Where to Stay in Brindisi: Areas, Prices and Some Honest Advice

In short: Brindisi is walkable, so parking and transport matter more than the area. The old town is the choice for two or three days, the seafront if you are taking a ferry, Casale if you want peace and quiet, and out of town if your trip is mostly about the sea. Most places to stay are B&Bs: we recommend our own, the Giardino del Geco.

Brindisi is walkable. That's the thing worth knowing before you book: the old town, the harbour, the Roman Columns, the Cathedral and the seafront all sit within a small area you can cross in a thirty-minute stroll. Where you sleep matters less than in other cities, but what does matter is how you get there, where you park the car and what time your ferry or flight leaves.

The areas, and what really changes

The old town

This is the choice for people coming for two or three days who want to step out of the door and already be in the city: Piazza del Duomo, the Temple of San Giovanni al Sepolcro, the alleys, the aperitivo bars. In return, summer evenings are lively until late, and parking right outside isn't always possible.

The seafront and the harbour area

The Lungomare Regina Margherita is where the people of Brindisi take their stroll: Art Nouveau buildings on one side, the harbour on the other, the ferries coming and going. Staying here means having the view, and the pier for the ferries to Greece a few minutes away. It's the right area if you're leaving or arriving by sea.

Casale, the other shore

On the other side of the inner harbour is the Casale quarter, with the Monumento al Marinaio and the church of Santa Maria del Casale. You get there by motobarca, which shuttles back and forth in a crossing of a few minutes. It's quieter than the centre, and the crossing at sunset is worth the stay on its own.

Out of town, towards the sea

The best beaches are north and south of the city, from Torre Guaceto downwards. Staying out there makes sense if your trip is mainly about the sea and you have a car; if you want to see Brindisi, the city remains the most convenient base.

B&B, hotel or apartment?

In Brindisi most of what's on offer is B&Bs and small places, not big hotels. The real difference, more than the price, is the information: at a B&B someone will tell you where to find really good fish, what time the motobarca runs and whether the market is on on Sunday. An apartment is worth it for long stays or large families; a hotel, if you need hotel services.

Our recommendation: the Giardino del Geco B&B

Let's say it straight away, because it's only fair you know: the Giardino del Geco is ours. This isn't a review; it's the place we know best.

It's in town, at Via Giovanni XXIII 38, in an area with plenty of free parking: in Brindisi that's no small detail (not always, but often you'll find a space nearby). There's also a large free car park about 300 metres away on Via Spalato. The B&B has four rooms, all with private bathroom, air conditioning and TV, and they're named after the dialect words for what grows in the vegetable gardens around here:

• Ulia (the olive), 18 m², two people, small double bed, garden view, with kitchen and sofa. From €80 a night.
• Scarcioffola (the artichoke), 16 m², two people, double bed and minibar. From €70 a night.
• Cirasa (the cherry), 25 m², up to four people with a double bed, sofa bed and single, and a private balcony. From €90 a night.
• Marangiana (the aubergine), 20 m², up to three people, designed for long stays. From €80 a night.
  
  The prices given are averages that vary with the season.

Breakfast is included and can be had on the terrace or in your room. There's free WiFi, linen changes, cleaning and laundry; for those arriving without a car, transfers and car, scooter and bike rental.

Something we're proud of: there are solar panels on the roof, and in several months of the year they produce more energy than the building uses (the month-by-month figures are published on the B&B's website).

And then there's what you don't usually find in a listing: sailing trips, aperitivo on a boat, guided tours, a canoe tour, snorkelling, cooking lessons, partner restaurants. They're the same experiences you'll find on Brindeasy, and you can book them from the B&B without searching around.

For information and availability: giardinodelgeco.it, or a message to +39 347 248 3647.

How to get there

The Aeroporto del Salento is a few kilometres from the centre and is served by regular buses: from there you're in the centre in no time. The station is in town, within walking distance. If you arrive by ferry from Greece you land at Costa Morena, about 2 km away, and a bus takes you to the centre in a few minutes. Cruise ships, on the other hand, usually dock in the centre, and the terminal is less than 500 metres from the B&B.

Two things to do as soon as you arrive

Walk down the Virgilian Steps to the Roman Columns, where the Via Appia ended, and take the motobarca across the inner harbour: it costs little and changes the way you see the city. Everything else, from the Mercato Coperto to the Conca, you'll find in the other guides on this blog.