Hi babes! Time for a real Italy recap post. I don't think I've already explained this, but we ended up picking Puglia for our 2019 travel destination because we didn't want to travel too far/expensive, because we hadn't been to Italy yet, and because Puglia is supposedly the part of Italy that is best suited to roadtripping in the high season. We were initially considering Amalfi, but apparently that part of Italy is just ridiculously crowded in July, and we didn't want to spend most of our days stuck in traffic or on a bus.
After doing some research, we were expecting a lot from Puglia as a destination because it has great weather, beautiful beaches as well as lovely little towns that aren't yet ruined by mass tourism. I can say that we weren't disappointed, and Puglia proved to be everything we had hoped and more!
Our itinerary for 16 nights:
1 night in Matera (technically not Puglia, but SO worth the detour)
5 nights in Mola di Bari
3 nights in Cisternino
6 nights in Gallipoli
and 1 night in Bari before flying home
All of our stays were booked via Airbnb, which in my experience is always the best way to get value for your money at a unique and authentic place.
I don't think I'd change anything about how we divided our time - if we had had a longer vacation, I'd probably add a night to our stays in Matera and Cisternino, because as high as my expectations of those destinations already were, both still managed to take my breath away.
Matera is such a gorgeous place that I felt like it deserved a blogpost of its own (too many pics to share), so here we are! FYI, we stayed at this Airbnb, an apartment on the last street that allows free street parking for non-residents before you get to the historic center. A perfect location, just a few minutes on foot from great restaurants and viewpoints, but very quiet!
What did we love about Matera? Well, the pictures will probably speak louder than words, but still: this city has a fascinating history that is still so apparent when you walk its streets. It's like stepping onto the set of a historical movie, a city that is so very beautiful yet still largely undiscovered by tourists. That probably won't last long, so get there while the getting's good!
Matera is mostly known for its sassi, cave dwellings where some of the poorest people of Italy used to live, but the entire city is mesmerizing. Also, since tourism has started to benefit the city, there is some gentrification to a pleasant extent - think cool cocktail bars and lunch spots that still allow plenty of breathing room to the more authentic parts of Matera. Also, the city sits right on the edge of the Parco Della Murgia Materana, a beautiful national park featuring some cave dwellings that are thousands of years old, and a canyon you can hike.
Let's get to the pictures!
Matera is at its most magical around sunset, when thousands of swallows dive through the sky. There are plenty of restaurants throughout the city boasting terrace seating looking out over the canyon and the rolling hills of Matera. Be quick to grab a spot before the tables fill up to experience a night you seriously will never forget. We had dinner at Trattoria Del Caveoso, where I had some amazing fennel sausage orechiette. We also had gelato at I Vizi degli Angeli Laboratorio di Gelateria Artigianale, and their pistachio was sensational.
A last word of advice: one night in Matera allows you to see a lot of the city, but I could definitely see myself spending more time here. Lots of winding streets, amazing restaurants and museums to explore, plus the potential for hiking the park. You won't be disappointed!
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