SusanP

In particular, wondering about Otranto, Gallipoli & Monopoli, places I might go for a day trip. Yes, I have googled them to try and ascertain what I'd like to know, but it is very difficult to tell.
My main question is how close the train station is to the town centers and if there are likely to be taxis available at the stations, because what might seem like a short walk to the center to some people might not be short to me. Of course you can't go to Italy without a good amount of walking, but I try to cut down on it where possible. Thanks!

jan47ete

I am all set (plane and apartments) to be there in November. Going to Otranto and Gallipoli from Lecce and staying in Monopoli. I am going by train. I too prefer to save myself to walk around town than expending energy walking to the town but have found there always seems to be buses that head to the centro. I would use rome2rio.com and put in the train station and then say the Cathedrale to get a sense of distance either walking or what bus to get, if an option.

Travel_Nerd

Susan, thank you for asking this question as I am also anxiously following along. While I am willing to bet there might be wide availability from the respective train stations to Centro storico, I'm equally concerned with saving my legs back to the stations and how to possibly reach a taxi service

Any suggestions on possible other modes and how to search regional lines (such as bus)? I always find these small cities to be so mysterious and unsure how to search, despite my endless Googling!

SusanP

Thank you, jan47ete, that is something to try.

Travel_Nerd, I had wondered about getting a taxi from the station and asking the driver to pick me back up at a certain time.
I had no trouble booking trains between cities.

patrickkirby1799

We just returned from a week in Puglia, no car. Very delighted with train service. Hi-speed from Rome to Bari. Leisurely 20 minute walk to old town. No hills, nice wide streets, partly pedestrian only. Had read often how car was necessary in Puglia, so planned to limit moving around fearing transportation difficulty. Completely wrong. After Bari only went as far as Monopoli. Realized at that point we could have planned much more extensive travel. Monopoli terminal, easy 20 minute walk slightly down hill into town center. Day tripped to Ostuni, station quite a hike (we walked to town) but aside from busy roadway and very limited walking space we enjoyed the view of town and walked passed olive Grove with biggest olive trees I've ever seen. (Would not recommend the walk, but taxis are available at station.)
Another day trip on train to Polignano. Again, easy 20 minute walk to town center. Trains along the coast were super efficient, cheap, uncrowded in early April and if doing trip over would most certainly utilized trains way more.

SusanP

Patrick, other than Ostuni, were there taxis at all the other stations you mentioned? I prefer not to do those walks, because I am a slow walker and if someone says it takes 20 minutes, it will take me a lot longer. 😁

patrickkirby1799

There is a taxi stand near each of those stations. We end up walking every place so rarely take taxis but that is my recollection.

SusanP

Thank you!

Leely2

I had a car for most of my trip, but did rely on the train in Monopoli to go to/from PaM. I don't recall seeing any taxis just waiting at the Monopoli station the day and times I was there, but there is one of those big taxi signs with a phone number to call.

Easy (for me), flat and pleasant walk, maybe 20 minutes or perhaps 25 strolling, from the station through the historic center and to the seafront. I was staying very near to the Don Ferrante.

If you want a taxi back to the station, I'd call or research the bus lines.

SusanP

Thank you, Leely. Hopefully, this time I won't have trouble with my phone.

neckervd

The train statiion of Gallipoli is about half a mile from the historic center.
There are buses. You can always call a radio taxi if there isn't one waiting at the train station.
The train staion of Otranto is about 1 mile from historic center and harbour.
Buses/taxis like at Gallipoli.
Note that there are trains, buses of the train company FSE and buses of a bus company running between Lecce and Otranto.

SusanP

Thanks, neckervd, good to know.

Holly_uncasdewar

You can go to hotels.com to get an idea of where the train station is in relation to the centro area. Just enter the city name and then click on the map for any hotel that claims to be in the center. It should also tell you the distance from the stazione so you have a better idea.

Travel_Nerd

Not speaking for Susan, but given her question, fairly sure she has already done that. Some of these stations are a kilometer or more from centro storico and can make a difference either in the beginning or the end of such a day trip to these towns.

SusanP

Thank you, Holly, but I have found that the distances on those sites (although I have used booking.com more than hotels.com) are sometimes misleading and not always accurate.

Travel_Nerd, yes, some of them are definitely further than I want to walk at the beginning and end of my visit. I don't take a lot of taxis in a town/city but want one on arrival/departure. Just in the last couple of years I might take one a couple of times to the furthest point I want to see for the day and then work my way back (except for Rome, where I know the bus system well).

neckervd

"I have found that the distances on those sites (although I have used booking.com more than hotels.com) are sometimes misleading and not always accurate".
That's true, indeed!
Newest example from booking .com
Suna Beach Hotel at Imros Island in the Northern Aegean is showed on the booking.com map at Aydincik, halfway between Antalya and the Syrian border.

SusanP

neckervd, good example! 😁

Leely2

One thing to keep in mind (or calm your mind), is that the historical centers of these towns are really quite small and the sights to see are not of the blockbuster variety, though I certainly don't mean to diminish them. But it's not like walking through Naples or Rome or even Lecce or Taranto. You won't necessarily get as tired hoofing it as you would in bigger places with more to see. Plenty of opportunities--especially with the pausa--to do nothing but rest your legs and relax with a beverage or snack, long lunch, etc. It's a pretty chill region.

SusanP

I'm good at relaxing with a drink or snack. 😀