Trip Report-Puglia and Matera (8 nights)-last minute trip-mid to late March 2023
Apr 22nd, 2023, 10:48 AM
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Hi memejs, Thanks on the TR. I understand your concerns fully and have wrestled with them when I’ve planned trips to locations that are not well served by public transportation, or where the landscape otherwise means that going it alone is not possible or safe.
I, too, feel that big (overnight, large group) tours are probably not a good fit for me. Indeed, I’m not inclined to go on this type of tour. I have, however, had good experiences with one day small group tours on two occasions. And I would not rule out that kind of experience in the future. In Scotland many years ago I took a small group day tour to the Highlands (from Edinburgh), and that worked out well. It was the only way that I could see at least see a bit of the Highlands in the time I had. When I did that, I researched companies a lot (mostly on TripAdvisor) and found one that did this kind of tour in a small van (that held around 6 people). The information provided indicated that at various points during the day you would be left on your own, such as to find a place for lunch during a stop in a small town, with instructions to be back at the van at a certain time, left alone to explore one or two castle ruins or a small town, etc. The solo time appealed to m. I mostly kept to myself during that particular tour (principally because I was “talked out” and tired, having been at an intensive multi-day conference in the days prior), and it worked out well enough. It wasn’t my favorite travel experience ever, but it was comfortable enough and worked well in terms of the options that were available to me. I also took a van tour/hike to Mt Etna in Sicily, and that was delightful. On that tour I engaged with the others in the van (they were all Italians, and I was feeling expansive and relaxed that day) and the volcanologist guide (all of whom were beyond patient with my Italian). So, I wouldn’t rule out 1-2 small group day tours during a trip, especially when they are the only option in terms of logistics (and/or cost). I’ve also had good experiences with small group cooking classes at someone’s home. Often I’m the only person who is in the cooking class without a traveling companion, but the activity of cooking and drinking together (and usually going to the market to look around and purchase ingredients) really breaks the ice for me (and is fun). Once I met another solo traveler in a cooking class (the others were part of a large family traveling together), and we ended up going out to dinner together the next night. This is because we came to talk about the fact that there was one restaurant in town that offered a very appealing multi course tasting menu, but only for tables of two. So, out of necessity we went together and it was a nice evening, and we were both clear that we would not otherwise be hanging around together during the rest of our trip.)
Drivers are an easy option when you are looking to get from point A to point B (or even to make a few stops along the way). Generally speaking, they are not trying to engage in conversation (and the norm, I think, is for the passenger to sit in the back seat, which further reinforces that sense that this is essentially a long taxi ride that you book in advance). And they are not providing narration in re what you are seeing. In some cases, however, being a sort of chatty person as I am—and depending on the vibe from the driver and the language— I have in fact engaged the driver off and on on conversation. I’ve enjoyed those experiences a lot. In Italy and Latin America (where—gross generalization, I know—the average person tends to be friendly, seems to like to chat, and seems to find that fact that you are genuinely interested in and respectful of their country/region/lived experience—this seems to have gone well, and I have found the on and off periods of conversation rewarding. But it is perfectly fine not to engage.
In re concerns about personal safety—I absolutely share your sense of caution. I have only used drivers that were arranged by my lodging (and when traveling alone I only stay at small B&Bs, where I feel that the owner is involved with my stay, including arranging a driver for transfers when public transport is not an option). That provides me with peace of mind because the owner is connecting you with a driver whom they know and use with other guests. The only other way in which I have gotten connected to a driver is when they come highly recommended by a number of people in this forum or others, such as TA (i.e., I don’t hire drivers based on aggregated on line reviews, which I fear could be manufactured in some cases, or at least I am not sophisticated enough to know when they are). So, the approach I’ve used has given me peace of mind about being with a driver alone.
Regarding using a guide as I did on my most recent trip to Puglia. (In this case there was both a trained guide and a driver.) There, too, I relied on advice in this forum and elsewhere, and I struck up a correspondence with the guide before my trip. I asked who exactly would be my guide and wrote to that person (since I didn’t want my guide to be outsourced through a consolidator). I did share my expectations in advance, indicating likes (for me that includes conversation, trying to speak some of the time in Italian, that I like to discuss politics, food, art, history) and also dislikes (shopping, a great abundance of long church/museum/ruins stops in each place). If I wanted to indicate that I’m more of an introvert and prefer to have a good bit of quiet (rather than constant patter) and that I would enjoy a quiet lunch on my own, I would be perfectly comfortable sharing that information with a guide in advance. (I imagine any good guide would appreciate that info—perhaps even welcome it as it’s less work—and any good guide would adjust accordingly).
In terms of safety, again, that is a very important issue and I share your sense of caution. Here, too, I feel like getting recommendations either from the owners of B&Bs or small hotels (rather than just aggregated on line reviews) is very important to me. On a trip several years ago, I visited two different mountainous regions in Ecuador where I wanted to hike a bit (this was after a work trip to Quito, where I was very comfortable in the city on my own exploring for a few days). I had the B&Bs where I was staying (which were in turn recommended by a friend who had stayed there previously) arrange my transfer by drivers. Public transport was not an option. And I wrote to the B&B owners where I was to be staying in advance, telling him I wanted to hike a bit, but would not be comfortable doing that on my own. One owner offered to take me hiking over the course of two mornings (for a fee), and that was lovely. We mostly hiked in silence as he spoke no English and my Spanish is extremely limited. In other region I visited, the owner of the B&B arranged a hiking guide for me for a one day hike. I corresponded with the owner and learned that this guide was frequently used by guests, including solo female guests. He assured me that it would be that guide only, not someone else at the last minute. Because the B&B was highly recommended by a friend who had stayed their recently that made me comfortable. That, too, was a good experience, and we chatted a little bit off and on during that day.
I provided the examples above to suggest that there are ways that at least I have improved my comfort in terms of hiring drivers, using guides, and occasionally being part of a small group when I am traveling to places where I can’t just hop on a train or bus to do the thing I want to do.
I, too, feel that big (overnight, large group) tours are probably not a good fit for me. Indeed, I’m not inclined to go on this type of tour. I have, however, had good experiences with one day small group tours on two occasions. And I would not rule out that kind of experience in the future. In Scotland many years ago I took a small group day tour to the Highlands (from Edinburgh), and that worked out well. It was the only way that I could see at least see a bit of the Highlands in the time I had. When I did that, I researched companies a lot (mostly on TripAdvisor) and found one that did this kind of tour in a small van (that held around 6 people). The information provided indicated that at various points during the day you would be left on your own, such as to find a place for lunch during a stop in a small town, with instructions to be back at the van at a certain time, left alone to explore one or two castle ruins or a small town, etc. The solo time appealed to m. I mostly kept to myself during that particular tour (principally because I was “talked out” and tired, having been at an intensive multi-day conference in the days prior), and it worked out well enough. It wasn’t my favorite travel experience ever, but it was comfortable enough and worked well in terms of the options that were available to me. I also took a van tour/hike to Mt Etna in Sicily, and that was delightful. On that tour I engaged with the others in the van (they were all Italians, and I was feeling expansive and relaxed that day) and the volcanologist guide (all of whom were beyond patient with my Italian). So, I wouldn’t rule out 1-2 small group day tours during a trip, especially when they are the only option in terms of logistics (and/or cost). I’ve also had good experiences with small group cooking classes at someone’s home. Often I’m the only person who is in the cooking class without a traveling companion, but the activity of cooking and drinking together (and usually going to the market to look around and purchase ingredients) really breaks the ice for me (and is fun). Once I met another solo traveler in a cooking class (the others were part of a large family traveling together), and we ended up going out to dinner together the next night. This is because we came to talk about the fact that there was one restaurant in town that offered a very appealing multi course tasting menu, but only for tables of two. So, out of necessity we went together and it was a nice evening, and we were both clear that we would not otherwise be hanging around together during the rest of our trip.)
Drivers are an easy option when you are looking to get from point A to point B (or even to make a few stops along the way). Generally speaking, they are not trying to engage in conversation (and the norm, I think, is for the passenger to sit in the back seat, which further reinforces that sense that this is essentially a long taxi ride that you book in advance). And they are not providing narration in re what you are seeing. In some cases, however, being a sort of chatty person as I am—and depending on the vibe from the driver and the language— I have in fact engaged the driver off and on on conversation. I’ve enjoyed those experiences a lot. In Italy and Latin America (where—gross generalization, I know—the average person tends to be friendly, seems to like to chat, and seems to find that fact that you are genuinely interested in and respectful of their country/region/lived experience—this seems to have gone well, and I have found the on and off periods of conversation rewarding. But it is perfectly fine not to engage.
In re concerns about personal safety—I absolutely share your sense of caution. I have only used drivers that were arranged by my lodging (and when traveling alone I only stay at small B&Bs, where I feel that the owner is involved with my stay, including arranging a driver for transfers when public transport is not an option). That provides me with peace of mind because the owner is connecting you with a driver whom they know and use with other guests. The only other way in which I have gotten connected to a driver is when they come highly recommended by a number of people in this forum or others, such as TA (i.e., I don’t hire drivers based on aggregated on line reviews, which I fear could be manufactured in some cases, or at least I am not sophisticated enough to know when they are). So, the approach I’ve used has given me peace of mind about being with a driver alone.
Regarding using a guide as I did on my most recent trip to Puglia. (In this case there was both a trained guide and a driver.) There, too, I relied on advice in this forum and elsewhere, and I struck up a correspondence with the guide before my trip. I asked who exactly would be my guide and wrote to that person (since I didn’t want my guide to be outsourced through a consolidator). I did share my expectations in advance, indicating likes (for me that includes conversation, trying to speak some of the time in Italian, that I like to discuss politics, food, art, history) and also dislikes (shopping, a great abundance of long church/museum/ruins stops in each place). If I wanted to indicate that I’m more of an introvert and prefer to have a good bit of quiet (rather than constant patter) and that I would enjoy a quiet lunch on my own, I would be perfectly comfortable sharing that information with a guide in advance. (I imagine any good guide would appreciate that info—perhaps even welcome it as it’s less work—and any good guide would adjust accordingly).
In terms of safety, again, that is a very important issue and I share your sense of caution. Here, too, I feel like getting recommendations either from the owners of B&Bs or small hotels (rather than just aggregated on line reviews) is very important to me. On a trip several years ago, I visited two different mountainous regions in Ecuador where I wanted to hike a bit (this was after a work trip to Quito, where I was very comfortable in the city on my own exploring for a few days). I had the B&Bs where I was staying (which were in turn recommended by a friend who had stayed there previously) arrange my transfer by drivers. Public transport was not an option. And I wrote to the B&B owners where I was to be staying in advance, telling him I wanted to hike a bit, but would not be comfortable doing that on my own. One owner offered to take me hiking over the course of two mornings (for a fee), and that was lovely. We mostly hiked in silence as he spoke no English and my Spanish is extremely limited. In other region I visited, the owner of the B&B arranged a hiking guide for me for a one day hike. I corresponded with the owner and learned that this guide was frequently used by guests, including solo female guests. He assured me that it would be that guide only, not someone else at the last minute. Because the B&B was highly recommended by a friend who had stayed their recently that made me comfortable. That, too, was a good experience, and we chatted a little bit off and on during that day.
I provided the examples above to suggest that there are ways that at least I have improved my comfort in terms of hiring drivers, using guides, and occasionally being part of a small group when I am traveling to places where I can’t just hop on a train or bus to do the thing I want to do.
Studenttobe, That is excellent advice!! My response (to memejs) was only about a private driver/guide and I completely left out the option of small group tours. That's a great option and superb advice on how to find a good guide, or small-group tour. For my upcoming trip, I booked with a number of drivers (not guides) to take us from city to city, since my partner cannot walk much.. As Studenttobe recommended, I asked my B&B owners for advice, and got some advice from posters here, and those that I've come to trust on TripAdvisor.
As an aside, the prices varied tremendously between the drivers. We plan to transfer from Trapani to another location in Sicily, and I wanted the chance to stop for a lunch break, since Sunday lunches in Italian restaurants can be quite an experience.
I've been to restaurants in Italy that are quiet during the week, but on Sundays they explode with life..many generations, lots of back and forth between tables, once near Maratea (part of the tiny bit of Basilicata that has a coast) we ate next to a group of men who had brought their own home-made wine (they went around offering generous tastes to all diners seated nearby) and during the meal, they brokeout their instruments and began singing, first among themselves and as the audience got involved, they stood up and "performed" for us. I'll never forget that lunch! Not onlyl for the fantastic experience, but by how the same restaurant can be very different in atmosphere depending on when you dine there. So I try never to miss a Sunday lunch in Italy. That will be the meal of the day, and I try to choose restaurants that are, rather than upscale fine dining venues, places that attract a local crowd. (Once in Puglia, we had booked well lin advance at a well rated fish restaurant, and it was lovely, but quiet. Just next door, we could hear the patrons at another restaurant singing and laughing and having all around great fun. After our quiet lunch, we walked into that next-door place and I took the name to remember if ever I am lucky enough to return to that area (Ionian seacoast of Puglia).
But getting on track, I contacted the guide recommended by some trusted online forum posters (not here), and who I had booked for a small group tour in Trapani. I also contacted the driver whose name had been given to me by my hotel in Trapani. Can you imagine that the price difference for the same trip, about 2 hours in length (each way, for the driver) with an hour or so lunch break, differed by 100 euro???
So it pays to do your research, both for trustworthiness and compentency, and for price!
Last edited by ekscrunchy; Apr 22nd, 2023 at 10:54 AM.
Apr 22nd, 2023, 12:11 PM
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What a wonderful report! I want to do this trip! Thank you for all this information. Can you tell me how many stairs are involved in the B&B's you stayed at?
As far as being a woman travelling alone, I have done so extensively in Europe (Italy many times, Greece, Spain, Paris, Ireland, London) and have never felt unsafe. Of course, you use your common sense. A really nice thing about being alone is that people are much more likely to talk to you, including at dinner. I have often ended up in conversation with people at the next table. I have also taken many cooking classes, and they are always a lot of fun.
That said, I understand not wanting to travel solo to some destinations. In February, I spent two weeks in Egypt with a tour group because I wasn't comfortable wandering around Egypt by myself. It was a wonderful trip! You should do what is comfortable for you.
As far as being a woman travelling alone, I have done so extensively in Europe (Italy many times, Greece, Spain, Paris, Ireland, London) and have never felt unsafe. Of course, you use your common sense. A really nice thing about being alone is that people are much more likely to talk to you, including at dinner. I have often ended up in conversation with people at the next table. I have also taken many cooking classes, and they are always a lot of fun.
That said, I understand not wanting to travel solo to some destinations. In February, I spent two weeks in Egypt with a tour group because I wasn't comfortable wandering around Egypt by myself. It was a wonderful trip! You should do what is comfortable for you.
Apr 22nd, 2023, 12:13 PM
#23
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Thanks eskscrunchy—really interesting about the divergence in prices among drivers (and the lesson re research/comparison). And your points about Sunday lunches in Italy are so useful. Sitting looking at my sad lunch of leftovers from last night’s dinner at home right now all I want is to be transported to that restaurant in Italy, drinking the homemade wine and enjoying the exuberant singing and visiting.
Apr 22nd, 2023, 01:41 PM
#24
Love the conversations and tips going on here, I’ve never travelled solo, and am collecting ideas for when DH is not inclined to join me. Wonderful stories about meals and driver experiences, too.
Apr 24th, 2023, 01:03 PM
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Thank you so much for sharing your trip report! Going to Puglia in June - with stays in Bari/Lecce/Matera and Polignane A Mare. Have made notes of your recommended restaurants as well as day trips to other cities. We have also booked Nadia for our tour of Matera and are staying in Toretto ai Sassi as well - both of which I found on this forum. I’m so happy to read that you enjoyed both the tour and the hotel. Thanks again for taking the time to share such a great detailed trip report!
Apr 25th, 2023, 06:45 PM
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What a wonderful report! I want to do this trip! Thank you for all this information. Can you tell me how many stairs are involved in the B&B's you stayed at?
As far as being a woman travelling alone, I have done so extensively in Europe (Italy many times, Greece, Spain, Paris, Ireland, London) and have never felt unsafe. Of course, you use your common sense. A really nice thing about being alone is that people are much more likely to talk to you, including at dinner. I have often ended up in conversation with people at the next table. I have also taken many cooking classes, and they are always a lot of fun.
That said, I understand not wanting to travel solo to some destinations. In February, I spent two weeks in Egypt with a tour group because I wasn't comfortable wandering around Egypt by myself. It was a wonderful trip! You should do what is comfortable for you.
As far as being a woman travelling alone, I have done so extensively in Europe (Italy many times, Greece, Spain, Paris, Ireland, London) and have never felt unsafe. Of course, you use your common sense. A really nice thing about being alone is that people are much more likely to talk to you, including at dinner. I have often ended up in conversation with people at the next table. I have also taken many cooking classes, and they are always a lot of fun.
That said, I understand not wanting to travel solo to some destinations. In February, I spent two weeks in Egypt with a tour group because I wasn't comfortable wandering around Egypt by myself. It was a wonderful trip! You should do what is comfortable for you.
Hi Susan P.: Re steps at the B&Bs where I stayed. In Lecce: the building where the B&B is located had a working elevator. There are a lot of steps inside the building (though not to get into the building). I was happy to have the elevator since I had a large, heavy bag. In Matera, there were stairs to get to the B&B itself and then to my room. (The driver carried my bag, which I appreciated. But one does have to walk the stairs to get, say, from restaurants to your room.) (When I was walking in Matera’s “new town” I did see some nice looking hotels that were on flat ground. ) In Monopoli: there is a ground floor room at the B&B (I didn’t stay in it). There are no steps to get into the B&B itself. The other rooms are up a somewhat narrow set of stairs (the owner carried my bag—perhaps it was around 8 individual stairs, and then there were a few other rooms a bit higher up, too). Breakfast when I was there was served in a room that was on the same level as the rooms that involved a walk up the first set of approximately 8 stairs. I think in warmer weather breakfast is served on a roof deck (i.e., higher up).
My experience as a solo diner aligns with yours-I, too, have had some nice serendipitous conversations, and agree they are more likely when you are on your own. Your point is well taken about places where a group tour is the most comfortable option. I, too, would pursue in the context you described. I’m glad it was a great experience. I’d like to visit Egypt some day and will keep your reflection in mind.
Apr 25th, 2023, 06:46 PM
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Apr 25th, 2023, 06:49 PM
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Thank you so much for sharing your trip report! Going to Puglia in June - with stays in Bari/Lecce/Matera and Polignane A Mare. Have made notes of your recommended restaurants as well as day trips to other cities. We have also booked Nadia for our tour of Matera and are staying in Toretto ai Sassi as well - both of which I found on this forum. I’m so happy to read that you enjoyed both the tour and the hotel. Thanks again for taking the time to share such a great detailed trip report!
Apr 25th, 2023, 07:02 PM
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Thank you so much for the details on number of steps. I doubt that I could get such a complete answer from the B&B's! (In Spoleto, I was told that it was a few steps to reach my apartment. There were 27, not what I would call a few!). Eight steps would not be a problem. I am not handicapped, just try to limit the steps where possible, since there is so much walking involved when travelling to Europe.
Apr 26th, 2023, 06:22 AM
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Thank you so much for the details on number of steps. I doubt that I could get such a complete answer from the B&B's! (In Spoleto, I was told that it was a few steps to reach my apartment. There were 27, not what I would call a few!). Eight steps would not be a problem. I am not handicapped, just try to limit the steps where possible, since there is so much walking involved when travelling to Europe.
Apr 28th, 2023, 07:34 AM
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Wow, I love your trip report. I was in Puglia for a week, out of our two and a half week journey, last May and found myself walking on a cloud when we got back. It's hard to step back into reality and find time to report on the myriad of adventures and sensory discoveries (love that you tried sea urchin! I'm a wimp on that one). Maybe the time that lapsed from your return until your report was beneficial in that your trip had time to percolate into your memories bank. Your report brought back so many wonderful memories for me. Glad you had such a wonderful trip on short notice.
May 20th, 2023, 09:36 AM
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Although this info may be too late to assist you, I hope others trying to reach Nadia will read this. I tried to book Nadia for my trip to Matera this month, using the email address that the OP and others have posted on Fodors. It turns out that it seems her email address has been hacked. I had an ongoing email exchange with someone purporting to be her insisting on being paid by bitcoin or wire transfer. I didn’t catch the fact that the wire transfer information listed the recipient as someone with an African sounding name. In the end I got scammed for 100 euros. So, if you want to book her, call her instead of emailing the address posted here.
May 20th, 2023, 09:43 AM
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About those cruschi: Were there strands of the peppers hanging in stores or markets that you could buy, or did you buy them already packed and already fried? My addiction began near Andria, at Masseria Barbera, and they gave me a big bag filled with them. I'd not heard of these peppers before. By the time our second trip to the area came around, we made a special trip to Senise, cruschi heartland. i bought about 5 long strands of the dried peppers at the azienda specializing in them, outside the town of Senise (quite a caper trying to find the place on Google maps!). We ended up spending lots of time with the owner, and I took home an amount that filled a carry-on bag (also added a loaf of Matera bread). Those peppers hung in my pantry for years, even as they shriveled up to a fraction of their original size. So I am now planning a return to the area, to stock up next fall. But I wonder if you sa them for sale in Matera, on the long strands, or should I plan a trip to Senise itself? I know you were there long after the harvest, and I will time my visit closer to harvest time (Aug-Sept)...but just curious..
ekscrunchy, my wife and I were in Matera earlier this week for a couple nights and did see the long strands in several stores. One of them I recall being on the Corso and then we saw them in a few places just within a block or two outside the historical Center of town.
May 21st, 2023, 05:20 AM
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What a shame about Nadia's email being hacked, for travelers here and especially for her since this must be the height of her booking season. Great to know that she is still reachable through her WhatsApp phone number. Sorry to hear that upupaway got scammed.
May 21st, 2023, 06:28 AM
#38
I’ve only started looking at your trip report but I’m so happy you loved Attico Barocco in Lecce! And the room with its balcony is fabulous! We hit a rainy stretch so didn’t have a chance to sit there too long but it was still a great view. And the family is wonderful. We really enjoyed our stay there and would love to go back someday.
May 21st, 2023, 05:34 PM
#40
Fantastic trip report, studenttobe! I’m loving your time in a place we thoroughly enjoyed. It’s bringing back such wonderful memories. It sounds like you found wonderful guides to take you around and you saw a lot in a short time!
Interestingly, we stayed in Polignano a Mare, but almost stayed in Monopoli for many of the reasons you gave for choosing it., However, I discovered an Airbnb which was too good to pass up. We were in Polignano in early October, so perhaps a bit more in season than March, but I was surprised that town is a lot more than “just a resort” town and has a very real feeling to it and we enjoyed it very much.
Leely2, your itinerary sounds fabulous and I’m jealous! I wish I had an extra day for Matera - 3 nights is wonderful there!
Interestingly, we stayed in Polignano a Mare, but almost stayed in Monopoli for many of the reasons you gave for choosing it., However, I discovered an Airbnb which was too good to pass up. We were in Polignano in early October, so perhaps a bit more in season than March, but I was surprised that town is a lot more than “just a resort” town and has a very real feeling to it and we enjoyed it very much.
Leely2, your itinerary sounds fabulous and I’m jealous! I wish I had an extra day for Matera - 3 nights is wonderful there!
