A four day road trip around Puglia and Matera is an excellent option if you want to avoid the “usual” Italy itinerary overcrowded with hordes of tourist. Puglia is located in the south-eastern tip of Italy, and Matera is actually in the region of Basilicata, but very close to Puglia. I think the difference here is that instead of going to see a particular monument or sightseeing spots, you are going to be visiting towns with very interesting histories.
When to go: that is a tricky question and I would probably suggest June and September to get nice weather whilst also avoiding the peak of the summer months. We went in May and unfortunately the weather was still a bit temperamental, we had sun and rain and it was not hot enough to use the swimming pool.
General advice: this is a great road trip to do as the distances are not very far and the roads are acceptable, but you will definitely need a car as it is not a trip that you can organise using public transport.
In terms of how to get there you could use Bari or Brindisi airport as your starting point.
Day 1: Matera
It is definitely worth including Matera as one of your stops during a road trip around Puglia. From Bari Airport to Matera only takes 50 mins by car.
Where to stay in Matera? You have basically two options depending on your budget:
For something more fancy and special, “Cenobio Hotel”
For something more on budget and very well located, “Sulla roccia dei Sassi” is a very good option
The history of Matera goes back more than 30,000 years and it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world. The original inhabitants and their ancestors dug caves with metal tools and their dwellings remained throughout the later waves of rulers and empires.
Matera came into national prominence in the 1950s. By then it was a forgotten city that had sunk into poverty. Whole families were living in the Sassi cave houses with no electricity or running water, sharing space with their livestock. Diseases were rampant and a constant threat. Conditions became so bad that in 1952, the Italian government evacuated most of the city and the inhabitants were moved to housing in a newly constructed part of the town, leaving the Sassi cave houses empty for decades.
Before being selected as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993, Matera had long been one of the poorest cities in Italy known as the Citta dei Sassi, literally the City of Stones. The prestigious UNESCO label gave a new image to the city that was once an example of degradation and national shame.
What to do in Matera? Basically walk a lot and get lost on the streets! It is an incredible place and also unexpectedly bigger than you probably imagine! When you are walking around you might be thinking that this place looks familiar and that is because Matera was part of one of the most memorable scenes of the James Bond movie “No Time to Die”!
While walking around do not miss the following: Cattedrale di Maria Santissima della Bruna e Sant'Eustachio, San Pietro Caveoso, Church of Saint Mary of Idris and one of the caves (i.e. Casa Grotta nei Sassi di Matera).
I would highly recommend to go for an aperitivo to the terrace of the hotel “Sextantio” which has amazing views. For dinner I would recommend to go to “Stano (Trattoria Stano)”.
Day 2: Alberobello and Monopoli
Alberobello is 1.10hrs driving from Matera. This is the most touristy town of all the itinerary but still worth seeing. Here with half a day you have enough time to visit it and you don’t need to stay overnight.
Alberobello started as a farming community in the 1500’s, but wasn’t formally organised until 1654, when a count’s attempt to cheat the government created the town. Count Giangirolamo Acquaviva was called to court to explain to the king why he wasn’t paying taxes on the all dwellings in estates. He protested that there were no such dwellings, and invited the court to views his properties. Before the court representative could arrive, the Count had the dwellings destroyed and sent the people to live in the woods until the review was complete. After the court left satisfied, the people were permitted to return, as long as they only built dwellings that could be quickly torn down. Thus, the Trulli were born. Built without mortar, they were built by stacking brick upon brick, and could be demolished by removing the center support.
Life continued in this town under feudal rule until 1797, when the citizens applied to the King and were granted permission to be released from bondage and made a free town, loyal to the king.
They no longer needed to worry about having their homes demolished, but continued to create their homes in the traditional Trulli style.
One thing that I would encourage you to do is explore further than the touristy streets! Everyone seems to be concentrated around the area of Via Monte S. Michele street but make sure you also visit the streets around Belvedere sui Trulli and Trulli - Rione Aia Piccola as this is a more quiet area. Also it is worth visiting the interior of a Trulli and for that you can go to Trullo Sovrano.
For lunch a good spot is “Ristorante "L'Aratro" di Domenico Laera”, which has an impressive list of wines and really good service.
In terms of accommodation for the next 2 days I would suggest to stay around Monopoli as it is very well located in relation to the places that must be visited. From Alberobello to Monopoli it takes just 30 mins to drive.
If you prefer something more central surrounded by amenities I would suggest “Vittorio Emanuele Charming Suites”.
But if you want to have a swimming pool and stay in a typical Masseria, “Masseria San Francesco” is the perfect place.
Before dinner, make sure you leave enough time to explore Monopoli. The best area to walk around and get lost is around the sea front and the port, basically the Centro Storico. Do not miss the Cathedral of Monopoli and the Church of Saint Vitus Martyr.
After you can go for an aperitivo to "My Wine" and dinner to "Carlo Quinto", which is by the sea. A restaurant specialising in fish with a pretty terrace overlooking the sea.
Day 3: Polignano e Mare and Ostuni
Polignano is a small town by the sea which is perfect to spend a morning in and enjoy a super tasty meal. It is just 15 min drive from Monopoli. The most popular thing to do here is visit the Lama Monachile beach. Note that the small beach is not a sandy beach but pebbles so you might need some water shoes to get into the sea. You should also explore the narrow streets around the Centro Storico which are full of nice shops and restaurants.
I highly recommend to stop for lunch at “Ristorante Grotta Ardito”, a great seafood restaurant with a nice cosy vibe.
The second stop of the day would be Ostuni, which is 30 mins from Monopoli or 45 mins from Polignano e Mare. As with the day before, I would suggest spending some time (around a couple of hours) before dinner exploring the small town of Ostuni. In this case Ostuni is a town which is inland (instead of by the sea) but it is full of charm. It is a town full of narrow streets and white houses with so many nice shops and restaurants. Here make sure you visit: Piazza Libertà, The Cathedral and Arco Scoppa.
In Ostuni, you can go for an aperitivo to “Riccardo Caffe” and “Osteria del Tempo Perso” for dinner. Both of them are inside beautiful caves.
What if you have more days? We only had 4 days for this itinerary but it is definitely a trip that you can extend by exploring other towns like Lecce or Bari.