Anyone been to Matera?

[MissAmbrosia]

DH has a hankering after watching the last James Bond film. My research tells me some of the shots were in Gravina too. It looks very hilly and whilst the cave hotels look stunning, I am more looking for a terrace/pool. I am thinking, a couple of nights in stunning cave, and then maybe hiring a car and staying nearish by/on the coast. October, so it is not nuclear hot.

[Geamhradh]

I live not a million miles away it's ok. You can do it in an afternoon. It's nice at certain times of the year (Christmas) with lights and stuff but you won't need to spend much time there.
Gravina is more of the same without the caves. Both can be done in a day.
Be wary of stunning looking caves. Tourist trap caves might be a better description. It's improved a bit over the last few years with the 007 (and other film) stuff and capital of culture but there's still a shitload of caves with locals trying to drag you in to look at damp walls with a table they've shoved in to pretend they still live there.

I'd go to the Salento for a few days, there you'd get your pool and sea fix, and can visit Matera, Gravina, Ostuni, Alberobello etc as trips.

If you wanted a bit further north Puglia you could stay on the Gargano and pull in Monte Sant'Angelo, Castel del Monte, Trani as well as Matera etc

In one of the above I could give you a cuppa

[MissAmbrosia]

Geamhradh Thanks so much! I will have a look over the weekend and might come back with questions