Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Where To Stay In Puglia

Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa

PUGLIA, ITALY MUST DO & TRAVEL GUIDE (Polignano a Mare, Ostuni, Lecce & More!)

Even from the outside, Paragon 700 is no ordinary Italian palazzo. Its striking facade of red rusticated stone sticks out within the spectacular white city of Ostuni, while the restored vintage car that sits outside offers something of a clue to its unconventional mix of the past and present. But stepping inside is to enter another world entirely. The weird and wonderful brainchild of its founders, interior designers and partners Pascale Lauber and Ulrike Bauschke, they clearly saw the restoration of this mysterious building as an opportunity to unleash their wildest design instincts. The property opened last summer with head-spinningly fabulous results.

Probably the biggest facet of Paragon 700s appeal, though, is its prime location within Ostuni, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region, but that somehow manages never to feel wildly overcrowded. Getting lost in the citys labyrinth of alleyways and admiring its Gothic cathedral are unmissable elements of a Puglian vacation all on their ownbut knowing you can return to the homely environs of Paragon 700 for a refreshing dip in the pool, a cocktail as delightfully offbeat as the decor, and finally a meal in their gourmet, open-kitchen Restaurant 700 to round off the evening makes the experience all the sweeter.

Puglia Road Trip 4 Days In Puglia Itinerary And The Best Places To Visit

Italy is maybe my all-time favorite destination in the world, and I try to get there at least once per year. This year, after seeing the red Bolognain February, I have finally made a dream come true and got to the South, spending 4 days in Puglia on a Puglia road trip. And let me share with you my Puglia itinerary.

If you have more time and want to make the best of it, plan for a one-week itinerary to Southern Italy. But make sure to include also Puglia, one of the 52 Places to go in 2019 as per the New York Times.

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  • Italy travel resources
  • Best Accommodation In Puglia

    When it comes to finding the right accommodation, we are always looking for a budget place where to stay, however, we also look at the location.

    We divided the places where to stay in Puglia into two, Airbnb and Hotels. Depending on who you are travelling with and what kind of budget you have, below you will find the right place to stay in Puglia!

    How long you spend in a place also influences your decisions. In fact, for a shorter stay, we privilege accommodations near the city centre or the main station. This is because you will be nearby the main landmarks, or at a shorter distance from the airport.

    For a longer stay, you might find accommodations that will enhance some features, like pools, restaurants, and attractions nearby.

    This post may contain affiliate links or Sponsored Links , useful experiences that we love to suggest to you. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Click on it will help us run this website for you, for FREE, funding our project, continuing to travel informing curious explorers.

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    This post may contain affiliate links or Sponsored Links , useful experiences that we love to suggest to you. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Click on it will help us run this website for you, for FREE, funding our project, continuing to travel informing curious explorers.

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    Map Of Salento Puglia

    Official Puglia Website:www.viaggiareinpuglia.it

    Official Unione dei Comuni Jonica-Salentina website: A collection of five small villages filled with charm. www.unioneionicasalentina.it

    Getting To Brindisi: Fly to Rome and then connect to Brindisi via Alitalia or by train in five hours.

    Rome to Brindisi Train: Travel from Rome to Brindisi by rail in around three hours. Its also possible to take the ferry from Greece to Brindisi.

    Rocco Forte Masseria Torre Maizza

    Best Places to Stay in Puglia, Italy

    Why Stay? Authentic Apulian hideaway Nightly Rate: from 300 Check prices & book here

    With a medieval tower, Moorish-style architecture and stylish rooms, a golf center, yoga lessons, and spa treatments, this luxury farm stay is all you need in your life. There is also a main restaraunt called Il Carosello, with local cuisine so you can indulge in typical Apulian food.

    Why Stay? An eco-friendly & affordable trulli farmhouseLocation: Martina Franca / Ostuni Nightly Rate: from 130 Check prices & book here

    This beautiful stay is a combination of a farm stay masseria and a trullo! It is also one of the more affordable masserie in this post. The farm stay is located only 4 miles from Ostuni and it is also close to Martina Franca, another smaller town well worth a stop on your Puglia road trip. This accommodation is super sustainable too running on solar power, using only green products, and serving locally produced foods that are organic.

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    Hotel And Farm Holiday Structures

    Apart from the classic hotels, namely town, seaside and resort hotels, there are also other types of accommodation with a strong blend of hospitality and tradition. Were talking of the Masserie, typical of southern Italy and in particular of Puglia , and the Trulli, cone-shaped dry-stone structures typical of the central-southern region. Both types, historically used as farms and for animal husbandry, are mainly located in the countryside.

    Feast On Regional Cuisine

    When it comes to gastronomy, in addition to celebrating with vino novello and castagne , food fans will enjoy sampling an array of delicious regional cuisine.

    As you explore other inland towns in Salento, youll meet vendors in markets, restaurant chefs as well as artisanal producers, all willing to share their stories and cuisine.

    The cucina povera tradition means the cuisine is simple and delicious, relying on fresh, local produce.

    Another regional dish popular throughout Salento Purè di fave con cicoria or Fava Bean Purée with Chicory had me swooning at first bite.

    Perfect in its simplicity, much like other cucina povera style recipes of Puglia, its a marriage of creamy fava beans complemented by slightly bitter chicory.

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    Where To Stay In Puglia: Masserie Trulli And Palazzi

    Before going into detail about how to divide ones time across the region in order to see as much of Puglia as possible in one go, there is one thing that we cant stress enough. No matter how much time youre spending in Puglia, make sure you book stays in a masseria, a trullo and, if possible, a palazzo as well. These may sound like somehow budget-unfriendly options but you can always find fantastic deals at booking.com.

    Trust us when we say that, in Puglias case, it is worth saving money on something else rather than your accommodation. Splurging in such unique types of accommodation will take your trip to Puglia to a whole new level.

    This is the best way to immerse oneself in the secrets of real Puglia and grasp the very essence of this windswept land which feels like a lazy summer day and firmly refuses to succumb to the Sirens of mass tourism.

    The 7 Best Hotels In Puglia With Private Beaches

    Puglia, Italy: BEST places: Beaches, Ostuni, Alberobello, Polignano, Matera

    Puglia is a perfect holiday destination. With beautiful stretches of sandy coastline and gorgeous unspoilt historic sites. If it is the beach you are after, though, there are a handful of stunning hotels with private beaches meaning, regardless of the season, you can enjoy complete peace and quiet. Our hotel experts have compiled a collection of the best hotels in Puglia with a private beach to make booking your escape a complete breeze. Whether you are planning a romantic getaway with your significant other or a fun family holiday, there is something for everyone in our collection. So why not browse through the list and start planning your stay?

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    Admire Ancient Watchtowers Along Coastline

    Gallipoli and its surrounding region have historically been the subject of countless attacks. The fortified watchtowers that dot the coast were built with defence purposes in mind.

    While many of the towers are now in poor shape, their striking appearance against the contrasting beauty of the area makes for some great photo-ops.

    If youre planning a day trip, notable towers still standing today include the Torre Suda, Torre Alto Lido, Torre Sabea, Torre del Pizzo, and Torre San Giovanni la Pedata. The majority of the towers along this coast were built in the 16th and 17th centuries.

    An outside table at stylish Solatio restaurant near Torre Suda is a prime place to soak up the views while dining on sweet shrimp simply grilled with olive oil, lemon and sea salt.

    The Way To Book With Puglia Paradise

    Booking your villa with Puglia Paradise is incredibly easy. On-line: Simply pick the villa, choose arrival and leaving day, get the comprehensive price and proceed with the transaction with your Credit Card. Off-line: Just get in touch with us and we will help you in picking the best villa for you and your needs. We will provide you our best and most detailed offer for one or more villas that satisfy your needs.

    More infos:

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    Where To Stay In Salento

    Welcome to Salento, the land of sun, sea and wind!

    But now lets take a moment for you to understand a little bit of the Apulian geography.

    Salento is still part of Puglia but for some reason it is like a separate area just like the Catalunya in Spain, for example.

    Although it belongs to the same region, almost everything is different in terms of food, dialect, and even costumes.

    Lecce is the main city of Salento and you must visit it while traveling around Puglia but if you wish to stay longer and get to know this area a little better, make sure to rent a car and take some time off to explore it properly.

    There are 99 villages in the Salento area but, of course, some are more worth visiting than others. Lets take a look together at the ones you cant miss! Check our your hotel options and latest prices in Salento on Tripadvisor or Booking.com.

    How To Find The Best Masserie Hotels In Puglia

    Puglia: Where should you stay?

    The easiest way to find a wonderful Masserie is to search on Booking.com and tick the farm stays box under the filter options like Ive done in the special link here!

    Or, search from this map below and be sure to add the filter for farm stay or look for Masserie in the name of the booking:

    I hope you enjoyed reading about the best places to stay in Puglia! If you have any suggestions to add or found this helpful, be sure to comment below!

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    Which Part Of Puglia To Stay In

    The two main cities in Puglia and gateways to the region are Bari and Brindisi. The other major city of note is the gorgeous Lecce, a university city with well-preserved baroque buildings.

    Most of the tourist attractions in Puglia are located in the Salento Peninsula. If youre looking at a map of Italy, his is the heel. The Salentine Peninsula is sandwiched between two seas the Adriatic on the north side, and the Ionian on the south.

    • Spur of Italy: Wild and beautiful Gargano National Park with several beach resorts, popular with Italians.
    • North Coast : Main cities and a rocky coastline with many small sandy coves, limestone cliffs and picturesque fishing towns. A cycle path runs the length of this coast.
    • South Coast : Miles of incredible white sand beaches backed by dunes, but the resorts are functional and bland.
    • Interior: Dominated by olive groves and, to the north, grain crops. Many beautiful medieval villages including the famous beehive houses.

    When To Visit Puglia

    It can be warm enough for swimming in May and October too. On our two-week road trip in May we had two days of rain, a few cloudy afternoons, and the rest was hot and sunny in the mid-20s Celsius and we were swimming and sunbathing.

    We found April and May a great time for sightseeing as it wasnt too hot.

    If you arent bothered about lazing on beaches, then winter is a quiet and inexpensive time to explore Puglias towns.

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    Organised Day Trips In Puglia

    The honest truth is that hiring a car will almost definitely work out cheaper than booking multiple day trips, however, if you dont have a driving license or simply would prefer not to drive, then taking organised day trips is another way of visiting some of the more out of the way destinations in Puglia without a car.

    The larger cities of Bari and Lecce are the starting point of many organised tours, although you will also find some that will pick you up from other destinations in the region too.

    Exploring Puglia on organised day trips and tours means that you can base yourself in one city but still see other parts of the region without having to hire a car or navigate public transport.

    Organised day trips from Bari:

    Organised day trips from Monopoli:

    Organised day trips from Lecce:

    Day 2 Of Our Puglia Itinerary Ostuni

    Puglia, Italy Road Trip 2019 // Puglia Travel Vlog

    Another 35 minutes drive and we were right in the heart of the whitest and chicest little town: Ostuni.

    I took a right and had in front of me a narrow street, climbing its way to who knows where with cars parked really close to me on the left side. Needless to say, I panicked a little but climbed it either way. And I even parked the car somewhere close to the top, as everyone else did.

    Walking towards the center of Ostuni, my mind drifted away to Lisbon a similar town, with narrow streets, peeled stone buildings.

    It was clear from the hanging laundry on the small balconies outside, that people were living their normal all Italian lives here, it wasnt a touristic area, and you could feel the true local vibes.

    As we approached the city center, a sight that I was expecting in Ostuni welcomed us: the chalk-like white-painted houses.

    The closer we go to the center, the happier we became. We had a delicious lunch at a simple white and blue restaurant, we passed by many white blue, and green buildings, but the best thing of all we met several friendly cats.

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    The Best Hotels In Puglia’s Towns

    Have a look at our list of Great Puglia Town Hotels and discover delights such as:

    • Paragon 700 is a gorgeous boutique hotel right in the centre of Ostuni. Its eleven rooms have been painstakingly put together and the result is a super-chic stay with sumptuous features including huge sunken baths in some rooms. There’s also a pretty garden with pool and an excellent gourmet restaurant.

    • Casa Litara is a charming little guesthouse in the town of Cutrofiano , famed for its stunning ceramics. The four beautifully styled rooms feature creamy interiors accessorised by lovely period features. Plus there’s a courtyard garden with seasonal pool. It’s brilliant value too.

    • La Sommità Relais Culti is also in Ostuni. There are terraces and ramparts to sit on and the decor is pared-back and calming.

    • Or book the chic Corte Palmieri in the seaside town of Gallipoli where a warren of arched passages and staircases leads to the stylish beamed rooms and breakfasting terrace.

    • The gorgeous Relais Il Mignano is a wonderful city stay, perfect for exploring Nardò. The property boasts ornate historic exteriors that ooze charm as well as elegantly traditional accommodation. Splendid value!

    Mercure Villa Romanazzi Carducci Bari

    As Bari is the capital of the region Apulia, there are so many places where you can stay. We picked this gorgeous property as its located in the heart of the city, close to the main train station.

    We could easily commute to other destinations from the station and thats why we picked this hotel. In fact, when checking where to stay in Bari, keep in mind that you can plan amazing day trips from Bari so the hotel accommodation is important.

    Located 2 km from Petruzzelli Theatre, which can be seen as the middle point of the beautiful lungomare. The Mercure Villa Romanazzi Carducci will welcome you with all your needs. You can check here the dates.

    If you are planning to stay longer in Bari, you can check the Excelsior Hotel here.

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    What Is A Masseria

    Masserie are large fortified farm complexes which were built in Puglia between the 16th and 18th centuries. Most masserie have some main characteristics in common. They are surrounded by high walls and they comprise of various buildings arranged around a central courtyard. Apart from the landowners house, a masseria is made up of other buildings too. These include workers homes, stables, storage rooms for crops, olive oil mills, wineries, cheese making facilities and so on.

    Nowadays, most of these historical estates have been restored and turned into exceptional farmstays which range from traditional to luxury ones. Almost all of them feature on site restaurants which serve local dishes based on organic ingredients while many masserie are still working farms which produce oil, cheese, wine etc.

    Our stay at Masseria Torre Coccaro

    Staying at Masseria Torre Coccaro in Fasano was among the highlights of our 2-week road trip across Puglia. Situated among ancient olive trees and just a 5-10 drive from nearby Savelletri beach, this 16th century magnificent estate is restored to perfection with old buildings such as the chapel and the imposing watchtower still standing on its grounds.

    The masseria is a 5-star farmstay which manages to blend luxury and tradition in an irresistible way. Featuring private patios, rooms at the masseria are huge, impeccably clean, utterly comfortable and their decoration reflects the history and traditions of Puglia.

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