; Basilica concattedrale di Santa Maria and its bridge which is really unique called Arco Scoppa (Scoppa Arch). It gets extremely busy here, packed with tourists and Tuk Tuks, it was difficult to find a moment of peace. If you are visiting Ostuni early, I would head here first if you want a little bit of calm in this popular spot. For a bit of context we arrived at the Cathedral at 1:30pm.

We stopped off for drinks with an insanely beautiful view of Ostunis streets and the Adriatic sea, at a place called “Bar Perso” which had bean bags lined up along the narrow quiet stairs. It was a great place to visit, and everyone (staff and patrons included) were in a happy mood, which made the visit so enjoyable. They sold a wide range of cocktails priced between 10-14 euros which is a little expensive for this region of Italy.

Do not leave Ostuni without visiting one very special viewpoint. It is a short walk outside of the historic centre, but it is totally worth it. The spot is called Piazzetta Martiri delle Foibe - Belvedere di Ostuni, and from here you get the most incredible view back across the white city, cascading down the hill. There are benches where you can sit, catch your breath and just take it all in. We spent a perfect few quiet moments there, soaking up the view of this absolutely dreamy Puglian town.

At around 3:30pm we headed off to our next overnight stop which was Leece! 

After a full day of exploring, arriving at Glass House Hotel in Lecce felt like the perfect reset. Check in was all done via WhatsApp, with codes sent through to access the building, which made the check in process a little more complicated than just being arrive and speak to a human at reception but after our dodgy parking at Poligano a Mare train station, having private gated parking with CCTV felt like such a relief, and I felt like I could stop worring about the car getting damaged.

When we opened the door to our room, I immediately felt that quiet, calm energy you hope for after a travel day. It was spacious, beautifully styled and had amazing air con, which in southern Italy is non negotiable. We dropped our bags, made a quick espresso in the room, and headed back out ready to explore Lecce, but not before I tested out the big screen tv to find some Italian vintage playlists on Youtube and danced my little heart out, so happy to be on holiday with my family on the perfect road trip.

The hotel was around a 10 minute walk into the historical centre of Lecce, we entered the walled part of the historic district via orate gates at Palazzo della Provincia di Lecce. This area completed wowed us, as every building was incredibly detailed with carvings in the lime stone. In this area you will find Basilica di Santa Croce, and the sun was just setting on this building, so it looked incredible in the glow of the golden hour sun. We spent about 30 minutes in front of Basilica di Santa Croce, just drinking it all in.

Links to accommodation here 

We were starving and hadn’t done much research into local restaurants to try, so we did the thing we hate, and trailed around in circles, checking menus, passing on them and spending way too long to make a decision. We eventually picked a place on Piazzetta Sigismondo Castromediano, but I wouldn’t particularly recommend it, as it was kind of generic and you will be able to find much better places in Lecce, although our waiter was very lovely. After dinner we wandered around the main streets, we no particular destination in mind, when we turned a corner and were hit with the most gorgeously impressive Piazza del Duomo. It was lit up in the most dramatic way, I really recommend visiting it in the evening when it’s all lit up and well as during the day if possible, ad they are two totally different experiences. I think the way we were potting down the street and were hit with this sight unexpectedly made it just perfect, and it was such a memorable experience. After this we sat for some chilled drinks at Flow Bar & Bistrot, which is a perfect little spot for watching the world go buy. There are so many great restaurants and bars in this area, particularly on this street where the Duomo is. Another great area for little cafes, restaurants and bars are the streets dircetly behind the Duomo. We found all these great places behind the Duomo on our last evening, at the very end of the night as we were heading home! So there was a whole new little area that we had completely overlooked.

Day 5 - Full day exploring Lecce

We headed out back to Lecces historical centre, past the Palazzo della Provincia di Lecce and ate brunch at a lovely spot just behind the Basilica di Santa Croce, which was called AlVentuno. We were seated outside, and it was a great spot to watch the world go by. What I loved about this place, is it was filled with Lecce locals, all meeting with friends, walking past and having a natter with their neighbours. The coolest Italians did their sipping and socialising there. I ate some perfect fluffy pancakes with berries for 6 euros and a cappuccino for 2 euros. Dan ordered a parma ham crispy toasted roll for 4 euros. The prices were so reasonable, the food was beautiful and the service was warm and friendly.

Myself and Dan wanted to learn a bit more about Lecce, especially the architecture and history, so we decided to join a walking tour. Directly opposite Basilica di Santa Croce there is a tourist information shop selling different tour packages, and we paid 25 euros each for a two hour guided tour.

Our ticket also included entry into the Jewish Museum Lecce, located in a former synagogue, which explores the Jewish history of medieval Lecce and includes excavated remains such as ritual baths. The tour was slightly cheaper if you joined an Italian language group, which makes sense as these were fully guided rather than audio based.

Our guide was so knowledgeable and answered all sorts of questions, which I really appreciated. That being said, we did not actually cover a huge distance during the tour, and I had already wandered past quite a few of the stops myself earlier in the day. I would have liked it to explore a bit further into different parts of the city.

The main highlights on the tour included:

• Basilica di Santa Croce

• Roman Amphitheatre of Lecce in Piazza Sant'Oronzo, which was discovered in the early 1900s during construction of the Bank of Italy building nearby. It is so large that part of it still remains buried beneath the square

• Jewish Museum Lecce

• Church of Saint Irene, which we were taken inside while the guide explained its history

• Piazza del Duomo, home to the Lecce Cathedral, Bell Tower, Bishop’s Palace and Seminary Palace, all in the most stunning baroque style

Overall, I am glad we did it and I did enjoy learning more about the city, but I think there are probably other walking tours available that cover more ground or come in at a slightly lower price. I was We booked this one very spur of the moment without doing much research, which is sometimes part of the fun, but maybe next time I would shop around a little first.

After our tour left us at Pizza del Duomo, we headed in the opposite direction, as we hadnt explored this part of Lecce yet. We ended up at Church of Saint Mary 'della Porta' which I recognised from photos of Lecce when researching our trip. Its pretty noticeable, as it has a curved dome like roof, which is covered in green tiles, so it’s not like many other churches I have seen, particularly in Italy. Just before we arrived at this church, we wandering through a door, which lead us into an extremely old and beautiful theatre named Teatro Paisiello. It was free to enter, and seemed to be open to the public, as there were friendly staff at the door who let us view this 19^th century small yet so impressive theatre. We spent around 15 minutes staring at it, as it was so elegant, and there were paintings all over the ceiling. This is why I love to wander down little alleys and through corridors, finding quiet beauty.

Our lovely walking tour guide told us we had to try the best pasticciotti in town at Caffè Alvino, right in Piazza Sant'Oronzo opposite the Roman amphitheatre. And she did not steer us wrong. The display counter was packed with every Italian sweet treat imaginable, but we were there for one thing. We ordered warm pasticciotti and espressos and drank them standing at the bar, shoulder to shoulder with locals. I believe for a pasticciotti it was 1.70 and for an espresso it was 2 euro. It felt so authentically Italian, quick, simple, no fuss. The pasticciotti were unreal. Soft, warm pastry with the most delicious creamy filling. You know I went back on our final morning to pick up a few more to take with us to Matera. How this place only has a 3.9 rating on TripAdvisor I will never understand.

We all agreed we would love to do a wine tasting tour of a vineyard during our time in Puglia, as it is known for its wine. My step mum booked a tour on GetYourguide and we paid £61 each for this tour in Salento, called Casina Spezzaferri. Our hotel in Glass House pre booked us a taxi which was so lovely! For reference the taxi cost 90 euros for a return journey, and the taxi collected us at the agreed upon time and took payment after the journey, which split between 4 of us was very affordable. The taxi company was called “Salento NCC Taxi” and our driver was called Danilo.

The villa in which the tasting takes place is fairly difficult to find, and our taxi driver did have some difficulty, but the wine maker Francesco was riding his bike nearly to look out for us, which must meant people get lost a lot! So it was thoughtful of them. The vineyard and the property is owned and being restored back to its former glory by Georgia, whos family have owned and worked on the land for decades. Georgia talks passionately about the history of her family home, and desribes it as a living project, which she took on when her Father passed away. He was the last person in the family to continue to make wine on the property, as her family moved away to bigger cities, to make a career for themselves. She returned to live and work in the home, restoring the rustic property, but definitely keeping its charm and the important seep sakes, dotted around on display, from books lined on shelves, and an empty canary bird cage. She talked us through how she met her friend Francesco, who assisted with his the knowledge of growing grape vines, fermentation and wine making. They make a great team, each bring their knowledge to the project.

The villa where the tasting takes place is fairly difficult to find, and even our taxi driver struggled a little. Luckily, the winemaker Francesco was cycling up and down the road keeping an eye out for us, which makes me think getting lost must be a common occurrence. It was such a thoughtful touch and immediately set the tone for how personal the whole experience would be.

The vineyard and property are owned by Georgia, whose family have worked the land for decades. She is now lovingly restoring it back to its former glory. Georgia speaks so passionately about the history of her family home and describes it as a living project, something she took on after her father passed away. He was the last in her family to continue making wine on the estate, as many relatives had moved away to bigger cities to build careers elsewhere. She made the decision to return, to live and work in the house, carefully restoring the rustic property while preserving its charm and treasured keepsakes. There are books lined along old shelves, personal photographs, and even an empty canary birdcage still hanging in place. It feels less like a business and more like stepping into someone’s story. Georgia told us how she met her friend Francesco, who brought his expertise in grape growing, fermentation and winemaking. Together they make such a strong team, each bringing their own knowledge and passion to the project. You can really feel that this isn’t just about producing wine, it’s about continuing a family legacy.

There were just six of us on the tour, which made it feel even more personal and intimate. A couple visiting were from Colombia, so Georgia and Francesco delivered the entire experience in both English and Spanish. I honestly don’t know how they switched so effortlessly between the two, it was incredibly impressive. It just added to that feeling that they genuinely care about every single guest having the best possible experience.

Francesco took us out into the fields where we were able to taste different grapes straight from the vines, which felt so special. He spoke in real depth about the growing process and explained how he is experimenting with techniques that were used on the property decades ago, bringing old traditions back to life. He also talked honestly about the history of Salerno and how global warming is starting to impact their farming, which added a really interesting, modern layer to the story. My partner Dan absolutely loved this part. He grows his own vegetables at home, ferments his own vinegars and is always experimenting with new processes, so this was completely up his street.

Later we headed to the property, where we were served different wines from the region, along with home made food and appetisers that complemented the flavours. When we first booked the tour, we did think we would be trying wines made on the vineyard, and Georgia and Francesco hope that will be the case some day, but right now they are focusing getting the grapes ready.

None of us has been wine tasting on a vineyard before, so we didn't know what to expect, but I think we pictured something like The Real Housewives of Orange Country (at least me and my step mam did), all glamorous and fancy, and this was the complete opposite experience. And that is not a negative, we loved that this was a family run business, hoping to change the future of wine making in Puglia and restoring the vineyard and the property to preserve its memory. And to be honest, it wouldn't be Puglia if it wasn't a little rough around the edges, making it so unique. Just maybe keep your high heels in the hotel.

Day 6 - Beach day in Gallipoli

After 5 days of none stop exploring and walking, we fancied a much needed chill day by the beach. We decided to head to Gallipoli, but I did quite like the idea of visiting Otranto, as I had seen photos online and the turquoise bright blue sea which looked idyllic. Both Gallipoli and Otranto are around a 30 minute drive from Lecce, so worth exploring if you have a car and feel like a day by the beach.

Gallipoli did have long sandy beaches, shallow waters and best of all the water was so warm, even in September. We stayed at Lido San Giovanni and parked a very nearby car park which was 3 euros for 2 hours. Unfortunately we didn't head into the main old centre of Gallipoli, which in hindsight feels a bit criminal, but we just wanted to rest up and swim, particularly after wine tasting the night before!

We headed back to Lecce, and because we hadnt eaten any pizzia during our entire trip (speaking of criminal!), Dan found a spot that served fresh wood oven pizza named “400 Gradi Lecce” which was just slightly outside Lecce old town, around a 5 minute walk from our hotel. This place got really good reviews, and seemed to be really popular, considering there were ropes set up for queues outside the door of the restaurant.I was a little skeptical this place would be nice, as from the surroundings, it looks like a high rise flat, on a main road. I would definitely recommend pre booking if you can. We were seated in an outdoor seating area, in a courtyard lined with huge palm tree, with fairy lights wrapped around and around them, created a lovely atmosphere. The menu was huge, there are so many different choices of pizza toppings. I ordered the Caramellata for 11.50 euro which was a white based pizza with mozzarella cheese, stracciatella cheese, sausage meat, onions and mustard, it was such a tasty pizza. I went for an unusual topping just as it felt a littlew wrong to get a plain pizza when there was so much amazing choice. We are so glad we picked this place, as we are sometimes pizza snobs, and only really like places that serve fresh wood oven pizza, but we loved it here. After, we headed back into Lecce old town, to wander the streets in the evening., and take in the last sights of Lecce.

All in all, we absolutely loved staying in Lecce, it is the perfect mix of a busy italian town, with great public transport connections, combined with stunning architecture and history. I would have happiliy stayed here longer to explore more. I would recommend staying in Lecce if you arent hiring a car, as the town has great transport options; the train station is well connected with other parts of Puglia, and Bari. There are also public buses, or you could opt to visit other parts of Puglia with a tour company, as there were lots of tour companies here, offering day trips to spots like Alberobello and Polignano a Mare.

Day 7 - Martina Franca & heading to Matera

We checked out of our hotel and headed to Alvino to pick up some more delicious pasticciotto for the road. Our drive from Lecce to Matera would be the longest of the entire trip, so we decided to break it up with another stunning Puglian town: Martina Franca. The drive takes around 1 hour 20 minutes.

Just a heads up, getting parked in Martina Franca can be a bit of a nightmare. The streets around the old town are very narrow, and there are lots of traffic lights and one way streets, which can feel a little overwhelming when you first arrive. We eventually found a spot at Parcheggio Largo Via Michelangelo Semeraro, which was around a 10–15 minute walk to the old town centre. Martina Franca was one of the quietest towns we visited on our trip (the historic centre at least). There were still plenty of tourists, but compared to Ostuni and Alberobello it felt so much calmer.

Once again, this town looked completely different to all the others we had visited, especially when it came to the architecture. Martina Franca is known for its elegant baroque buildings, which give the town a much more decorative and grand feel compared to the simple whitewashed towns nearby. I would definitely recommend sticking to the main historic centre when visiting. A good place to aim for is Piazza XX Settembre, which is a tree lined square that leads to an archway called Porta Santo Stefano. If you walk through this gate, it leads you straight into the beginning of the historic centre.

We actually arrived into the old town a completely different way, which threw us off a little and it took us a while to get our bearings. We headed towards Piazza Roma first for something to eat because we were starving. This piazza has a small fountain in the centre and it’s a really peaceful place to sit for a while. We ate focaccia sandwiches and drank coffee at Cibando. The food was tasty, but the service was pretty slow. We ordered a cola which didn’t arrive for about 30 minutes. To be fair though, I think there may have only been one waitress serving the whole café, so I would only eat here if you have plenty of time on your hands.

My favourite part of Martina Franca was the beautiful Piazza Maria Immacolata, which is lined with pastel pink and cream buildings with iron balconies and elegant archways. It’s such a pretty square and feels like the social hub of the town, with people sitting at cafés and chatting away.

Just a short walk from here is the Basilica di San Martino, an incredible baroque church from the 18th century and one of the most impressive buildings in Martina Franca. This part of the town actually reminded me a little of Paris (I’m sure Italians won’t be too happy with me saying that), but it’s just the style of the buildings and the iron balconies that gave me those vibes. Afterwards we wandered down lots of the little winding streets of the historic centre. Parts of the old defensive walls and gates still remain today, which once protected the town centuries ago.

We also wandered towards the Lama area, which is considered one of the oldest parts of Martina Franca. The buildings here are much simpler than the baroque palaces you see in the main squares. Many of the houses are plain white and have pointed roofs called, which are traditional to this area of Puglia.It was really interesting seeing these humble homes alongside the much more decorative buildings from later centuries. In some places it almost feels like you are stepping between two completely different time periods within just a few streets.

I loved visiting Martina Franca as a day trip, but personally I wouldn’t necessarily recommend using it as a base for accommodation, particularly if you are planning to explore other parts of Puglia. The public transport connections aren’t as strong as some of the other towns, and as we experienced, parking can be quite difficult around the historic centre.

We then headed off in the car for our next overnight destination, Matera. The drive from Martina Franca to Matera took around 1 hour 15 minutes and was a really easy journey. As I have mentioned a few times throughout this guide, I am well aware that Matera isn’t actually in the region of Puglia, but it is very close to many of the places we were already planning to visit, and it was absolutely worth adding to the itinerary.

When we arrived in Matera, we checked into Alvino Relais Matera, where we stayed for three nights. After quite a fast paced road trip around Puglia, this felt like the perfect place to slow things down a little. The hotel is set inside a beautifully restored old pasta factory, and it honestly felt like such a luxury stay for a really reasonable price. The interiors are stunning throughout, with a calm, stylish feel without being overly flashy. One of the main reasons we chose this hotel was for the pool, and it didn’t disappoint. After weeks of moving around and exploring new towns every day, it was so nice to spend a few hours just relaxing by the pool in the afternoon sun before we headed into Matera for the evening.

Links to accommodation here 

Our hotel was around a 20 minute walk into the main centre of Matera, and when we arrived it completely blew us away. I could already tell this place was going to be special, and I couldn’t wait to start exploring properly during the daytime.

We entered the historic centre through Piazza Vittorio Veneto, which is one of the main squares in the city. Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for very good reason. It sits on the edge of a deep ravine and is known as one of the oldest cave cities in the world, with settlements dating back as far as 7000 BCE.The city is split into different areas. The most famous part is the Sassi, which is made up of ancient cave dwellings carved into the rock, many of which you can now visit. Then there is the upper town, which sits above the caves and is where you will find lots of restaurants, shops and viewpoints looking out over the incredible landscape.

When we arrived at Piazza Vittorio Veneto there was so much going on. There happened to be an international film festival taking place with a red carpet laid out across the square, and at the same time there was also a religious parade for the Feast of St Eustace, the city’s patron saint. We were met with locals walking arm in arm holding candles, religious statues being carried through the streets, and beautiful illuminations hanging above the square. All of this happened within the first 20 minutes of us arriving in Matera, so there was a lot to take in.

After wandering around for a while we started searching for somewhere to eat, but we didn’t really know where to go as we had just arrived and were absolutely starving. Eventually we chose a restaurant just off the piazza called Fuoco di Vino – Bottega Culinaria.

The staff were incredibly friendly, and the restaurant definitely had a slightly higher end feel to it. I would describe the food as traditional Italian cuisine with a bit of a modern twist. Everything was beautifully presented and you could tell a lot of thought and detail had gone into each dish. I ordered a creamy ravioli with Lucanian black pig sausage, almonds and gorgonzola, and it was absolutely delicious. The only downside was that the portions were quite small. My dad was so hungry at this point I think he could have eaten about ten plates of his dish.

My pasta was around 16 euros, and although it tasted amazing, I did end up ordering bread and a few sides afterwards and I was still a little hungry. That being said, I would definitely recommend this restaurant if you are looking for something a bit more special, maybe for an anniversary or if you’re just in the mood for a slightly fancier meal. Just make sure you order a few extra plates if you arrive as hungry as we were.

We then headed to what ended up becoming one of our favourite little bars in the city, called Tierra Cocktail Bar. It is actually the sister bar to a restaurant we visited later on in the trip called Tierra Restaurant, which we didn’t realise at the time. This spot is a cocktail bar, and once again the bartenders and staff were so friendly and welcoming. The cocktails were great, but what really made the place special was the setting. There were little tables and chairs dotted down the stone steps leading up to the main bar, which itself sits inside a cave. It had such a relaxed atmosphere, the kind of place where you end up sitting for much longer than you planned, just chatting and enjoying the evening which is exactly what happened. 

Day 8 - Full Day exploring Matera

We woke up after our first evening at Alvino Relais Matera and it had been the perfect night’s sleep. The sheets felt so luxurious and the bed was huge, one of those beds where you properly sink in and don’t want to get up in the morning.

We hadn’t really realised it when we booked the trip, but our hotels had gradually got fancier as we went along. Our stay in Polignano a Mare had been more budget friendly, then we stayed somewhere lovely in Lecce which felt like a solid four star experience, and by the time we arrived in Matera we had ended up in full five star luxury. It was actually quite a nice way to end the trip. Breakfast definitely reflected the five star hotel vibe, and best of all, they served one of my favourites: pancakes. There were also all different types of artisan bread, pastries, Italian breakfast biscuits like biscotti and torcetti, cakes, yoghurt and fresh fruit. Alongside that there were hot options too, with eggs cooked all different ways, sausages and bacon.

We had a Tuk Tuk guided tour booked which started in the centre of Matera’s historic old town. The tour was booked with a company called Martulli Viaggi and we paid 17.50 euros per person. All in all, I wouldn’t really recommend this tour company, which I will explain. The tour started around 30 minutes late, which was a little frustrating as we were really excited to get out and start exploring Matera properly.

Before the tour began, we were told we needed to download an app which played a pre recorded audio guide through headphones, explaining each stop along the route. It wasn’t a live guide speaking to us, which made the experience feel a little less personal.

Our first stop was the Convent of Saint Agostino, which has an absolutely stunning picture perfect view looking out over Matera’s old town. Every viewpoint across the city seems to show a completely different side of it. In my opinion, each angle of Matera somehow looks totally unique, and every viewpoint is equally breathtaking. We stopped here for about 10 minutes to take photos and admire the view.

From there we headed down to Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario, which is a museum recreating what a cave home in Matera would have looked like in the 1950s. It explains the history of the Sassi caves and how, during the 1950s, families who had lived in these caves for generations were eventually relocated due to the extremely poor living conditions. We spent around 20 minutes here exploring the cave house and learning about how people once lived.

After that the Tuk Tuk continued on to Piazza San Pietro Caveoso where we stopped at another incredible viewpoint overlooking the gorge. From here you can see a bridge crossing the ravine, and we spotted people hiking on the other side towards more caves carved into the rock. These caves looked much more untouched and natural compared to the reconstructed museum we had just visited, which made the view feel even more dramatic.

Unfortunately, this is where the tour all went a bit wrong. The Tuk Tuk ended up getting a puncture from a rusty nail in the road. The driver tried to fix the tyre for quite a while, and eventually we were told a mechanic was on the way. After some time, the Tuk Tuk was actually taken away on the back of a lorry.

The driver then told us to wait while he spoke with the tourist kiosk to see if another vehicle could come and collect us to continue the tour. In total we ended up waiting around two hours, and no one from the company ever came to collect us or properly explain what was happening. Everyone on the tour was equally confused and a bit stranded.

It was a bit of a shame because the actual tour had only lasted around 30 minutes, and we had already spent another 30 minutes waiting at the start because the tour had begun late. We did wander around the Sassi a little while we waited, but we felt like we couldn’t go too far because we had been told alternative arrangements were being organised. Eventually we gave up waiting and walked back to the tourist kiosk ourselves. Unfortunately the staff there didn’t seem particularly interested in helping. They offered us a place on a tour the following day, but refused to offer any kind of refund. We didn’t want to do the tour the next day as we had already lost a big chunk of our afternoon waiting around.

I really don’t often complain, in fact I hate complaining, but in this case I would honestly say don’t waste your time or money booking with Martulli Viaggi. It was a frustrating experience and definitely one of the only disappointments of the trip.

Dan and I headed back to the hotel to get ready for the evening, and honestly the night completely made up for the slightly frustrating daytime we had. We headed back into the old town of Matera and immediately noticed candles being lit all around the streets and inside little doorways and buildings. We wandered through the Sassi, mainly around Sasso Barisano, and I was still completely in awe of the place. The streets, the caves, the views across the ravine, it honestly felt like one of the most unique places I have ever visited. There is something really magical about Matera, especially once the sun starts to go down.

As we wandered around, we kept hearing piano music echoing off the stone walls of the Sassi. It was surprisingly loud and sounded so clear that it almost felt like someone was playing right next to us. At first we assumed it must just be music playing through speakers somewhere in the city, so we didn’t think much of it. We eventually made our way up towards the Cattedrale di Maria Santissima della Bruna e Sant'Eustachio, where we noticed film crews, large speakers being set up and parts of the piazza closed off. Sitting on the cathedral steps was a huge grand piano, and that’s when we realised the music we had been hearing earlier was actually someone practising live.

We soon discovered that we had accidentally arrived in Matera on a very special evening. It happened to be the night of Matera Cielo Stellato, which takes place once a year. During the event the streets are closed to cars, lights across the city are switched off, including many of the street lamps, and candles are lit all around the town so the only light comes from the little glowing flames.

The piano concert was scheduled to officially begin at 7:30pm, so the music we had been hearing earlier had simply been the pianist practising before the performance. Even before the concert had started, the atmosphere in the city already felt so special.

We decided we wanted to find a restaurant where we could sit down, eat, and hopefully still hear the music while enjoying the views. After wandering around for a while we eventually found the perfect place, called La Grotta nei Sassi. It overlooked the glowing old town and we could hear the piano music echoing perfectly across the Sassi. The setting alone would have been enough, but the food ended up being fantastic too. When you are travelling, restaurants with the best views don’t always have the best food, so we were a little cautious at first, but we were pleasantly surprised.

The menu served traditional Italian dishes alongside some specialities from Matera. Dan ordered a pasta that was created in memory of the owner’s grandmother (how could you not order that?) — orecchiette with lamb ragù, tomato, pecorino cheese and smoked cheese. I ordered a dish traditionally made during important feasts in Matera, which was a calzone style pasta stuffed with ricotta, sugar and cinnamon, served with lamb ragù. Both dishes were around 15 euros and the portions were perfect. We ordered a bottle of red wine and sat there listening to the piano music bouncing around the stone walls of the Sassi. Some of my favourite pieces were played too, including music from Amélie, Ludovico Einaudi and other famous film soundtracks.

I honestly couldn’t believe how perfect the night felt. We had arrived in this beautiful place at exactly the right moment, without even knowing it. That evening became my favourite moment of 2025, and possibly one of my favourite memories from travelling in general. It’s moments like that which remind me exactly why I love travelling so much.

Day 9 - Pool morning and Exploring Matera

We had a much deserved rest day by the hotel pool, but honestly in hindsight I wish I had explored more ofg Matera, condsidernig yesterdays disaster tour, I felt like there was so much we hadnt explored. But this is always how I get when I’m in a new place, sometimes find it hard to relax if I know just down the road, there is an entire stunningly beautuful town that I hadnt seen every single part of yet. The hotel pool was perfect, completely quiet, and peaceful. It was so lucurious, but a word of wanring, I did see reviews online saying that if there is a wedding booked that day, you arent allowed to use the pool. Thankfully that wasnt the case today, or the whole time we stayed there, but I would be so miffed if I had paid for a hotel with a pool and they wouldn't let me use it.

We got ready in the afternoon and headed back into the old town of Matera to continue exploring the winding streets. Just a little word of warning if you are visiting on a Sunday evening, lots of places seemed to be closing quite early, so it can feel a bit quieter than usual.

While wandering around we stopped by a traditional local bakery called Antiche Delizie di Alessio Caldarulo. We picked up a focaccia and a bag of delicious raisin and almond cakes. If you’re English, and especially from the north, I would describe them as quite similar to rock buns. They were the perfect little snack to carry around while exploring. Not long after, we could feel the rain starting to come in, so we tried to head towards a slightly busier area to find some shelter. We ended up in the beautiful Piazzetta Pascoli, which also happens to have another incredible viewpoint looking out across the Sassi. If you visit when the weather is good, definitely take a moment to stop and enjoy the view from here.

We grabbed an affogato, sat under a giant umbrella and watched the world go by as the rain started to fall. People were running from doorway to doorway trying to decide whether to wait it out or make a dash to wherever they were heading next. Luckily we didn’t have anywhere we needed to be, so we just sat there and waited for the rain to pass. I had already booked a restaurant for later that evening called Tierra Osteria Contemporanea, but our reservation wasn’t until much later, so we had plenty of time to wander around once the rain eased off.

While it was still raining we decided to visit Palombaro Lungo, which is actually one of the best places you could visit in Matera if the weather turns bad. It’s a huge underground public cistern located beneath Piazza Vittorio Veneto, and the entrance fee was just 3 euros. The cistern dates back to the 16th century and is around 15 metres deep. When you look up at the ceiling you can even see the marks where the water level once reached. There are rust outlines from old metal buckets where people used to lower them down to collect water, some of which were clearly dropped and lost over time. It was such an interesting place to visit, especially as we were at a bit of a loose end and couldn’t spend much time walking around outside because of the rain. It’s incredibly unique, and definitely not something you come across every day.

We then headed to Monkey Drink House which had such a cool atmosphere. It actually reminded me a little of bars in Lisbon, with DJ booths playing music, a really chilled vibe and lots of fancy spritz style cocktails on the menu. There was also a tiny little window with an incredible view out across Matera, which is definitely worth peeking through if you visit.

After that we popped into another really popular bar called Birrificio 79, which specialises in craft beer. They actually brew their own beer just outside the city and serve it in this cosy little bar in the old town. The guys working behind the bar were so friendly and really knowledgeable about the brewery and the different beers they produce. They talked Dan through each one and helped him pick the best option for his taste. It was the perfect place to sit for a while as it started raining outside, with the windows all steamed up and everyone inside chatting away. It turned out my dad had also visited this place during the trip and loved it too. We sometimes spent the evenings together as a family, but other nights we would split up and explore on our own.

Later that evening we had a dinner reservation at Tierra Osteria Contemporanea, which was only about a two minute walk away. The restaurant is set inside a cave, which made the whole experience feel very Matera. Once again the waitresses were incredibly friendly and welcoming. I honestly found that everyone we met in Matera, and really across this whole region of Italy, seemed genuinely happy and kind.

The food here was absolutely out of this world. If you only visit one restaurant during your time in Matera, I would honestly recommend this place. It definitely leans towards a higher-end dining experience, with beautifully presented dishes and really bold flavours. I ordered a traditional Apulian-style pasta made with burnt wheat orecchiette. I know the name sounds slightly alarming, but trust me, it was incredible and unlike anything I have ever eaten before. It was served with Lucanian ragù and flamed caciocavallo cheese and cost around 16 euros. Dan ordered the Lucanian black pork fillet with mustard, herbs and an apricot sauce for around 20 euros. He loved his dish, but when he tried my pasta he immediately said he wished he had ordered that instead. It really was that good.

In fact, we ended up asking the lovely waitress how the pasta was made because we had enjoyed it so much. She happily explained the process and even told us the name of a little deli a few streets away where they buy some of their ingredients. Of course, we tried to recreate the dish when we got home, but it will never come close to the original. We were actually a bit sad that we ate there on our final evening, because if we had discovered it earlier in the trip we definitely would have gone back again.

Day 10 - checking out of Matera and day in Bari

The next morning we headed straight to the deli that had been recommended to us at Tierra. It was called Buongustaio Matera and it was amazing. It sold every imaginable type of cheese, pasta and deli meats. It’s the perfect place to pick up souvenirs that don’t feel like typical souvenirs, and we ended up stocking up on about nine bags of the burnt wheat orecchiette, along with some caciocavallo cheese to take home. Afterwards we wandered through the nearby streets where there were some great little food markets. It was well worth strolling around even just for the people watching — animated locals chatting away with neighbours and gesturing enthusiastically with their hands in that wonderfully Italian way.

From there we drove about 50 minutes to Bari and checked into our hotel, Hotel Boston Bari. To be honest, we mainly chose to stay in Bari because our flight the next morning was at around 5am. We wanted to drop the car back at the airport that evening and be able to easily grab a taxi in the morning. From what I had read beforehand, Bari wasn’t necessarily considered a “must-visit” destination because it’s more of a real working city rather than somewhere geared towards tourists. But honestly, I loved Bari. It was full of character. Yes, it felt a little rough around the edges in places — it even reminded me slightly of New York at times — but that was part of the charm and we really enjoyed it.

A TV show that had inspired us to visit Puglia was Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, and in the Puglia episode Stanley Tucci visits Bari, specifically the harbour where fishermen sell freshly caught raw fish. As soon as we had dumped our cases at the hotel, Dan and I headed straight down to the harbour to take a look. It was really pretty and definitely worth visiting, especially on such a sunny day. We did see a couple of fishermen selling fish, but if I’m honest I felt a little intimidated to go too close, so we mostly watched from a distance.

There were also some nice places to shop on the way to the harbour, so we did a bit of browsing as we walked. One building that completely blew me away was Acquedotto Pugliese – Palazzo dell'Acqua, which is well worth stopping to admire as it’s such a unique and striking building. Around this area you’ll also find shops such as Stradivarius and some vintage clothing stores. The main shopping area for high-street shops like Zara, H&M and Victoria's Secret is Via Sparano da Bari, while there are also higher-end stores such as Prada and Louis Vuitton if that’s more your thing.

My favourite part of Bari, though, was the historic old town — which is usually the case for me when visiting Italian cities. There was so much character here. We headed to Castello Normanno‑Svevo where there was a beautiful little courtyard surrounded by cafés with outdoor seating. The surrounding buildings were painted warm shades of orange, with washing hanging out to dry on balconies and green painted shutters. It felt exactly how you imagine southern Italy to be.

Just off this courtyard is the famous “pasta nonna” street. What looks like an ordinary narrow alley is actually bustling with local women rolling and cutting homemade orecchiette pasta right outside their homes, with lace curtains gently blowing in the breeze and trays of pasta left out to dry.

The residents of this street, Strada Arco Basso, have cleverly turned their homes into little businesses. Some have opened small shopfronts where tourists can buy tote bags, dried pasta and other souvenirs, while others have little plaques outside with their names, a bit of information about themselves and even their social media handles. The nonnas have clearly turned their internet popularity into an entrepreneurial venture, which I have to admire — make that money honey. Of course, their popularity does mean the street can get busy. We visited around 2:30pm and there was a constant stream of tourists coming and going. It’s still well worth seeing though, and I’d recommend wandering down some of the surrounding side streets as well to find a few quieter corners away from the crowds.

Very close by is a popular gelateria called Gelateria Gentile which my step-mum had been recommended by a friend. There were rope barriers outside the shop which suggested it can get very busy. When we arrived there was only a small queue though. They had every flavour of sorbet and gelato you could imagine alongside the classics. It was €2.50 for a single scoop cone or up to around €9 for a giant cone. The shop was established in 1880 and, after looking it up online, I discovered there are only two locations — one in Bari and one in New York — so it’s not exactly a chain. It did feel quite tourist-focused though, selling tote bags and T-shirts, so it has definitely become a bit commercial. But again… make that money honey I suppose.

Next we wandered into the heart of Bari’s old town to Piazza dell'Odegitria, a beautiful square filled with restaurants, cafés and bars. The impressive Bari Cathedral towers over the square and it really is something special. It’s a lovely place to sit for a while, watch the world go by and soak up the atmosphere.

Eventually we left the old town, although I felt like there was still so much more we could have explored there. Instead we wanted to find somewhere to sit and enjoy a drink in the last of the evening sunshine. It was probably the last time we would feel warm sun on our faces that summer, as it was our final evening in Italy and we live in the north of England.

We ended up on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a wide boulevard lined with towering palm trees where locals stroll along in the evenings walking their dogs. We stopped for wine at Pieno o Ripieno – Panini di Puglia which sells deli meats, cheeses and speciality Italian wines. The man serving us was lovely and really knowledgeable about wine. He helped us pick a couple he thought we would enjoy and even brought out a few for us to try first, almost like a little mini wine tasting.

We sat on that beautiful street drinking wine as the sun slowly disappeared, talking about all our favourite moments from what had been a once-in-a-lifetime Italian family road trip.