10 Day Puglia and Matera Honeymoon

There are so many towns along the Puglia coastline to visit- it was hard to narrow down! Since we didn’t want to spend a ton of time driving, we narrowed it down to four (Ostuni, Alberobello, Monopoli and Polignano a Mare) that were close enough to our hotel to be able to easily do day trips. If we had more time or wanted to road trip more, I’ve heard great things about Lecce, Otranto and Gallipoli. Many people also choose to split up their trip and stay a couple nights in each town to experience them a little more. When visiting the towns by car, it’s best to search “parking” in your Maps app and find a public parking lot on the edge of town. It’s much easier to park further out and walk into town, because in the towns the streets get very narrow and crowded.

Ostuni

This white-washed town is perched up on a hill with views of the ocean and vast olive groves. You can easily spend an afternoon here just wandering the cobblestone streets, shopping the handmade ceramics, and enjoying a sunset apertif at Borgo Antico Bistrot. On our way to Ostuni, we did an olive oil production tour and tasting at Masseria Brancati. It was so interesting to see some of the huge, 3,000-year-old olive trees and how the farm used to produce oil with equipment dating back to the medieval times.

Alberobello

This was probably our favorite excursion day of the trip! We booked a tour through Borgo Egnazia with Francesco at Allways Puglia and it was absolutely amazing! First he took us on a “tuk-tuk” or “ape” cart to a nearby dairy farm where we got to see the full production of mozzarella and burrata. After the demonstration we ate a large spread of the fresh cheeses with snacks, bread, and homemade wine for lunch. Then we headed back into town and Francesco took us on a golf cart tour through the old part of Alberobello where people still live in the “trulli”, the traditional domed Puglian houses. In the new side of town most of the trulli are converted into hotels, restaurants, or souvenir shops. We wandered around town and enjoyed a wine tasting at Trulli e Puglia Wine Bar where we got to taste several wines that were locally produced.

Monopoli

We did a quick stop in Monopoli on our way to Polignano a Mare. We were only there an hour or two and thought it was plenty of time to see the famous medieval port and wander around the cute town.

Polignano a Mare

We spent a full afternoon and evening here and it was such a charming town. From the picturesque beach, to little colorful streets and a bustling main square, there was lots to see! For the best views walk over to Terrazza Santo Stefano viewpoint.

Matera

Although Matera isn’t technically in the Puglia region, it is just an hour and a half inland and is a must-see on a Puglia trip. You can easily visit with just a one or two night stay. Matera is known as a city of caves and one of the oldest towns in the world. The history is so interesting- the cave-dwellings have been inhabited for up to 10,000 years. People lived in the caves in terrible conditions with no electricity or plumbing all the way until the 1950s. It was actually known as the “shame of Italy” and all the residents were neglected for centuries. Finally the Italian government stepped in and provided nearby housing for all the residents, leaving the “Sassi”, or old part of Matera abandoned for decades. It wasn’t until the 1980s that some of the residents began moving back into the town and plumbing was installed by the government. In 1993 things changed when UNESCO named the Sassi a World Heritage site which increased revitalization and tourism.

Matera was still hardly known until 2004 when Mel Gibson’s “Passion of The Christ” was filmed there. Many of the popular restaurants and hotels just opened within the last 7 years, so it’s really only lately become a popular destination! Some of the locals we talked to said the new James Bond movie, “No Time To Die,” that was released in 2021 helped bring in a lot more tourism too. Despite Matera having been forgotten for so long, it is now known as a hidden gem of Italy and a town filled with hip restaurants and luxury hotels built inside caves to experience a part of history. Also beware that the Sassi is walkable but definitely only in sneakers, as there are lots of stairs and the cobblestone is slippery.

Puglia:

• Masseria Il Frantoio in Ostuni: Michelin guide, they use only ingredients fresh from their farm and have a different set menu each night of eight courses and a wine pairing for just $85 a person. They were easily able to accommodate my gluten allergy and every bite of food was so unique!

• Grotta Palazzese: It’s been voted the most romantic restaurant in the world, so it was a perfect celebratory honeymoon dinner experience. I had heard mixed reviews that the restaurant was overrated, but we had a great experience! It is pretty pricey, but the views alone are 100 percent worth it. The ambience is amazing with the sun setting on the ocean as a live saxophone player performs during your meal. We really enjoyed our meal, and they were able to make a delicious gluten free version of the menu for me!

Matera:

• Vitontonio Lombardo Ristorante: We had the best meal of our trip at this Michelin star restaurant! You do need to make a reservation in advance. They had several menu options but we chose the $200/person that was five courses and five wine pairings and it was so worth it! Be sure to order the “Last Kiss” dessert- they make you “kiss” it and eat with no utensils while listening to headphones playing classical Italian music- it definitely had everyone in the restaurant giggling.

• Baccanti: We didn’t get a chance to eat here because we didn’t make a reservation but it looked so good! It’s also on the Michelin guide but much more affordable.

• Radino Wine Bar & Restaurant: We were able to walk in with no reservation and we ordered a delicious large steak and bottle of wine that they produce themselves!

• Trattoria del Caveoso: Great lunch or dinner spot with a cute patio and highly rated! They were able to do GF pasta too.

• Cremes Bureau: our tour guide told us this is the best gelato spot in the city and it was delicious!