Apulia 2024

I combined holiday with weekend to visit Apulia in Italy. One of few parts I didn’t saw so far. One way I took train (free as employee) and on return I flew back. I t wa quite intense traveling. Below you can find more details

Daily review

Here are activites logged by each day

• Ljubljana-Gorica-Rome 2024
• Rome 2024
• Lecce-Matera-Alberobello 2024
• Lecce-Galipolli-Brindisi-Ostuni-Bari 2024
• Bari-Trieste-Ljubljana 2024

People

People in Italy are generally hospitable, more as you go to the south. Maybe they don’t speak best of English. This was confirmed on this trip. I also met few Slovenains and had nice conversation about their experience.

Transport

I used train a lot as I have free ticket for basic fare (employed on railway). 2 night trains (Gorizia-Roma and Roma-Lecce) and few local ones (Lecce-Brindisi; Brindisi-Ostuni; Ostuni-Bari). Bus was also used often (Nova Gorica-Gorizia 1.3€, Ostuni-station 2€, Bari-stadium 2€ and airport 1.5€, Trieste-airport 4.6€, Trieste-Ljubljana 15€). Taxi (Ostuni 5€, Ljubljana 8€). I rented a car in Lecce for 50€. Paid for gas 43€ and 10 for parking. Flight Bari-Trieste 69€. In 4 days I walked around 60km, most of it was up/down hill and stairs. It accumulated to 220 €.

Accommodation

I slept 2 nights on train, one day in Lecce (room in apartment, breakfast included, 42€) and in Bari (room in apartment, 30€ because they made mistake). So it was 72€.

Food and drinks

Italy has great food that I didn’t use much as I should. For breakfast I had some sandwiches with me. In Bologna I had great savory pancakes, 7€. In Rome I ate pasta cacio e pepe, 10€. In Lecce I had pizza, 14€. In Trieste I had bad hamburger, 10 €. Together 41 €.

I drank mostly water, from shop 1.5l was 1.5€ or from fontana for free. Beer I tried few times, in shop 2.5€, at stadium small one for 2€ outside or 4€ inside, in different places from 4 to 8€. I don’t usually drink coffee, but this time I had more then one daily, cafe 1.2 €.

Sights

Italy is country with great history and you can find many interesting place while wondering big cities or small towns.

Rome is pinackle of tourist explorations, but I was already there few times. So this time I just wander around and revisited places I already saw. But many of them was closed for reconstruction.

Vatican I also visited before. But this time I wanted to see museums and view from dome. As I was late I could just get ticket through agancies with tours and payed 110 €+8€ audio guid. View from St Peter’s basilica is special, but takes some stairs climbing. Museums are full of great art but over crowded and you in the end remember few things.

Lecce has great old town. In Matera (Brindisi) you can enjoy wandering this old town cut out of the rock. Alberobello is know by this trulli stone houses. Brindisi has another great old town and promenade by the sea. Ostuni is white old town on the hill. Bari is center of the region with old town, sporting events (27€ football match). night life.

Weather

I had luck with the weather. For begining of November temperatures during the day were up to 25 Celsius. Nights were colder, especially in Trieste (far north) while I waited for the bus. Also in Gallipoli it was windi.

Budget

Italy is not the cheapest but this was low budget experience, transport was 220 €, accomodation was 72 € (next time I would take sleeper on train), food 41 € (also here I will spend more next time), sights (145 €, I could get by here much cheaper). 476 € was total without beer.